Distributors and manufacturers continue to increase their prices, driving up talks about inflation in our economy.
We heard from one of our local distributors two days ago that a number of manufacturers (listed below) have decided to increase their prices as of February 2018.
February:
HES: 2/1/18
Securitron: 2/1/18
Adams Rite: 2/1/18
Air Louvers: 2/1/18
Keri Systems: 2/1/18
Major Mfg: 2/1/18
Belwith: 2/5/18
PDQ: 2/5/18
February 8, 2018
February 2, 2018
Keyed Pocket Door Lock - The Lockwood 7444 SPDP Flying Off The Shelves
The simplicity in it's design and the ease of installation provide great security and access control to consumers desiring simple security and access control for their pocket or cavity doors.
We continue to see increasing numbers of units going to Canada and the east coast of USA and also discerning tastes across the west coast of the USA.
The installation animation below shows just how simple this product is, to install.
The lockset uses a standard 5 pin tumbler keyway, similar to Kwikset's standard keyway and therefore able to be keyed alike to Kwikset keys.
Originally designed for 1-3/8" thick doors, due to significant numbers of requests for use on 1-3/4" thick doors, the manufacturer decided to update the product line with a simple modification that allows the product to be used on 1-3/4" thick doors too.
We have sold roughly 2500 units over the last 4 years, with only 2 reported failures (both units replaced free of charge and overnight delivery).
Demand continues to be strong and our current inventory has dwindled to only 5 units left, as of this writing.
New inventory is expected in the next 4 weeks and unfortunately, due to the US$ currency dropping in value to foreign currencies, we will be forced to increase the cost.
Currently the product sells for US$128.00 plus US$25 shipping to the lower 48 via UPS Ground.
If you're siting on the fence, hoping to find it cheaper elsewhere, you wont. We do not offer the product through Amazon or eBay, only through our sites. We maintain the manufacturers warranty of 12 months and also offer a 30 day money back guarantee*
Purchase options
Also Available (on request)
Lockwood 7450 Passage Version
Lockwood 7410 Privacy (bathroom) Version
Lockwood 7400 Passage Latching Version
January 30, 2018
United States Secret Service Warns Of ATM "Jackpotting" Scam
The United States secret service warned yesterday that American banks need to be on high alert to ATM "jackpotting", a scam that has proliferated throughout Europe and Mexico, the last few years.
Essentially, "jackpotting" is known as a method that thieves use to contravene an ATM's security by opening the cabinet, putting in a laptop with a certain "skimming" program connected to the port and closing the machine. Then a "dove" comes by to operate the ATM, calls the first thief who activates the code remotely to allow the machine to empty it's cash dispenser, sometimes up to 23 notes per second.
The thieves often work in pairs, often dressed up like electronic repairmen, with sign written uniforms and vehicles, easily conning staff at ATM locations to let them in.
A large issue stems from the manufacturers of the ATM cabinets that are apparently using a uniform standard key lock on all cabinets. All locks are keyed alike, allowing for many different people to have access to the key and the locks.
About 25 years ago, I worked for a large metropolitan security patrol company that were contracted by banks to refill empty ATM's. The security control center monitoring station would send three (3) patrol cars to every ATM refill request. Each ATM was housed in a solid cabinet and controlled with two (2) separate mechanical dial combination locks, that also had lockable dials. One patrol officer would have the dial lock keys, one patrol officer would be given the combination to lock A and the other patrol officer would be given the combination to lock B.
The security was taken very seriously and using multiple people provided multiple required credentials and physical presence to complete the ATM refilling task.
These days, I see it often where a lone technician is often called to perform an ATM service at a bank or a convenience store or a bar etc. I think that it is especially important to have multiple people in attendance for security reasons, especially where hard currency is involved.
Often, locksmiths and safe technicians would maintain contracts with financial institutions to regularly attend the ATM site and change the dial combinations regularly, to prevent unauthorised knowledge of combinations to be reused over and over.
Perhaps a new opportunity for would be locksmiths and safe technicians exists to set up maintenance contracts with financial institutions to regularly alter the combination locks on ATM machines.
(Source...)
January 27, 2018
Aegis Padlock DT - USB 3.0 Hard Drive With Security Keypad
The worry today, about the security of our online information and accessing that information, continues to be a very present concern for people of many kinds.
Securing your information can almost be as vital and important as securing your home or office, sometimes more.
Computers are progressively taking over all our lives and the quantity of IoT (Internet Of Things) products continues to increase across the market quite rapidly.
The Aegis Padlock DT - USB 3.0 Hard Drive uses an inbuilt digital keypad that requires the user be present to be able to access that drive.
While this may seem counter-productive to cloud based information storage systems, today storing our information in the cloud, securely while having continued access to it, without having to pay to access your own data, seems to be a thorn in some peoples sides.
Available in different storage capacities, this product may suit a consumer concerned with better security of their data, especially having a person be present to allow the drive to be accessed.
If this contributes to a more secure future for would be users of the computer it is connected to, then perhaps it will see traction in the wider market.
The source below will reveal the product page, cost and attributes.
(source...)
January 25, 2018
Our Most Popular Posts Of All Time...
When we began writing this weblog, we hoped to receive a few visits from readers of the world wide web and are reasonably happy with our progress.
When we began writing this blog in 2007, we thought it might provide our main website and consequently our penetration into the wider market, we had no idea that it would prove as popular as it has. While we could be posting more often, for being a micro-business, we just havent the staffing levels to support enough authors, editors and trained staff to operate the multiple tasks needed to keep the business operating. Therefore, we are only finding limited time to write new content.
You are welcome to click on each page link provided below and read the articles our visitors have found and continue to find most popular...
Kwikset SmartKey Problems
Schlage Securekey Problems...
Contagion
Credit Cards Used To Duplicate Keys
Bicycle Lock - A New Adaption
The Gun Debate Rages On And On...
Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock
Bicycle Security - A New Look At The Infiniti3D System
Pocket Door Locks With Key - UPDATE
Schlage Securekey Fault
Lock Industry Mergers - HES And Securitron Combine To Form Assa-Abloy Electronic Security Hardware
HES are a well known manufacturer of electric strikes and electronic access control products that have dominated the access control industry for over 40 years. Their continued wide ranging use in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial markets, cemented their market dominance.
Securitron, began operations in 1977 with the release of their patented "E Profile Magnetic Lock", a game changing product that dramatically increased physical security protection for entry points.
Throughout their years, Securitron have continued their impressive research and development initiatives and released market changing products including, but not limited to, "Touch-Sense Panic Exit Devices" among other products.
Assa-Abloy recognized the important and unique research and development by these two companies and separately, bought them out at different times in the last few years.
Assa-Abloy has maintained a policy of limited interference in a company it has purchased, allowing many of those companies to continue their business models, but with the strength of the Assa-Abloy Conglomerate, propping up and supporting them, keeping them financially viable and producing.
This decision, by the two companies to merge their operations under their parent company Assa-Abloy Electronic Security Hardware, comes as no surprise to market players.
Assa-Abloy recently completed the acquisition of August, the startup company who produced a market leading residential security add-on, that converts an existing residential deadbolt lock into a bluetooth/WiFi controlled access control point, but (as it's unique selling point) without requiring a user to replace their existing deadbolt lock.
Market observers are keenly keeping eyes on Assa-Abloy to see which other companies (already under their umbrella) will be added to this new Assa-Abloy Electronic Security Hardware division.
(source...)
January 19, 2018
Delaware To Update School And Institution Security Hardware Requirements To Overhauled Policy
Intruders, often bullied former students or disgruntled staff members, are fast becoming a major thorn to the security of our children while they are at school.
Delaware State House of Representatives, this week is currently debating and voting on a major policy change and update, aimed at increasing significantly, the security hardware and protocols at all the states schools, colleges and universities.
Many schools across the USA, already use quality door lock systems to secure doors, but many of the existing measures have been found wanting in recent times. This has caused much angst by parents and teachers, concerned with offering quality education to our children in safe, secure environments.
There are a great many products across the wider marketplace that already offer significant strength and security, but too few schools are bothering to spend the necessary investments to protect their faculty, staff and pupils.
There are many different brands of lock systems that provide increased strength and design, to better protect our children, including double cylinder lever entrance sets (called Classroom Locksets), including but not limited to Yale, Corbin, Schlage, Arrow, Assa, Abloy and many others.
Essentially, "a double cylinder classroom lockset functions like almost any other lever or knob entry set, except that it uses an internal keyed cylinder to enable the locking of the outside handle, while ensuring the inside handle remains unlocked and still easy to escape through, if required (maintaining life safety and International Building Code policies and rules)."
Some schools and institutions are spending millions of dollars to increase the security of their classrooms and entrances, but often they neglect to ensure that doors and windows include bullet resistant glass or resistant window films. Many seem to believe that the quality lockset and an alarm system will provide enough security to prevent an armed intruder from wreaking havoc through their schools.
Delaware are debating the inclusion of alarm systems, bullet proof accessories and double-keyed locksets.
In our 35+ years of locksmithery across the world, we have installed many locksets to school entrances and classrooms to increase the security of these doors.
In one case many years ago, one school decided to install double cylinder deadbolts to every door, as recommended by their security analyst and architect, before consulting with professional locksmiths, who are deliberately trained in physical hardware that complies with life safety, building codes, insurance requirements to protect would-be users of these rooms.
Our company was asked to install according to the plan and completed the request, against our better judgement, while warning the school officials that their desire was not legal. One week prior to the opening of the new school term, state and local inspectors came in to certify the school for opening, but when they saw the double cylinder locks fitted to all doors, they immediately failed the school because they did not comply with building and life safety codes.
Our company was once again called in to rectify the issues with new "approved" products that met or exceeded the codes, adding significant cost to the project. Our company worked overtime to complete the task prior to the school opening on time.
This reinforces the point that involving your local trained professional locksmith can and will augment your bottom line costs and save you considerable angst and compliance issues down the road.
There are many professional locksmith companies across North America, that provide trained professionals with field experience that are able to provide best-case-scenario advice, that will help any organization to increase their physical and electronic security measures, without breaking the bank.
(source...)
January 12, 2018
Columbia Missouri Police To Defer All Lock Out Calls To Locksmiths
A news article appeared December 30, 2017 in the local Columbia Missouri newspaper "The Missourian", explaining that Columbia Police Department have decided to refer all customers who call 911 and Boone County Joint Communications to an on-call locksmith.The usual method to service a would be 911 caller is to provide police service attendance and then that officer usually calls a locksmith with the client in attendance.
The new directive will be to simply refer to a locksmith phone number.
The change in procedure is designed to better serve the interests of the community and the police service, by streamlining operations and saving time and money for arbitrary police calls where police can be better directed to more pressing police matters.
One certainly hopes that the police department becomes sure to send to a bonafide locksmith company and NOT the legions of fraudsters preying on innocent consumers with bait and switch pricing and massive over charging.
For Columbia's 250 or thereabouts lockout requests a year, this action will serve to save the city/county some money and a lot of time and inconvenience for both the customer and the city.
(source...)
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Who Are We?
Welcome to Locks210.com.
This site is to inform about historical and modern approaches to Keys and Physical Security products and services.
Locks210.com, established in 2006, offers residents and businesses of St Louis Locksmith premium quality products and services. As the Premier Bilock Extreme Security Dealer in The Mid-West,
Our conveniently located workshop and service vehicles are uniquely designed to offer trade qualified, bonded, insured tradespeople with knowledge and experience spanning multiple countries and product lines.
