March 2, 1887: The Birth of Master Lock Co.

By Randy Alfred 03.02.09

1887: Harry Soref is born. The inventor will miniaturize the security of a bank vault into the everyday padlock.
As a young man, Soref earned his living as a traveling locksmith in the United States, Canada and Mexico. During World War I, he invented a special padlock for protecting tanks and other military equipment.
Soref established the Master Key Company to produce skeleton keys, but he had an idea to improve padlocks at no great expense. Most padlocks of the time had cheap metal casings that you could easily bust open with a hammer. Security? Hah!
Building a padlock from thicker steel would be expensive. Instead, Soref applied the design of bank vaults and battleships: Use multiple layers of thin pieces of steel in a laminated construction. In his patent filing, he said: "A great advantage which flows from my invention is that the material employed in the production of the laminations is available to the manufacturer without any cost attached thereto. Such laminations are punched from the small 'scrap' which is created in very large quantities in manufacturing establishments operating punching presses."
Soref tried to interest big hardware companies in the idea, but engineers thought the construction process was too cumbersome. So, with backing from a couple of friends, Soref established the Master Lock Company in 1921 and began building the little devils himself in a small Milwaukee shop — with five employees, a drill press, a grinder and a punch press.
The locks — patented in 1924 — were tough, and the company prospered. Corporate lore says Soref taught Harry Houdini how to hide keys under his tongue and between his fingers.
Milwaukee was famous for its beer, but Prohibition was in force. When the growing firm needed larger quarters, it moved into the shut-down Pabst brewery. Master Lock sent a famous shipment of 147,600 padlocks to federal agents in New York City in 1928, and the irony was not lost on many that speakeasies and distilleries were soon shut down and secured with locks made in a former brewery.
The American Association of Master Locksmiths in 1931 awarded Soref's many achievements with the only gold medal it has ever bestowed.
Soref died in 1957 and never saw Master Lock's famous 1974 SuperBowl commerical. It featured a high-powered rifle shooting a hole through a sturdy Master Lock without opening it.
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Can You Account For All Your Keys?

Duplicates Open House For Criminal

By: Johnny Jenkins

Gina is a sales woman at a midsize retail store. She is a very beautiful woman who is comfortable working with all types of people. She makes a good living and enjoys her work very much. She has a nice expensive sports car and a nice home. She usually hires other people to perform maintenance on her home and take care of her car.

Her schedule simply does not allow her to keep pace with the everyday things such as home and car maintenance. She takes very good care of her car. She gets all the vehicles scheduled maintenance and periodic inspections. She usually waits for her car. She gives the mechanic her ring of keys and they return them when they are finished.

She has been going to the same mechanics for years. She trusted them. They were a family business and friends of her family. Unknowing to her they had hired an outsider to do janitorial work. He had just moved into town and convinced the owner the he was in desperate need of work in order to move his family to the area. They were kindhearted people and decided to give him a try.

One day she brought her vehicle into the shop for some routine maintenance. She greeted everyone as she usually does and pitched the mechanic the keys. Then she took a seat in the waiting room. The mechanic took the car in and started the inspection. He left the keys in the car to keep from loosing them as they always did.

The mechanic had to take a bathroom break, so he left the area for a few minutes. That was enough time for the new guy to wander over near the car. He acted like he was getting a hard to reach piece of trash. He reached into the car and made a quick impression of all Ginas keys. He also looked on the invoice and got her address.

When Gina left the mechanic shop, her keys were returned. The next day Gina went to work as she normally does. She was in such a hurry that she forgot to set her house alarm. She had a pretty good day at work. She returned home to find her front door open. She called the police to escort her inside the house. At first everything looked normal, but then she moved to her bedroom.

It was in shambles and her jewelry valued at $500,000 was gone. She was devastated, but also happy that she was not there when they robbed her. She filed a report with the police. They theorized there was no forced entry. Whoever robbed her was already in the house or had a key. That is when it hit her. The mechanics shop was the only place where she was separated from her keys.

She knew everybody there, so who could have done such a thing. She told the police and they went to the shop to investigate. They asked the owner about his employees. He asked if there was anybody he thought would have done this? He said no. Then he asked if they had any new employees. He said, I did but he quit this morning. That is when everything came together. The new guy was guilty. He was long gone and never found.

Always keep your house keys separate from other keys. While it is a little inconvenient, it reduces the risk of inadvertently becoming a victim. It only takes a few minutes for someone to make an impression of your keys. If you loose all your keys and the wrong person finds them, then you could be the target of a crime. If you do loose your keys, have all your locks changed immediately. Always have a self defense strategy in case of emergency.

(source...)

Or call Master Key Systems America to get keys that cannot be copied.

Bump Keys - Discover Why Your Door Locks Are Probably Useless

By: Eric Graudins

You are about to discover something that scared the hell out of me. The locks I rely on to protect my family and my business can be opened without damage in seconds. By just about anyone, using easily found information about Bump Keys.

You don't need special tools. Or locksmith training. All you need is a normal key that you can file down with an ordinary file. Or you can buy a bump key on the internet.

Firstly - my philosophy. I don't believe in "Security by Obscurity" - where severe problems with the things that we rely on are covered up and kept secret for use by people who want to harm us. The technique of bump keying (also known as rapping) has been known for over 50 years. Lock manufacturers and criminals know all about it. While all of us poor suckers still buy crappy locks that we falsely believe will protect our families and possessions.

What's the Problem?

There is a fundamental flaw in the design of the pin and tumbler mechanisms that are used on commonly sold latches and deadlocks. Including those rated as "high security". This flaw makes it possible for anyone to open many of these locks - even deadlocks - very quickly using a technique known as "bumping" This technique does not damage the lock. All you need is a filed down key that fits into the lock, and some practice using a certain technique,

In a bizarre twist, the more expensive locks are actually easier to open, because of their tighter tolerances, and better quality. A Dutch consumer organisation tested over 60 locks that have been approved by the police as providing High Security, and found that most of them could be bumped open.

I realise that locksmiths and criminals have always been able to open locks without keys. But this technique allows almost anyone to do it. At first, I thought Bump Keying was a joke, so I spent a large part of a weekend researching it. Unfortunately I found that the technique actually works.

Imagine This. You arrive home (or at your business), unlock the door, and discover that everything of value is missing. Your new Home Entertainment system, Computers, Stereo Equipment, etc. etc. All gone. You are devastated. But that's nothing to what happens next. You call the police and your insurance company, and make a claim. The insurance company refuses to pay.

What's worse - they think you did it - because there is no sign of illegal entry, and your premises are protected by high quality locks. They might even charge you with attempted fraud. Not a nice situation for an innocent, recently burgled person to find themselves in.

This situation is apparently becoming more and more common. In Australia some companies will pay out on a theft claim where there is no forced entry, as long as the theft has been reported to the police. Some won't. (Check your situation with your insurer.) And even if your premises are not burgled, are you comfortable with the fact that someone can open your locks, come in and snoop around your house, and then leave without a trace? Bump Keys make this possible.

Bump Keying - The Proof.

NOVA is a well respected European TV program. They have made a video, which includes a full demonstration of key bumping, and comments from lock experts and police. Like I said, it scared the hell out of me - especially after I tried an experiment myself, and found that everything I had discovered was true.

I obtained a bump key, and practiced on the deadlock on my back door for about 5 minutes. After about 15 tries, I got the technique right, and the lock opened. Another 10 tries - did it again. Another 5 minutes, and I could do it almost every time. I tried another lock at home - and it opened. I then went over to my sister's house, and she was stunned when I opened her security deadlock at the second attempt. (total time taken for both attempts: - 4 seconds)

Not every lock can be bumped. I've tried 2 others without success. But experts estimate that the technique will work on the majority of commonly used house locks.

How Many People Know about This? Many Millions. There are lots of Internet sites and fully documented reports about the technique readily available on the internet. Bumping has been widely reported in Europe, and covered on several TV programs. The US magazine Newsweek also did a story on it recently, and it's all over the social contact sites that young people use.

What To Do Next

1. If you are concerned about this, go to your locksmith and buy a bump proof lock cylinder.
I understand that Abloy disk tumbler locks, and BiLock locks cannot be opened by bumping.

2. Do some research regarding the topics discussed here.

3. Take as much (or as little) action that you feel is necessary to adequately protect your family and property.

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Bilock Deadbolts - Special

For all the security conscious people out there, this is the Bilock Deadbolt. A grade 2 deadbolt available in brass, satin chrome (stainless steel), dark bronze. Supplied with your choice of keyhead colour. Choose from almost 9000 colours.
This is a totally bump proof and virtually pick proof lock. Each Bilock system is carefully designed to maximise security. Bilock offers total key control. Only a correctly authorised written request will be accepted to provide duplicate keys and only from the locksmith agent that set up the system.

Single Cylinder version $1 69.00
Double Cylinder version $2 29.00
Includes 3 keys.
Installation P.O.A.

LIMITED SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS
BILOCK SINGLE CYLINDER DEADBOLTS $80.00 EACH

(Missouri residents pay sales tax @7.5%)
NOT INCLUDING SHIPPING

Email requests preferred.

You will receive a signature authority form to return. Unreturned forms will be unable to purchase additional keys in future.

USB Storage Solution

Following up on their CurrenKey ultraportable flash drives, Lacie has a new storage solution that will have you losing even more keys then you already do. This one takes the form factor of…keys.

These miniature microSD card readers offer 20MB/s read and 10MB/s write speeds. PassKey supports microSDHC cards, and both iamaKey and itsaKey are avaialable with 4GB or 8GB of built-in storage. It won’t start your car or get you into your home, but it may still scratch a lottery ticket and they are shock-proof and Windows ReadyBoost-compatible.

(Thanks SlipperyBrick)

Chesterfield MO Property Crime Rise

KPLR Channel 11 news in St Louis reported tonite on the alarming increase in property crimes in the cities of Chesterfield and Wildwood, today.

According to police reports, vandals apparently went on a crime spree, stealing 2 cars, breaking into houses, stealing purses and keys and going on joy rides in said vehicles knocking over 19 mailboxes in their path.

Chesterfield police report they have no concrete leads at this time.

Master Key Systems America are securing homes and businesses in the greater St Louis region. Our conveniently located Creve Coeur workshop and especially equipped service vehicles are staffed by competent and qualified technicians with over 25 years international experience in many facets of the physical security products and services industry.

As a neighbor, I am mortified that such crimes are occuring on my doorstep.

Protecting yourself, your family, your colleagues and your properties is vital in maintaining your property value, protecting insurance policies from increasing and the true well-being of everyone.

Method of entries, according to police reports, suggest burglars kicking in doors, accessing open garages and unlocked cars, taking pocket books and keys.

The daring burglars are becoming more desperate during these recent economic times and all citizens need to be wary and secure their properties.

We offer some unique and high quality, aesthetically appealing alternatives to maximise your security applications, including the Strikemaster II frame strengthener, Bilock Extreme Security deadbolts and locksets, Baldwin products and other unique products to help you provide your family and properties with the best defense from intruders.

(thanks KPLR11)

Warmer/Colder Find It All - Wireless Key Locator

A new product just released, widens the market of products in it's category.

The Find It All, offers a unique perspective.

Remember when we were children, we used to play the warmer/colder game? Where someone would hide something and make you look for it, giving you clues as to whether you were warmer (closer) or colder (farther away).

This new product, cleverly brings that old game to a reallity with this innovative method of a glowing light that increases it's strobe as you get closer to your desired object.

The set consists of 2 sturdy key chain tags and 1 very robust flat tag, so you can attach one key chain to your keys, the other to your phone and pop the flat tag in your wallet or purse (of course this is just a suggestion, it's entirely up to you exactly where and on what or who you choose to attach them).

Unlike other systems that are either a receiver or a transmitter - the Find it All Key Finder tags are both, so if you've got one, it will find the others for you. Clever huh?

Product Specification

Product dimensions (2 x key fob): 0.8(H) x 3(W) x 7(D) cm / 0.3(H) x 1.2(W) x 2.75(D) inches.
Product dimensions (1 x flat fob): 0.6(H) x 4.8(W) x 6.9(D) cm / 0.25(H) x 1.9(W) x 2.7(D) inches.

The Ultimate Key Finder set includes 2 x key fob receiver/transmitter units and 1 x flat fob receiver/transmitter unit.

Each fob is a two-way device, capable of signalling any other fob to beep and flash, helping you locate the lost item attached to it.

The flat fob comes with a lanyard and double sided tape for attachment to items such as a mobile phones, wallets, purses, bags, MP3 players, iPods etc...

To locate a missing object attached to a Find It All Key Finder fob, simply locate one of your other Find It All Key Finder fobs and enter the code corresponding to the item you are searching for. If the missing fob is within range (up to 10 metres / 30 feet) it will begin to beep and flash.

Find It All Key Finders also feature proximity detection, whereby the rate at which the fob used to locate another fob is flashing represents the distance between the two fobs. Therefore, the closer you get to a missing item the faster the LED light flashes.

Each receiver/transmitter fob unit requires a CR2032 battery (included).

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Poor Service

Recently, I have been called out on numerous occasions to repair/replace products on clients doors that were previously worked on by untrained and unknowing handymen, attempting to provide services without the knowledge, training or experience that professional locksmiths have spent years acquiring the knowledge for.

A particular example is this:

Client call us to rekey their locks on their home. We inform of our price structure over the telephone. An appointment is booked and our technician arrives early to the appointment.

The estimated cost is given again, prior to receiving the "go ahead" from the client.
Locks are removed from the doors and taken to the service vehicle for re-keying.

Upon inspection of the cylinders, many of the interior parts (the tumblers and springs) are missing. Prior to "fixing" the cylinders, our technician consults the client as to how recently the locks were worked on. The client responds that they were worked on by a handyman/carpenter just days before, but as the locks werent working properly, they decided to have a professional repair after the handyman refuses to honor any perceived warranty.

Due to the problems caused by an untrained "handyman", the cylinders take considerably longer and require more parts to "fix", yet the client has already been quoted a cost, so switching prices midway is unethical, inappropriate and not in the best interests of our company.

Repairing the cylinders does not take too much extra time, but due to the quantity of cylinders, extra time is multiplied by the quantity.

The client is always very happy with our services, because we honor our words and provide value for money.

Still, many customers choose to do business with an untrained person rather than call a trained technician, because of the price to value perception. It is true that sometimes you can benefit from having a handyman "also" do your locks....but they cannot and often do not (or are unable) to warranty their work. There is an old saying, "Pay peanuts and get monkeys", this should apply to anyone seeking to "cheap out" on their families or their colleagues protection.