Anchors - Securing Your Watercraft

Okay, many viewers may consider this product not to be a security device, however I disagree.

Almost every watercraft includes an anchor, designed to moor the craft from sailing away.

While an anchor might not be considered a traditional security product, when you consider that security includes fixing your property so that it is immovable, anchors truly fit into that product class.
Cooper Anchors, an innovative Australian company, recently released a sensational new product aimed at the watercraft market.

The lightweight "plastic" anchor developed by this forward thinking company, significantly reduces the weight of the all important anchor for watercraft. Expertly designed to suit the varying designs of watercraft and carefully engineered following extensive research and development, this product by Cooper Anchors, will change the face of boating, I suggest.

Securing your watercraft is as important as securing your car or home. You dont want your boat to "walk off" or "sail away" while you are enjoying a day of fishing, swimming, diving or lounging in the waters of lakes, rivers or bays, do you?

When you are away from your craft, what prevents it from just being stolen? Anchors do!

(therefore, they are a unique security product)

Most anchors are secured to their watercraft with chains. Many are connected to motors for easy deployment and retrieval. There are many providers of high-quality marine grade padlocks available to help protect your assets and attaching the 100% bump and pick proof Bilock padlocks to your anchors will only help to prevent your leisure craft from going missing.

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Secureview - Storm Door Protection

Storm Doors are very common across America on most households.

Many homeowners use storm doors as added protection from the elements, however just as many will use them as screen doors enabling the main entry doors to be left open while allowing the breeze to come in and keep the insects out.

The top picture shows how Secureview products can be used in a sea view setting too, allowing patio doors or windows to be left open while maintaining secured access to a dwelling.

This picture, shows how Secureview screens and doors can be applied in a typical residential setting. They are designed to efficiently maintain the ambience and character of an entry door way while providing some of the toughest protection against attack from would-be intruders.

This is another view of a typical installation of a Secureview storm/screened door application.

Below, the pictures show that the screens are designed to withstand attacks from hammers and knives.

The T316 marine grade stainless steel mesh uses the same metal composition specified by performance yacht manufacturers on crucial fittings and cables.

Years of research and development by security experts, has enabled Secureview to launch these class leading designs on the market, backed by innovation that works.

Secureview is continually tested and passes the highest required standards including:

• Knife Shear tests
• Impact tests
• Anti-jemmy tests
• Pull tests

SecureView is a proven high grade woven T316 black stainless steel mesh screen that delivers superior protection. It keeps intruders and insects out without spoiling your view.

SecureView is custom assembled by factory trained technicians into an extra strong aluminium frame to suit your exact home, office or commercial building specifications and incorporates the very best locking systems.

As the name suggests, SecureView provides maximum security without sacrificing your view or blocking out breezes.

SecureView is available in a full range of configurations for residential and commercial applications including designs for:

• Sliding doors and windows
• Hinged doors
• Casement, awning and double-hung windows
• Fire and Emergency Exit screens
• Balustrades
• Pool fencing
• Outdoor room extensions

• Shop fronts

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Strikemaster II Pro - New Shipment Just Arrived

Pictured here is a typical broken door frame/jamb, after a kick-in attack.

According to discussions I have personally had with members of local law enforcement agencies, this is the most typical method of break ins they come across.

Today, we received our first shipment of the new and improved Strikemaster II Pro door frame strengtheners.

In the second picture you can see the new version and how it looks when installed.

The new version includes an extended lip allowing better engagement of the entrance lock latch mechanism. It also includes a couple of knock out pieces for the deadbolt mechanism, to allow for varied installations (deadbolt is either fitted above or below a typical entrance set). Each unit still comes with ten (10) three inch (3") screws that connect the unit to the stud behind the frame.

I have been installing locks and systems for over 25 years in multiple countries across the world and typically, I have seen very similar entry techniques, just about everywhere.

Most entrance doors in the USA are metal clad wooden doors using typical key-in-knob entrance sets, sometimes with deadbolts also fitted above or below.

In cases of door frame failure (like pictured above), rarely has the actual door hardware failed. Even the cheap quality locksets can stand up to abuse, but the door strike (where the lock closes into) always seems to fail.

Using a Strikemaster II Pro, not only prevents door frame failure, but it repairs the damages often resulting from a kick-in.

Many door repairers will rarely quote to repair an existing door and frame because often the costs in labor are equivalent to or close to the costs of total replacement. Many door centers sell only complete doors and frames and they vary in cost from ~$500.00 for parts only. I have spoken with many builders and carpenters and builders about their average installation prices and the common reply is around $500.00 to $750.00 for labor.

The Strikemaster II Pro sells for $99.95 (plus tax). Installation usually takes a half hour with my installation and call out fee of $55.00.

Repairing your kicked-in door for less than $200.00 is smarter and more cost effective than a total door replacement.

Earthquakes - Directly Affecting Your Doors And Locks

Earthquakes are definitely increasing in regularity this year. Or perhaps, thanks to the power of the media, we are becoming more instantly aware about the quantity and severity of earthquakes.

The earth is constantly shifting and building construction has only recently taken these things into consideration, with building codes being modified to encourage better quality, safer constructions.

Weathering, is a common term in building trades, that often is rarely considered when purchasing or installing hardware.

I would call earthquakes a form of weathering too.

Often at the change of seasons, the earth moves slightly. As a consequence of weathering, timber constructions will expand and contract due to heat, cold and ground shifts.

Many builders fail to consider weathering when recommending or installing new hardware or doors in dwellings.

With the increasing demand for electronic and wireless locking systems, many products are developed with motor driven mechanisms. Often these mechanisms do not stand up well to weathering effects due to the door frames shifting, foundations moving etc. These small movements in the ground can and do often negatively affect the correct operation of your doors and hardware.

There are some techniques designed to minimize movement of frames etc, but in general, most people are unaware that a door has moved or that their lock is not working correctly, until it's too late.

I suggest that the thought about weathering needs to be considered when purchasing electronic motor driven locking devices, because if your door moves and the bolt mechanism doesnt line up correctly with the strike/frame, the lock will jamb or not lock, leaving you unsecure.

It's Bump Proof - Really!

It’s Bump Proof – Really!

The media and general public are having a field day with the whole Bump Key issue.

If you haven’t done it yet, make an internet search on “bump key” and see what shows up.

There are claims of lock bumping by children as young as six and seven. Locks from the US and all over the world are vulnerable. I even saw a video that showed how to do it with

a banana. Yeah, the fruit. Likewise the lock industry itself has become bizarre in its

claims. It seems every lock from KW1 and up is Bump Proof. I get calls all the time from locksmiths who remain confused by all of the claims.

What locks are really bump proof?

Here’s what I tell them.... There are only three technologies that I know of that are

absolutely Bump Proof – electronic or pushbutton locks that don’t have mechanical override cylinders, locks that use rotating discs (like Abloy), and locks with programmable side bars (like BiLock). These locks will stand up to anyone trying to bump them regardless how much experience or knowledge the thief has. Every other lock technology can be bumped. Each Side Bar has six fingers. The Side Bar can retract when the pins align.

There are 13 different pins in the BiLock pin Kit Bump Proof Really!

The next question is usually “Well what about ____? They are rated high security and

have a side bar?”

Unfortunately the side bar is usually the same for all keys in a master system. Most times locksmiths use the same sidebar for all of their installations too.

So if you have any of the keys in a master system or if you read the dealer’s decal next to a door,

you pretty much have the side bar issue solved.

“But we have angle cuts.”

I ask them back how many keys in the system have the same angles. After that you’re left with pins that can be bumped. These locks may be bump resistant from six year olds and people

who use frozen bananas to open their doors. But there are professional thieves and

experienced locksmiths who know better. Does the person down the hall or next door have

the same style key as your customer?

Bumping a high security lock may be one of the easiest ways to get in.

“But what about modifying the existing cylinder?”

There are tricks that can be played in some cylinders by adding ball bearings, different tension springs, special pins etc to add bump resistance. Unless your time is free, you are probably better off selling a production solution. Some manufacturers may soon add special pins to their locks to improve protection. In some cases it may make the lock more bump resistant, but probably not Bump Proof.

Today, most of the locks installed in America are not Bump Proof. That includes

everything from government housing to single family homes. How many government and

commercial buildings still only have a six or seven pin cylinder as their lock system? The

bump key issue is a locksmith’s opportunity to survey the facility and recommend a

package of solutions. However, if they demand Bump Proof you should sell them a high

security lock based upon a technology like electronics, Abloy or Bilock.

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Bilock - Baldwin Hybrid

Baldwin products are known for their impressive quality of manufacture and their limited lifetime warranty on most of their range.

Bilock products are known worldwide for their impressive bump proof and pick resistant/proof qualities.

We recently combined the two brands to enable Baldwin products to work using Bilock cylinders and keys.

The process is quite simple and maintains the Baldwin hardware, while using the famed, Bilock 100% bump proof and virtually pick proof system, combined with keys that are physically unable to be duplicated.

Bilock keys can only be produced as originals. Each key is numbered individually and can only be made using specialist machinery.

We recently installed Bilock for a customer who has Baldwin locks, but wanted to prevent any unauthorised key duplication and to guarantee against lock bumping.

The process was comparatively inexpensive and quite simple and effective to complete.

For further information on Bilock-Baldwin Hybrid lock systems, please contact us.

Baldwin - The Best Product For Obvious Reasons

Baldwin Hardware products are proud to announce the introduction of wireless access control products to their impressive range of residential and commercial entry solutions.

Now you can include the functional and easily accessible modern wireless control products to the Baldwin line.

Baldwin products have been reknowned since 1946 for their style, quality and lifetime guarantee on most products.

With electronics, it is very difficult to offer lifetime warranties. the average warranty with any lifetime product is 1-2 years.

Baldwin are introducing their Boulder and Soho series hardware initially, aimed at discerning residence owners and commercial developers, wanting to impress with the industry leading product quality, finish and compatibility with other leading products.

Baldwin is the product I recommend more often to customers, due to the quality of manufacture and the (in general) lifetime warranty, on most products.

Baldwin's technical services division is staffed by competent technicians, capable of helping just about anyone and everyone. Their desire to live up to their lifetime guarantee's differs this company from many competitors.

With the Home Connect service included, you can control access to your property using the internet or a mobile device with a secure connection. Everything to allowing temporary access to a technician or the cleaning lady, knowing when your children arrive home, SMS messages for notifications, you can even use the units as your alarm system switch, to disarm.

Coming Spring 2010

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Masterkeying One Lock In My Home

I receive the odd inquiry from time to time from customers who request for another key for a door, but one that doesnt work every other door in their property...like the front door.

Statistically, the front door is less likely to be broken into than virtually any other door. Creating a separate key that works just a particular door requires the actual door lock to be re-keyed. Re-keying the actual lock (where you insert the key) to allow a different and individual key to operate, requires master keying the particular cylinder in question.

Master keying a door lock involves replacing the tumblers in the actual keyhole of the lock in question.

In most locks, found in residential or commercial dwellings, the door lock is most often of the Schlage or Kwikset keyway. These simple every day pin tumbler cylinders are easily master keyed, but remember, master keying will make your locks significantly easier to pick or bump open, unless you decide to purchase Abloy or Bilock key systems.

Bilock is the first and truest guaranteed 100% pin tumbler bump proof and virtually pick proof lock system available today.

Surprisingly, Bilock systems are almost as inexpensive as everyday key systems. Why anyone would prefer to allow (and encourage anyone, potentially) to be able to acquire a key to their property is astonishing.

Is it not vital and important to you, to know whom else can get into your stuff?

Bilock can absolutely control access control to your stuff.