Strikemaster II To The Rescue - Again

 This week, we were called to another Home Advisor door repair project for a client who experienced door frame failure.

The image to the right here, shows the Strikemaster II product installed to repair the busted door frame. This particular installation required me to check the entire 5' strike plate into the existing frame after removing the weather stripping.

The Strikemaster II used here is NOT the Strikemaster II Pro, which is the updated product. We used the older product because the door, on a house built in the 1960's, was a very tight fit in its opening and the clearance between the door and frame when closed was about 1/16th". The typical gap around the edges of a door within it's frame should be 1/8th". This allows for weathering or frame movement if the house settles.

The second image shows the trim moulding removed. We had some difficulty sourcing replacement moulding because the width of the required moulding was 1-3/4" wide. That size hasnt been produced since at least 1970. All door trim moulding found today is a minimum 2" wide. We managed to source a supplier who could rip a new piece of moulding to enable to install it to the 1-3/4" frame and allow for the trim to neatly fit inside the brick clad wall, without having to damage the existing clad brick.








And the final image shows the new moulding reattached to the frame, ready for painting.

Being that the average door and frame replacement cost in our local region is ~$1100 - $1500 commonly, using a Strikemaster II or the newer Strikemaster II Pro can cut repair costs and time down to less than $300 total.

UFO3 - New Improved High Security Lock For Vans and Cargo Vehicles

We have been the North American distributors for the broad range of Meroni products for about 8 years now and recently aligned with another distributor based in Minnesota who is distributing the fabulous UFO range of high-security locks for delivery vans, tradespeople vans, trucks among other applications. The new distributor is in  Minnesota will cater primarily to the automotive sector with this product line. We will continue to support them with key duplication and creation requests.

You can see our articles already written about the UFO range by Meroni by clicking here

The above video shows the installation steps for the newest model the UFO3.

The straightforward installation procedure can be handled easily by a trained technician or almost anybody, provided they have the correct tools and follow the guidelines in the instructions.

There is another new product, recently developed with Meroni in Europe aimed at UFO range of high-security automotive locking products that is a Cloud-Controlled access control system designed for fleet operators to enable simple access control for their fleets of deliver and transportation vehicles.

The UFO Cloud is a system that uses the SHA256 Encrypted Communication Protocol based on the design developed by the NSA.

The practicality of the UFO Cloud, transforms mechanical keyed products into a virtual keychain using a cellphone app and dedicated dashboard.

For further details on the UFO Cloud and the wide range of UFO products by Meroni, check the source below.

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Door Transformations - Modifying Your Entry Door To Increase Curb Appeal

A few years ago, we held a booth at the St Louis Home Show to display our unique ranges of products and services.

While there, we met a company that provides a unique service to homeowners that can modify an existing solid door to a beautiful glass door insert that often can cost about half the cost of replacing your existing door with a new door and frame.

Yesterday, we attended to a returning customer requesting us to install a new replacement lock on their existing storm door (that a handyman was unable to perform) and the client spoke to us about getting a new door that included a glass window in it, to provide more light at the entry.

We remembered the company we met a few years earlier and recommended them to the client, because their existing door had already been modified from a double door to a single door, but the contractor did not replace the existing double door with a new door and frame, they just built the inside staircase and walled in the fixed leaf. this would make it significantly more expensive to have the door and frame removed to install a more aesthetic entry door to their liking.

Entrypoint are an interesting company based in the St Peters Missouri area that provide the unique service  as described in the above video.

This is a product and service that we are also exploring to beautify our own entry door at our home too.

When you consider the cost to replace the door and frame with a completely new installation, modifying your existing door is a significantly more competitive option worth considering.

Entrypoint's site is in the source below.

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Today Marks Our 12th Birthday

We started our business December 26, 2006 and being our 12th birthday today we have decided to offer a special deal for the next 12 months.

Here forward, for the next twelve months we will offer a 12% discount on any and all parts purchased through us. The 12% discount will apply only on the 12th business day of the month.

January - Wednesday January 17th, 2019
February - We will be closed. Apologies.
March -  Monday March 18th, 2019
April - Tuesday April 16th, 2019
May - Thursday May 16th, 2019
June - Tuesday June 18th, 2019
July - Tuesday July 16th, 2019
August - We will be closed. Apologies.
September - Tuesday September 17th, 2019
October - Wednesday October 16th, 2019
November - Monday November 18th, 2019
December - Tuesday December 17th, 2019

The special 12% discount will apply before tax and is in addition to any other discount offered.
The discounts apply to all purchases of parts (not labor) whether online or offline.

We take this opportunity to thank our many customers for their trust and their custom. We look forward to your continued custom.

Warm Regards,
Danny Gurvis
President
Master Key Systems America LLC
https://locks210.blogspot.com/
314-266-1533

AI Powered 3D Security Camera Manufacturer Closes Down

Back in mid 2017, a new company formed to produce and sell an ambitious new product called the Lighthouse AI Security Camera.

Well known former Google manager Andy Rubin was instrumental in the development of this technology.

Well, another one bites the dust....

The company just announced that they are closing due to insufficient sales orders of the revolutionary product.


Originally the company claimed...

The camera is powered by AI and a 3D sensor that can supposedly distinguish people from pets and recognize faces. Its onboard laser (similar to the 3D sensing devices used by self-driving cars) can measure the structure of what it sees and therefore differentiate objects and people from one another. Because of this capability, Lighthouse promises that you won't be bothered by false security alerts from shadows or pets because the camera can tell small objects from large ones.

The AI also understands normal speech patterns, so you can ask the camera questions like, "Did anyone walk the dog between 10 and 11 am?" The different types of tech within the camera work in tandem to deliver a full experience.

"Custom optics for a time-of-flight camera that directly measures the 3D structure of the environment," CEO Alex Teichman says in a blog post. "Recurrent neural networks for computer vision specifically tailored for use cases within the home. And a natural language interface to simplify -- and amplify -- the user experience."

A announcement on their website (in the source) below explains they are shutting down and closing their doors. It seems apparent that not enough customers were happy to pay $300 for each unit and a $10/month access fee for this advanced technology.

The announcement thanks their few customers for their interest.

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International Building Code Integral To Life Safety And Protection On Display in Alaska Earthquake

Image source

The recent earthquake that hit just south of Anchorage Alaska has been all over the news in recent days, however for some reason it appears to have been forced back from the headlines, unfortunately due to no deaths and little injuries having occurred.

Reporting has been slow, especially about the fact that Alaska took it upon themselves to ensure strict adherence to the International Building Code, to shore up and protect the citizens and residents of Alaska.

There is considerable, continuing discussion across my industry about building codes and life safety codes because the locksmith and door industry perform integral acts in installation of doors and lock systems that can have telling effects on all our lives.

The International Building Code has been agreed upon by an international coalition of countries as a minimum standard by which all people on the planet can benefit from the safety concerns of our leaders. If you care to notice, the quantity of natural disasters appears to be on the increase in recent years, though this may also be due to better reporting by the mainstream news outlets too.

An article I read yesterday peaked my curiosity and leads me to write this post.

The article (in the source below) is by ABC News and tells about how the strict adherence to some of the highest standards of the International Building Code in Alaska, actually made a huge difference in protecting the residents and citizens who choose to live in that beautiful state.

The article tells that the magnitude 7.0 earthquake was one of the largest recorded in state history since the devastating 1964 quake that caused monumental losses of life and properties.

And that the primary reason there was little damage (comparatively), this time around was because Alaska adopted strict building code policies, some superior to the agreed minimum standards set forth by the agreed International Building Code.

The article quotes the current Alaskan Governor Bill Walker, "Building codes mean something". Gov. Walker himself was very thankful for the building codes, saying that sometimes people, including himself, gripe about stringent building codes but he's really glad they are in place because he only had minor water damage in his own home.

Further distressing was the after-shock that occurred within minutes of the initial 7.0. The 5.7 after-shock itself is also considered very substantial. There have been 550 plus after shocks since with at least 11 measuring 4.5 or greater.

The locksmith industry is often in the drivers seat of adherence to life safety codes and International Building Code adoptions. A great many consumers desire to install some products that just do not comply with the minimum standards set forth by the code, in attempt to increase their perception of security for their homes and work places. We often are asked to install double-cylinder deadbolt locks to residents primary entrance doors, for which we refuse every time. We always advise our clients and potential clients that life safety ALWAYS exceeds security, We only recommend single-cylinder deadbolts be installed to primary entrances (like the main front door and main back door).

I will often quote a story I remember from the late 1980's, when I lived and worked in California. There was an instance where a burglar had broken into a home that actually had double-cylinder locks installed on their doors. The burglar had pulled some shingles from the roof and jumped in through the ceiling. Unfortunately an electrical fire started while the burglar was inside and he was killed in the fire while the house was burned down. Now, many people might think that he received his come-uppence and bad luck for him. But the investigators proved that the reason the burglar perished was due to the installation of double cylinder deadbolt locks that prevented him from easily escaping the burning building. Authorities proceeded to charge and convict the homeowner and the technician and company that installed the locks with manslaughter. The courts threw the book at these people and each convicted person received the maximum sentence available to the court of 25 years incarceration and $250,000 fine each. To top it off, the insurance company refused to compensate the homeowners for the loss of their property because "Ignorance is no defense" and to continue to insure them for clearly violating the law might have supposedly put the insurance company as an accessory after the fact.

So, not only were the company who provided the locks found guilty and incarcerated, but the specific technician too, the homeowner and the homeowners family was refused compensation by the insurance company. I later heard that the burglars next of kin also sued in civil court for loss of income, but i am not sure about that outcome.

This example, reiterates why, as a locksmith professional it is vital and important that we stay apprised of changes and modifications to the International Building Code and any modifications that separate local and state governments might apply in local regions. The health, welfare and life safety can depend on our being compliant with the codes written deliberately to protect us.

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Artificial Intelligence Now Capable Of Bypassing Fingerprint Security

Artificial Intelligence has grown in recent years to such a point that according to a team of 5 NYU researchers, fingerprint identification, found in many products today, including but not limited to deadbolt locks, entrance sets, electric strike user interfaces, access control and time clocks, among other modern day electronic products, is now able to contravene the once thought of high security alternative to mechanical key entry systems.

We have previously touted the benefits of biometric fingerprint security scanners that were/are included in a great many differing products, including a (now discontinued) high security deadbolt lock that we sold many years ago. We realized the error of our ways, when a number of older clients were finding tremendous difficulty in registering and using the fingerprint deadbolt locks we once recommended. Specifically we found that if you were over 55 years of age, your fingerprints wear more quickly as you age. This proved to be an impediment to future sales of fingerprint operated biometric products because many elder users would have been the primary beneficiaries of keyless, fingerprint operated lock systems.

It is obvious that Apple, recognized the limitations of fingerprint identification systems when they decided to discontinue fingerprint readers in many of their largest selling product lines, like the iPhone, the iPad and other products. Many competing product manufacturers also included fingerprint readers in a host of other products, hoping to also cash in on the once burgeoning sector of the electronics products markets.

An excerpt from the article quoted in the source below explains....

"Named ‘DeepMasterPrints’, the set of fake fingerprints was generated by the NYU scientists using a neural network to be some sort of ‘master key’ for biometric authentication systems that have an error rate of one in a thousand. To work this well, DeepMasterPrints takes advantage of two properties fingerprint authentication systems have: that they scan only a part of the finger at any given time and not the whole finger; and that some features of fingerprints are more common than others. 

So, the weakness in the system here, explains The Guardian, is that fingerprint scanners never blend all the partial images to match a full fingerprint against a full record. Instead, they just compare a partial scan against partial records. This means that attackers need only match one of tens or even hundreds of recorded fingerprints in order to gain access into a secured system.

The scientists’ presented their research paper at a biometrics conference in Los Angeles in October. “The underlying method is likely to have broad applications in fingerprint security as well as fingerprint synthesis,” said NYU’s Philip Bontrager, the lead author of the paper in a statement to Gizmodo. “A similar setup to ours could be used for nefarious purposes, but it would likely not have the success rate we reported unless they optimized it for a smartphone system."

Naturally, as a security services and products provider, we try to remain updated on issues affecting security products and services to enable us to provide our growing lists of customers with updated information regarding products and services aimed at minimizing issues and mitigating security loopholes.

Apple, introduced facial recognition in many of their products, which seems to be becoming quite widely accepted across the wider marketplace.

We highly recommend consulting your local trained and qualified locksmith technician, who can advise you on great quality secure products that will provide continued secure access to your properties and security systems.

At Master Key Systems America LLC, we provide Extreme Security Bilock Restricted mechanical key systems that are virtually unparalleled across the world for bump proof and virtually pick proof locks and cylinders that use virtually copy proof, unique color coded keys. We can produce complex master key systems that can operate up to 1.7 billion separate locks.

There are other brands of high security mechanical key systems that also offer quality security. Contact your local professional locksmith to learn more.

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New Award

For the 11th consecutive year we have been selected as a recipient of the St Louis Award - Locksmith and Keys category.

While it is nice to be recognized, we are not in business to receive awards. Our reward comes from helping our customer with their keys, locks and door issues.

A copy of the press release is below and a link to the source too.



Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Master Key Systems America, LLC Receives 2018 St. Louis Award

St. Louis Award Program Honors the Achievement
ST. LOUIS November 14, 2018 -- Master Key Systems America, LLC has been selected for the 2018 St. Louis Award in the Locksmiths & Keys category by the St. Louis Award Program.
Each year, the St. Louis Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the St. Louis area a great place to live, work and play.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2018 St. Louis Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the St. Louis Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About St. Louis Award Program

The St. Louis Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the St. Louis area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.
The St. Louis Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.
SOURCE: St. Louis Award Program

CONTACT:
St. Louis Award Program

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