Allergen Detector Fits On Your Keyring - Star Trek Future Is Not So Far Off

Will someone please develop Warp energy so humankind can speed up technological development and progress?

The American Chemical Society recently announced completion of development for a new device aimed at detecting food allergens, efficiently and quickly.

We include the story in this blog because it is designed to fit on your key chain.

Food allergies make eating out an exercise frought with danger for a great many people. Having to always know the exact ingredients before you select that menu item, makes going out for dinner, ever so difficult today.
What with the allergens contained in food stuffs that could potentially make the consumer quite ill, scientists and restauranteurs are continually searching for tools and methods to protect patrons.

Thanks to many years of research and development the ACS has finally delivered a quick diagnotic device capable of detecting food allergens in about 10 minutes.

Not currently for sale, but close to release, the key chain size detector is a major breakthrough aimed to help those who suffer from food allergies, to know in advance if the food they have chosen will affect them.

The diagram here, from the paper, shows the device in an enclosure with a multi-electrode attachment (not for sale).

Essentially, you take a tiny amount of the desired food, place it on the single use slide - an antigen extraction device, an element that does the necessary chemical deconstruction and plug that slide into the keychain sized iEAT device.

In about 10 minutes, it should tell you if any allergens are present and how much.

Right now the device is set up to detect Peanuts, Hazelnuts, Wheat, Milk and Eggs, but can be tailored to detect a host of other products.

(apparently during development, researchers tested the device on a few restaurant items and detected gluten in a supposed "gluten-free" salad and in another test, detected egg protein in beer )


The whole thing apparently costs only $40. But the one-use sliders are where they will get you in cost, no doubt.

Perhaps they will eventually offer bulk slide deals, but at least you will enjoy the option to know in advance of consumption whether your throat is going to close up or youre going to puke your guts after your meal.

(source...)

Hooply Locks - Inquiries Flood In Due To Recent Hurricanes In USA

We have talked about the Hooply range of products, over the past few years (See Hooply) and now we are adding some additional pictures of products in their vast range and style of locks and handle systems.

Pictured above, is The Hooply Large Handle Series HL-9978. It is shown with a fancy brass thumbpress entrance set.

The lock body and mechanism are surprisingly solid and strong, compared to more mainstream products found in North America. You can see the lock bolts with 4 stainless steel bolts besides the latch mechanism, providing superior strength from destructive entry.

Hooply superior lock products incorporate high-security dimple type keys and cylinders in many of their range because the wider industry has found dimple locks to be harder to pick and bump, keys are more difficult to duplicate and offer security for those reasons.

Hooply products are often built into hurricane proof doors because of their unique strength, combined with their upmarket beauty and easy conventional operation.

With America reeling from a few hurricanes affecting millions of people in recent weeks, Hooply locks, which are used in many upmarket residences to protect from hurricane winds, have been found to protect residences from forces of wind, rain and flooding.

Now, dont get me wrong! We do understand there are some minor issues regarding the strength of the actual handle mechanisms, but the main lock body and securing components of the hardware are second to none in my opinion.

More pictures... (we apologise for picture quality as these come directly from our factory catalog)

There are many more styles and options in our catalog.

We can source parts for you.

Please contact us for more information.

Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock - New Stock Arrived

One of our most popular products, the Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock, continues to see increasing sales across the North American market.

As indicated recently, the monetary exchange rate between Australia and the USA has changed and resulted in increased cost to buy the product. Combined with a slight increase in shipping and customs, we will be required to increase the price of this in-demand product, eventually.

Right now, we are letting the product go for $128 plus shipping and handling of $25 (to the lower 48). Compared to "other" brands of keyed pocket door locks, like the Baldwin which sells for ~$430 plus shipping or the Emtek which sells for ~$166 plus shipping, our pricing is still competitive.

We have decided to maintain our current pricing for the time being. We expect to increase the price around January 1st, 2018 to $144.00 plus shipping.

If you are sitting on the fence about purchasing, NOW is the time to beat the price increase.

Click on the picture in the top left of this site to purchase at the cheaper price. But be quick, as we expect this inventory to rapidly sell out.

Cnet Article Attempts to Forecast The End Of Car Keys

A new article and video on Cnet has surfaced in an attempt to forecast the end of mechanical car keys.

As a locksmith, who has worked in the key and access control industry for over 30 years, both stateside and internationally, I have heard similar tired stories of the end of the auto car key, yet they are still here and while they are indeed becoming fewer, across more modern vehicles, they are a long way from being eliminated.

In fact, manufacturers still produce some vehicles using mechanical car keys because it is actually cheaper, longer lasting and better quality with less issues than nouveau app controlled access control components.

About 25 years ago, the first iterations of "chip" keys or "transponder" keys began to surface in an attempt by automobile manufacturers to "better secure" vehicles.

View the video and article in the source below...

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

Image1

 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.

Image 2

Image 3

(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.

Image 4

 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)

Image 5

Image 6

Image 7

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.

Image 8

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'


(source...)

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.

(source...)

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.