Meroni Nova Entrance Set Installed In Place Of Very Old Schlage Privacy Knobset with 5 Inch Latch Backset

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 A couple of days ago, a returning customer (we love these), requested to install a lockable knob to an office door at their home.

The particular door had about a 45 year old Schlage Privacy Knobset with a 5 inch (127mm) latch backset mechanism.
(see image 1)

The knob was in the color US26D or Satin Chrome (Nickel).

To measure the latch backset on your door, measure the distance between the edge of the door and the center of the handle.

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(Image 3 shows the interior of the lock)







Now, finding an identical replacement entrance set would have been a time consuming chore, especially considering many manufacturers do not make 5" (127mm) latch backset mechanisms anymore. The standard residential latch backset mechanism in America is 2-3/8" (60mm), while the standard commercial latch backset mechanism in America is 2-3/4" (70mm).
(Image 2 shows a close up view of the original knob)

Luckily for us, as the North American distributor for the fabulous Serrature Meroni lock products, we keep a number of their unique handle and door hardware products in stock.

All the door handles in this beautiful home are in US26D (Satin Chrome) and we needed to be sure to provide a suitable entrance set that matched the interior decor of the house.

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 After removing the old lock and mechanism we replaced the latch mechanism with a Meroni 5" (127mm) latch backset mechanism.

(Image 4 is external) (Image 5 is internal)

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Image 6 shows the existing strike plate fitted to this beautiful frame. We decided to not install the accompanying Meroni strike plate, because to do so would have meant modifying the existing strike plate cutout in the frame and would have looked, amateur. Instead we modified the existing strike plate tom accept the Meroni latch

Image 7 shows the Meroni Nova N13 Entrance set, as it looks from inside. A turnbutton for inside use and key operated on the outside.

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Image 8 displays how beautifully the Meroni Nova N13, matches the decor of the house.

The lock is simple to operate and has no turning method. You simply push the button to operate the mechanism.

The broad color options of Meroni Doorware pleases discerning home owners and interior designers, wishing to match their doorware to color schemes of their homes.

Quite simple to install and operate, these products have been in the North American market about 20 years and enjoy great longevity because of their quality.

One extra benefit to using any of the range of Meroni doorware is the ease of use, especially for arthritis suffers or the physically challenged.

Competitively priced and user friendly, Meroni doorware offers customers nouveau - modern, aesthetically pleasing hardware to complement virtually any decor.

Available exclusively from Master Key Systems America LLC.

AirB&B - Lockstate WiFi Door Locks Bricked By Manufacturer Update.

A recent article in TechCrunch has highlighted one of the many pitfalls of modern day WiFi connected access control door locks.

Apparently, the modern AirB&B "sharing economy" room for let company has been recommending the product pictured here by Lockstate, a manufacturer of modern day WiFi enabled entry locksets and deadbolts, for use with AirB&B's Host Assist program.

This is the program recommended by AirB&B for their vendors to use for door entry.



We have been discussing many different manufacturers of digital and electronic door locks, for a number of years now and we have found that a great many of the marketed products appear to suffer from significant issues, especially relating to ease of use and longevity.

But this issue, as brought up in the recent TechCrunch article shows a vulnerability that many vendors/hosts or even home owners may not be aware of.

While the desire to have and use a modern day easy to operate access control system is growing in popularity, pitfalls are constantly being discovered that are hampering the technology from seeing wide spread adoption.

The issue with this company, relates to an OTA (Over The Air) OS (Operating System) update that effectively locked out guests, management, cleaners and users of AirB&B short term rentals.
Customers were locked out of their "hotel" and hosts were required to unlock manually and provide operating door keys to customers.

Now, some people will think that this is just a temporary inconvenience and simply write it off as "luck of the draw", but in any business today, maintaining accurate and effective and operational access control is of paramount importance to a continuing operation.

Other issues would be purchasers may not be aware of include, power-drain, where AA batteries require constant replacement (sometimes 3-4 times a month), weather affected installation, where use on an outside door that is exposed to weather affects the internal wiring of components and causes frequent operating issues, natural weathering, where mother nature causes the ground to shift (slightly) and wooden door frames and doors will naturally move, often causing doors to bind and not close or open easily and more importantly, not sufficiently secure an entry door because the bolt/latch, just refuses to align correctly with the strike plate/catch.

Another issue, rarely discussed or even pointed out by salespeople and installers is the height of the door lock. In America, the IBC (International Building Code) indicates that the suitable height of a door knob/lever, is between 36 and 40 inches from the floor. Generally, this height is too low because the average height of men and women in America is 5'10" tall. The average height of your typical deadbolt lock on your entry door will be about elbow height on a 6' tall person. That is 5-1/4" above the typical height of the average door knob/lever.

The issue with door knob height, explains in part why many door knobs and levers tend to come loose, while the actual door will move in its frame because people are literally pressing down while turning the knob or lever. This completely natural action is virtually unnoticed by most door knob/lever users. This direct action contributes to one of the locksmith and door repair industries, most common called for repair projects, across the entire world.

The most common fix/repair for a typical "door dropped" issue, is to simply replace the screws in the top hinge with 3" screws. Often, this will attach the hinge, through the frame to the stud. By attaching the door to the stud, the likelihood of "door dropping" and "weathering" and "door not latching or locking" issues goes away. Your cost? Maybe $3 in screws.

As professional locksmiths and door repair specialists, we here at Master Key Systems America LLC are available to consult and advise, methods and products that may help you to enjoy long term use of your door locks, hardware and security products.

From opening locked doors to installing locks, repairing or replacing hard to find locks and developing and servicing master key systems, Master Key Systems America LLC has the ability to meet your needs and the knowledge to exceed your expectations. 

Our office is conveniently located, ensuring prompt response. Our service vehicle is well equipped, meaning we can get the job done quickly and efficiently. Master Key Systems America is backed by more than 30 years of locksmith experience. We carry professional liability insurance to give you the peace of mind that your interests are covered. 

Our company tag line is 'Securing America - One Door At A Time'. Our motto is 'Service - At Your Convenience'


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Keyed Pocket Door Locks - Flying Off The Shelves

Our very popular Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock, that we have been selling for about 7 years now, is flying off the shelves right now.

The video below shows how easily installed it is.




Currently they sell for $128.00 plus shipping, but because the US Dollar has weakened compared to the Aussie Dollar, it is very likely we will see a price rise with the next batch.

If youre sitting on the fence, consider purchasing now before the price rises.

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Moved House But Forgot To Change Locks And Subsequently Got Broken Into With No Damage

Moving house is a chore. Many new homeowners are wrapped up in moving efforts, closing expenses, arranging removalists that they tend to overlook the fundamentally important task of having their new home rekeyed.

Many homeowners are unfortunately unaware or even misled by agents and sellers about the exact state of their door-ware or key system in their new home.

Many residents are unaware that home construction companies will purchase their locks and door-ware in bulk from manufacturers and distributors directly, and all those locks will be purposefully keyed to that construction companies internal master key system. This allows the construction company to only hand out 1 key for all their properties everywhere and allows their construction tradespeople to access all the different and separate properties they may be working on, without scrambling to find each separate sites individual key.

Pictured here is a typical pin tumbler cylinder showing the components used in it's build out.

The important attribute is the bottom pins. These are the pins that correspond to the cuts on your keys.





In the above picture you can see the essential components of a typical pin tumbler cylinder. The little holes to the left of the primary bottom pin holes, are for construction keying. Construction keying is a process that some manufacturers use to build specific sets of locksets for different builders.

At the end of the construction phase, the new homeowner will usually insert their individual key in each keyhole and turn. That first turn of the key, will drop some ball bearings into the holes, thereby preventing the old construction key from operating in future.

However, in my many years practising the locksmith trade, I have found time and time again, that many homeowners delay or forget to rekey their locks upon taking possession of their new abode.

 In the picture here, you can see a typical mock up of a master keyed cylinder.

You will notice a set of master pins between the bottom pins and the top pins.

These master pins enable multiple differing keys to potentially operate in your keyhole, effectively reducing the security of your door locks.

For a business or residence that wants to restrict key holders from operating certain particular door locks, without handing out or using separate keys, usually they will ask for their locks to be master keyed to a unique master key system.

But, all too often I see in the field, many circumstances where a lock has been master keyed and then the new resident or dweller will be unaware of such and live with it in oblivion to the potential disaster awaiting them.

Just last week, we attended a commercial customer (who had obviously contacted another company to rekey their locks). This customer has been using us for a number of years, but obviously someone else decided to use a competitor.

I have no qualms about any customer using their choice of professional, but I do draw the line at improper or mischievous techniques those "other" service companies might employ.

The 4 keyholes I rekeyed, actually were master keyed, unbeknowest to the store manager. 2 of the four keyholes included multiple master pins in each chamber, indicating that a significant number of differing keys also operated those locks. Again, without the knowledge of the store manager or corporate management. Besides this important detail being overlooked, the other 2 keyholes had pin tumblers missing completely from their chambers, effectively eliminating virtually any security for the particular locks.

Besides these plugs (cylinders) missing some pins and having multiple master pins in a few chambers, the plug itself (the barrel you put the key in), the top of the barrel had been filed. That single act alone, of filing the barrel, renders an already flawed cylinder even less secure because now, multiple differing keys, including some keys that may be completely different, will operate these locks.

Kwikset in recent years, altered the design of their mainstream lock cylinders to their new Smartkey system. A system that allows the customer to rekey their own locks as desired. The new Smartkey locks CANNOT be master keyed.

When master keyed locks are requested, we recommend customers to purchase a high-security restricted key profile to prevent unauthorised duplication of keys. This will protect a resident or business from those who would surreptitiously duplicate keys for nefarious purposes.

Cortex™ Digital Door Lock - By Assa-Abloy Lockwood Australia

Our recent visit to the Assa-Abloy Lockwood Australia headquarters and original manufacturing facility in Huntingdale, Victoria, Australia allowed us to see in person many of the companies new products being manufactured and assembled.

One of their new products we viewed is the new Cortex Digital Door Lock. This product differs from competing products because it is available for narrow stile aluminum, steel or wooden doors, standard dimension, aluminum, steel or wooden doors using the Lockwood 5782 Narrow stile door mechanism or the Lockwood 3772 Standard stile mechanism.

The narrow stile Lockwood 5782 mechanism allows for typical shopfront aluminum doors to enjoy a stand alone electronic digital access control device. The standard stile Lockwood 3772 mortise lock allows typical doors fitted with mortise locks to also enjoy electronic digital access control.

The narrow stile or standard stile door locks also include 3 options for gaining access. Keyed (by way of the exterior key cylinder), PIN code, by way of the touch screen keypad and Card access by way of the built in card reader.

The PIN code digital touchscreen allows for up to 20 individual separate PIN codes to be programmed while the Card controller allows for up to 40 individual cards to control the lock. The added benefit of a mechanical door key allows for high-security key cylinders to be included. This enables mechanical key entry (if the batteries are flat), but there is also a 9 volt battery connection on the bottom of the unit to allow temporary power for a non-keyed user to gain entry to a flat battery unit.

Lockwood also make a version that uses a typical tie-bolt entrance set latch mechanism, allowing typical residential or commercial lever or knob entrance sets to also enjoy the benefits of electronic digital, PIN or Card access control. As there is a 9 volt battery terminal on the exterior, there is no need for the mechanical key cylinder on the Lockwood CTX530.

The video above shows how easily programmed the product is.

We expect to offer these in the local USA market in due course

(Price On Application)

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Meroni Pigio 1-13E Push-Pull Entrance Set Installed To High-Traffic Door In Luxury Car Dealership

Last week, we installed the Meroni Pigio 1-13E to a high-traffic door in a local luxury car dealership.
As expected, teething problems occur with many new products. We went back today to adjust and re-allign the product and fitting.

The installation was in place of a typical lever handle set, that was causing no end of problems for staff and they were taping over the latch to keep the door from locking/closing.

Using a Meroni Pigio enables efficient and simple intrinsic operation of the door by anyone, with the benefit of virtually hands free use. Operate the handle with your elbow, your arm, your butt, your hip or even your hand. No handle to turn or grip, makes physically challenged or arthritis suffering users feel more in control because physically gripping and turning a knob or lever can be painful.

In this environment, we installed the product to a heavy steel door and were required to use additional Don-Jo scar plates to cover the old holes, for a clean professional look.

This version of the Meroni Pigio is the emergency unlock feature, which unlocks the locked handle from inside when the paddle is activated, turning the locking turn-button (a design change recently adopted by Schlage in their F51 series residential knobset)

Meroni Pigio locks come in 3 versions, P1, P2 and P3

Meroni Pigio P1

Meroni Pigio P2

Meroni Pigio P3

The Meroni Pigio range is available in a host of varying color finishes and materials.

Check out the source below for the MSDS.

With a range of accessories and functions that suit many varying styles and sizes of doors, using the Meroni Pigio lock system offers advantages that other brands do not offer and often attempt to emulate.

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Extra-Strong Security Blocker Plate And Concealed Continuous Hinge Installed To Very High Traffic Shopfront Door

 Very early today, we installed a custom built mild steel security blocker plate and concealed fix continuous hinge to a very high-traffic convenience store, to upgrade and improve the operation of the relatively newly installed aluminum shopfront door.

Our loyal returning customer, who has used us consistently for the last 5 years, a user of our Extreme Security Bilock Restricted Key Control System for multiple properties, owns this convenience store on a busy main arterial road in the North County of St Louis.

The area is experiencing a gradual rebirth, especially since the recent issues with nearby Ferguson Missouri, a site that was in the national and international news a few years ago due to the unfortunate shooting of an unarmed African-American teenager by a police officer.

The incident sparked riots and protests unseen in the St Louis region for a great many years.

We were required to custom design and install mild steel blocker plates with sex bolts. There was a 3/16" clearance difference between the operating door and the fixed leaf
door. We had to remove the existing security bars, cut them down in length to enable the concealed continuous hinge to fit correctly (not pictured).

 Installing the custom designed mild steel long blocker plates, required a 3" wide x 1/8" thick inside plate, combined with another 4" wide x 1/8" thick outside plate to be installed to the external of the operating door, so that the plate would conceal access to the latch mechanism and cover the fixed leaf edge (which was sitting 3/16" out from the operating leaf when closed)

Installing sex bolts (also known as concealed bolts) is the obvious solution to providing top security for externally mounted product because they prevent would be burglars from using conventional tools to remove the bolts.

Drilling through 2 separate mild steel plates, that were deliberately separate and not conjoined, providing a minimal gap between the plates increases the security application due to the laminating effect.

Laminating is a term used when there is a slight separation between panels. The effect of laminating, naturally increase the strength of the product (depending on the laminate material).

You can see the inside screw under the internal security bar in this image. We installed a number of these sex bolts to the application to increase the security across multiple points, providing significantly greater strength to the application.

The customer, had new doors installed only 2 months previously by a shop fitting company. Unfortunately the installer decided to use only 2 regular butt hinges on this extremely high-trafficked door. The door is operated between 10,000 and 20,000 times daily.

The extreme use and operation of these doors by customers, meant that the 2 4" butt hinges were not up to the job requirement for continued longevity and efficient operation. In 2 months, the door was already beginning to sag, to the point where the owner required to pay an employee overtime to maintain a continued presence on site, because the doors would not secure correctly.



We have not provided an external image of the concealed continuous hinge, but it is fitted with more sex bolts securing it permanently in place.

The concealed continuous hinge is manufactured by Select Hinges, a company that produces there products in America and are designed to last 50 years and that is their warranty period too.

With correct installation these doors will not sag, due to the number of fastener points, increasing the strength of the fitting.

We have installed a significant number of continuous hinges in recent years, mostly to shopfront doors due to the standard pivots wearing quite quickly and customers having many issues relating to sagging doors, inability to secure properly and causing angst for staff.

We were required to modify the security bars on this door to enable the continuous hinge to install correctly.

The entire project was required to be completed before the late Sunday opening time, because it is the only day of the week, where traffic is quietest before 9 am. We arrived at 6 am and began the project at 6.30am. Total completion in 5 hours. Certainly a mean feat in extreme heat conditions (but before the main heat of the day).

We will return at another time to upgrade the door locks at this property to the customers Bilock Extreme Security Restricted Key Control system. Then they will enjoy 100% bump proof and virtually pick proof lock cylinders with virtually impossible to duplicate color coded restricted keys, that will increase the security while protecting the owner from would be surreptitious attempts to copy keys.

Bolt Buddy - Proactive Security Product Made In Canada Prevents Door And Frame Failure

Always Affordable Locksmiths Ltd are a family owned professional locksmith company  in Canada that produce the fabulous Bolt Buddy deadbolt protection product.

The product, as described in the video above, is an effective security protection device that can thwart the most typical method of door break ins - kicking the door down.

We have been touting the strength and usability of the fabulous Strikemaster II Pro Door Frame Protection device for many years now and continue to offer the product as one of the best protection and jamb repair products on the market. American made and from North Carolina, The Strikemaster II Pro is unsurpassed in it strength, design and quality.

While we do find that some customers are proactive enough to install the Strikemaster II Products, most appear to wait until the horse has bolted before doing anything to "fix" their issues. This means that most customers wait until they have been broken into to install quality security protection products.

When you compare the average cost of replacing an entry door and frame in today's market to the sense in using the Bolt Buddy or the Strikemaster II Door Protection products, it really is a no-brainer. Yes, you can purchase a new door and frame at the big box store for $300-$500 and pay a cheapo handyman another $300-$500 to install it, but remember,"if you only want to pay peanuts, expect to get monkeys". The average cost for a professional door installer in my local market to supply and install a new entry door and frame, depending on desired model, is between $1200 - $1500.

The Bolt Buddy is a product designed to offer tentamount security at a fraction of the cost compared to other products. The ease of installation is attractive because a DIY'er or locksmith can easily install them in minutes.

I receive many calls to repair doors after being broken into. Over the last 10 years, I think it is one of my most called for project requests, to repair a kicked in door. I swear by the quality of the Strikemaster II Pro product. I am a user of it myself and it has protected my home from an attempted break in, so I  am very happy to recommend it, from first hand experience.

I am really impressed with the simplicity in the design of this Bolt Buddy product. The small footprint and ease of installation will protect entrance doors for many years. The security protection of your family and your belongings is paramount in maintaining a happy balanced life and using a Bolt Buddy will help to ensure you are protected.

We are not a reseller yet of this product, but hope to be soon. It is not expensive and worth considering if you're proactive about the security of your home and family.

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