Smartphones To Open Doors For World's Biggest Lock Company As It Eyes Deal With Telcos

Assa Abloy is the world's largest lock manufacturing company.

Last year alone it made more than $300 million, across multiple different manufacturers.

There has been a continual, albeit modest push to introduce more and more electronic smartphone enabled lock systems across their diverse range of products. 

technology companies like Samsung, Apple and Google have been at the forefront of research and development of all things smartphone, ever since Google beat Apple to market with the first Android mobile operating system.

Many startups have entered the market, touting their own novel products aimed at the residential home security market.

Products like Lockitron, August Lock, Yale Real Living and Schlage or Kwikset Z wave, to name but a few.

The automobile industry has long used the transponder chip technology to better secure our cars and trucks, but the residential entry door market has lagged behind this disruptive technology, only due to the issue relating to electricity.

You see, the reason electronic technologies work on vehicles is because vehicles already use batteries to start, run and power vehicle systems.

Most doors in a dwelling are free standing and most often NOT connected to a power source. This has lead to a surge in the number of battery powered products, like the brands listed above, entering the market. The primary drawback with these products, is the need to constantly be replacing batteries on the units to maintain operability.

There are many dwellings that use electric strikes and hardwired electric lock systems, but that technology, even though it has been around for over 100 years, is expensive to install and consequently maintain.

The market is heating up and demanding better electronic technology for use in our homes, but there has been little productive solutions to the issue of the lack of power.

Whereas the market will continue to develop and no doubt grow, I just cannot conceivably fathom the perfect or best solution to this power predicament. When the power dilemma finally gets solved, perhaps electronic and smartphone technologies will provide a benefit to us home owners who dont want to spend the required arm and leg to hard wire our doors, when a totally mechanical, environmentally friendly, green mechanical key operated hardware solution continues to provide ultimate comparative security and convenience for our homes.

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Price Rise Season Is Again Upon Us.

It is unfortunate that price rises are a natural part of life in a capitalist economy. Due to increasing costs of raw materials and shipping and taxes, many companies are forced to increase their prices to remain solvent.

Listed below, are some companies that have announced price rises effective immediately.

Olympus Lock

Dynalock

Schlage (Commercial & Residential)

Von Duprin

LCN

Ives

Glynn-Johnson

Steelcraft

Schlage (Electronics)

Dexter Brands

Belwith

Not all companies are announcing price rises at this time. Our Meroni product line continues to maintain 2012 price structures. The fabulous Meroni products service the residential and commercial markets with their wide range of specialty door hardware, handlesets, cabinet locks, door closers and specialty Automotive security solutions .

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Magna Latch Series 3 - New Visibility Indicator

Magna Latch products are well known worldwide for their specialty security products designed for swimming pool gates and fences.

We have talked about Magna Latch products by D&D Technologies before.

This new design continues the products world leading design and construction while improving demanded visibility. D&D Technologies consulted the market, asking what their customers wanted. In the greater majority of responses, instant visible knowledge of whether the gate is locked or not, is the most desired option.

This Australian designed and built product has served swimming pool owners worldwide for over 20 years.

The locking system has also been updated to allow for key cylinders that can be swapped with other brands of keyways, like Schlage, Yale etc. This means that high security key control systems can be added to pool gates, simply and cost effectively.

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Keyed Pocket Door Lock Will Soon Work With Thicker Doors Using Easy To Install Modification Kit - Exclusive Supplier

Our fabulous keyed pocket door lock is especially designed for 1-3/8" thick doors.

Until now, that is.

We are in the final stage of production of an expansion kit that will allow you to use this fabulous lock on 1-3/4" thick doors.

You can now even get cylinders that will allow you to re-key to Schlage (or almost any key-way) 6 pin tumbler key-ways.
We were the only dealer in the USA until recently, but we are the only dealer with the modification package allowing installation up to 1-7/8" thick doors without the difficult modifications offered by other dealers.

The modification kit will be able to be purchased in almost any brand key-way, so you will be able to use Schlage, Yale, Kwikset, Sargent or just about any restricted key or high-security key control systems like Bilock, Primus, Abloy etc.

We are the exclusive manufacturer of this modification kit. It is not quite ready for public release but we expect to make it available in about 2 months.

To maintain our exclusivity on this modification kit, we will not be tabling our technique for using this fabulous product on thicker doors, much to the angst of our wannabe competitors.

EDIT 2/22/14: Lockwood just informed us of a price rise of 15% for the product, effective immediately. This may have to be carried over to our next inventory orders. If you want this product, now is the time to order it prior to the expected price increase.

More and More Satisfied Bilock customers

More and more demand for simpler control of key systems is increasingly leading people to the intelligent purchase of our Bilock product line.
The Australian designed Bilock Extreme Security locking system.
Manufactured under license in the United States, this competitively priced product is virtually pick proof and completely or bump proof.
Using 21 different colored key heads, consisting of 3 parts, the unique key design is available in your choice of almost 9000 colored key head combinations.
The key system can be used in many existing lock hardware brands in the market, by retro-fitting the cylinders in place. This generally means that no new hardware need be purchased, a cost saving.

New Generation BiLock offers the security concious an innovative new look, twin bladed key which operates a 12-pin program of tumbler pins, six on either side. These pins, in turn, activate two side-bars to provide the end user with up to 16.7 million possible lock combinations. In addition to a space age moving element within the key an extraordinarily shaped, horizontally positioned security rod has been built into the cylinder core to activate the 13th locking dimension. Without the moving element, this 13th dimension cannot be activated, this adds yet another feature to BiLock's already exceptional level of security.




Bilock's OEM range, includes cam locks, cupboard locks and specialty hardware in many lengths and varieties.

Schlage Primus and Similar High Security Key Profiles Beaten By 3D Printing

Schlage, one of this countries most well known hardware and lock manufacturers and creator of the High Security Primus key systems must be reeling from news released yesterday that a team of MIT researchers have written a simple program to decipher a Primus (and similar types) key from a photograph and send the information to a 3D printer to enable duplication of these once-thought of restricted key systems. (see the source below)

The Schlage Primus key system, once thought by locksmiths across the country to be non-duplicatable, and also identified a couple of years ago as NOT Bump Resistant, faces one of the biggest threats to it's platform with the public release of this breaking news story.

In many states across the country, Schlage convinced locksmith companies to take on their own outright keyways and dealer codes, to corner their own market preventing duplication of keys by hardware stores, cookie key cutters, shoe repairers and gas stations. Little did we know that Schlage were simply sharing key profiles across state, sometimes county lines and in some cicumstances sharing side pin codes (dealer codes) across state lines. The whole agreement appeared very shady, indeed.

3D printing technology has grown from it's infancy and is now being seen and used by small to medium sized manufacturing businesses.

UPS are rolling out a trial 3D printer in some stores in San Diego, hoping to cash in on the opportunity for customers to 3D print a sample or spare part of their choice.

With access to many print stores across the country, the potential loss to current Schlage Primus dealers could be huge. It means that virtually any Primus key holder could get a copy made for less than $5 at their local print store. Dont think for a minute, that the large players in stationery and printing like Staples, Office Depot and the like, with super large budgets wont get in on the action of on demand 3D printing. Hardware big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot will jump in too and offer 3D printing in their one-stop franchises.

Other brands that use a similar system to Primus, include Medeco, Scorpion, Twin and some other brands.

This realization that your key system is not actually secure as you expected will mean that you will need to find systems that do as intended. Our Bilock Extreme Security Key Systems are carefully designed to prevent unauthorised duplication and with the introduction of the 13th element, a trigger mechanism that is interactive, 3D printing of a useable key is just not possible (at this time).

Bilock is well known worldwide for being a premium quality high-security restricted key system that outperforms virtually all other systems. It's unique keyway and pinning system, combined with state of the art side-bar technology and interchangeable core functionality and color coded key heads, makes it a formidable partner in the security of your home and business.

We are the largest provider of Bilock Systems in the Mid-West, using state of the art master key software to create, design and build our own systems. We have nearly 25 years international experience in the product line and have installed many of the most complex systems to universities, hospitals, private schools, casino's and hotels across the world.

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Meroni - The Answer To Cost Effective ADA Compliant Hardware

$ for $ comparison pitted the Meroni hardware at about half the cost of the other more widely recognized brand names. (Including installation costs)

watch the two videos to see how it is installed.

   
The first video above, shows the handle set just after it was initially installed before the final inside cover was installed.

We used Don-Jo scar plates to cover the 2-1/8" crossbore holes allowing the Combina hardware to easily and securely fit.
The Meroni hardware uses a footprint of about 1-3/4" (40mm) crossbore's, so the scar plate is necessary to save from using a wrap around or having to replace the door or fill the hole and re-drill.

Pigio And Combina By Meroni Now Able To Be Keyed Alike With Schlage C Keyway

 This is the Pigio 1 by Serrature Meroni. This product is now able to be keyed up to Schlage C keyway. this wll enable some users in the USA to combine their existing key systems with the fabulous range of Serrature Meroni push/pull handles they have become well known for.

The Combina by Serrature Meroni is another of their handle range that can be keyed alike with Schlage C keyways, further encouraging consumers in the broad American market to combine Meroni and their existing Schlage key systems.









Meroni have also produced some of their range that have been approved and certified by the respected Underwriters Laboratory for use with government or institutions installations. This is an important requirement for use by most public buildings subject to approval from local fire marshals and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ's).

One particular handle in the Pigio range surpasses the UL requirement for fire proofing and  is designed to comply with access and egress laws. (UL R9398)

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Schlage Touchscreen Deadbolt

Schlage recently introduced their new Nexia Touchscreen deadbolt that provides multiple options contained inside one smart looking product. The ability to store up to 30 different 4-8 digit codes, auto-locking feature, built in alarm and wifi - Z Wave controllable, this new product is able to be used with a conventional mechanical key overide. This wireless, battery powered product will modify the landscape, providing users with nouveau access control technology combined with state of the art security protocols.

The video (after the jump) gives an overview of this new product.

Creative Locksmithing - Keying

I am often called to repair and rekey projects from customers who have relied on poorly made copies of their existing keys.

 It probably isnt realised by most, that when a key is duplicated in a conventional key copying machine, every new copy is cut marginally deeper thanks to a tiny layer of metal on the selected for copying key, that is removed as the duplicator guide scrapes and measures the object key. This can also lead to the object key gradually becoming deeper and deeper consequently affecting the quality of all keys duplicated in future. Then, to make matter worse, more people take their copy of the original key to get that duplicated too. The ensuing domino effect happens here. Copies of copies of copies of original keys eventually producing keys that do not work as they are supposed to.
But how and why does this happen to me? is the cry usually heard.

The solution is to try to record the original factory specific key code or depths and store them safely so you can go to a professionally trained locksmith and ask for an original key manufactured to the factory specifications. Often this will be marginally more expensive than just duplicating a key would be, but the benefits of less wear on both keys and locks will save you money and heartache in the long term.

This rather long winded intro to Creative Locksmithing - Keying, probably is a bit much but I thought it might be interesting to know the reasons many duplicated keys dont work (besides the key cutters not knowing how to correctly service and adjust their machinery).

I attended a job site the other day

Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock - First Samples Arrived

In April this year we posted about Lockwood Australia's new 7444 Cavity (pocket) sliding door lock and have received numerous inquiries about it.

As the above video explains, this new product is tailored to allow easy onsite installation by a keen DIY'er or handyman (person).

Competitively priced, this product makes securing pocket/cavity sliding doors much easier.

The design of this style of lock is not made for replacement of the common square/rectangular pocket door catch, most common in the USA. The Cowdroy P697 Double Cylinder Pocket Door Lock is designed for that very purpose, to enable easy replacement of your existing pocket/cavity sliding door catch.

We just received our first samples of this new product and are putting it through our testing regimen.

The product comes in it's own blister pack that can be displayed easily on a hook. You will be required to cut the packaging to take the product apart, prior to installation.

It uses a 5 pin tumbler LW4 keyway, which is identical to the popular KW1 (Kwikset) key profile, prolific in the North American market. This means that the lock can be keyed alike with other similar branded keyway profiles. With a little modification, we can provide restricted key cylinders for use in a master keyed system.
The product cannot be keyed to Schlage or Yale keys at this time.

We are working out the final pricing details now and expect to sell this product for about $110.00 plus shipping.

(as you probably understand - many imported solutions incur significant duties and customs/shipping costs that directly impact the list/wholesale costs. Whereas, you may be able to purchase these products elsewhere abroad, whilst they may advertise a significantly cheaper price, it is important to remember that customs duties/shipping has not been included)

Schlage™ Keyed Entry Lock - With Built-In Alarm

Schlage are widely considered one of the leading lock manufacturers in America today. They try to be at the forefront of design and perhaps they have achieved this with the introduction of their newest product The Schlage Keyed Entry Lock With Built-In Alarm.

Expect to see this product soon at major retailers and select locksmith companies across America.

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Installing Serrature Meroni Classroom Knobset To Classroom Doors

About 6 months ago we completed installation of about 40 new Serrature Meroni Combina K17 Handle sets in place of the existing (and comparatively more expensive) Arrow and Schlage grade 1 handle sets.

$ for $ comparison pitted the Meroni hardware at about half the cost of the other more widely recognized brand names. (Including installation costs)

  
The first video above, shows the handle set just after it was initially installed before the final inside cover was installed.

We used Don-Jo scar plates to cover the 2-1/8" crossbore holes allowing the Combina hardware to easily and securely fit.

Meroni Combina K13 Keyed To Kwikset Key

In the previous post I included a video of how to dismantle and reassemble a Meroni Combina Entrance set. I pulled the video because I felt it was pretty bad.

On Friday I installed the one in the above video, in place of a Schlage F series entrance set. The customer has a Kwikset Smartkey deadbolt fitted to their front door and wanted a handle on the same key. While i could have sold him another Kwikset lock, he chose the Meroni after a demonstration.

This video is slightly better than the previous one. I hope you enjoy it.

Reassembly And Installing Serrature Meroni Combina Entrance Set

[video removed]

Today I installed 2 new Serrature Meroni Combina Entrance Sets. I tried to record the reassembly and installation using my Android phone.

The Serrature Meroni Combina entrance set is a beautiful and functional product that is precision built to tight tolerances, ensuring top quality and long lasting functionality.

Most Searched For Terms That Lead People Here - January 2012

This graph indicates the quantity of search inquiries that lead people to this site during January 2012.

The 10 most popular search terms include:

Kwikset Smart Key Problems

Schlage Securekey Problems

Breaking News! Schlage Price Increase.

All Ingersoll Rand security products including Schlage, Von Duprin and Glyns Johnston to rise on the 5th.

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Many Manufacturers Announce Price Increases Today

A recent memo from some of our suppliers informed us about many of the leading brand manufacturers increasing their prices for their products, effective February 1st, 2012.

Assa-Abloy, HES, Schlage, HID, etc are among the few who have raised their prices.

Lucky for some, we actually lowered many prices on our specialty inventory items.

It is a competitive market out there and by offering the identical products to everyone else online and offline, the only way to remain competitive, many vendors can only compete on labor charges.

Fortunately, by offering products that are less mainstream than brand named lines, we can offer super-competitive prices, as long as you are not fussed about having the brand named products.

We offer Cal-Royal, Carbine, LSDA, Baron, Emtek, Meroni, Cowdroy, Lock Focus, Bilock products that are often similar in application to the more mainstream brands but at more competitive prices.

We will also provide any brand, upon request if we can get it.

Key Cutting VS Key Originating

American Key Supply are a San Francisco based locksmith supply company who specialize in the supply of automotive key machines, supplies and automotive locksmithing knowledge. They serve the locksmith market primarily. To use any or some of their products you need to be a locksmith or affiliated with an industry organization.

The video above shows just how easy and accurate, duplicating a Schlage standard key is. We note here that the operator is actually originating the duplicate key instead of just copying it, using one of the industries latest and greatest key code machines.

The 3D Pro is fast becoming the industries sought after machine because it includes in it's range both automotive and residential/commercial key types. Instead of the traditional duplicating method, this machine is designed to read the actual depth of a lock's working key and then copy the recorded depths on to a keyblank, effectively creating an exact duplicate of the tendered key.

This method of key origination can help consumers to get exact duplicates of their keys, except that their new keys are in fact cut to factory specifications. This can help to protect the lock cylinder from unavoidable wear that occurs when an incorrectly duplicated key enters the key cylinder.

As you would expect, keys that are originated as opposed to duplicated, can be slightly more expensive but having correct original factory specified keys that operate your locks consistently and repeatedly might be more valuable than the down time created when duplicating keys at the independent or big box hardware stores (that often do not work).

This particular machine is definitely on my wish list.

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Search Engine Statistics For July 2011

Okay! here are the statistics from Google Analytics that indicate the top 10 popular search terms people used in search engines that lead them to this site, during July 2011.

Kwikset Smartkey Problems leads the field during July followed closely by Schlage Securekey Problems. However Schlage is mentioned 5 other times in the top 10.

The knowledge that Schlage has decided to discontinue their Securekey line omens well for consumers. No more trash can quality product will spell a more content marketplace.

Nearly 2000 searches in July with a bounce rate of 72% indicates that many people are finding suitable answers to their search queries here.

We have noticed a slight uptick in projects completed in July and August has proved stellar too.

We put this down to consumers becoming more savvy in their searching and realizing that we at Locks210.com can actually complete their requested projects in more timely and cost effective methods than many of our competitors.