Unique Security Products and Specialty Locksmith Services

Locks210.com - St Louis Locksmiths for Greater St Louis Missouri
'Securing America - One Door At A Time'314 266 1533
'Keep It Yours... Lock Your Doors!'

January 29, 2019

A Stroke Of Genius - Kwikset Smartkey Defeat With No Damage

Yesterday we attended to a client for whom we had previously rekeyed their new home about 8 weeks ago, who had accidentally locked themselves out.

The husband and wife had traveled out of state for a vacation and one of the spouses had inadvertently left their spare key inside the house, while the other spouse with the key was still interstate.

The types of locks they have on their doors are Kwikset Smartkey designer series locks similar to the style presented in the picture here.

Typically, many locksmiths would choose to drill and destroy a Kwikset Smartkey lock because typically they can be somewhat difficult to manipulate without causing unrepairable damage.

Many doors that use Kwikset Smartkey locks, tend to have a separate entry set from a deadbolt lock. Often defeating an entry set, without damage is painlessly simple and there are methods to bypass a Kwikset Smartkey deadbolt that are considered "outside the box". We deliberately choose NOT to share these unique bypass methods for fear of those details getting into the wrong hands.

Our customer being out of state, while their spouse was on their way home without a copy of their Kwikset Smartkey operating key, contacted me to attend the site and unlock the door on behalf of their spouse. When the spouse arrived at the airport they contacted me to arrange a suitable time.

Being as cold as it is presently, I did not want to keep the customer waiting for long while I attempted to manipulate the lock cylinder. I did not want to drill and destroy the lock, because getting a replacement on such short notice was not possible, so I asked the spouse interstate to snap a picture of their operating key and text it to me.

Upon receiving the image, I attended the home just prior (about 15 minutes) before the spouse arrived home from the airport. I grabbed the appropriate Kwikset key blank and set about making a copy of their operating key with my handheld impressioning file.

Having a clear image from which to determine the cuts of the key proved the stroke of genius in this move, because I was able to recreate the operating key in about 10 minutes and it operated flawlessly in the deadbolt (pictured above). This allowed me to unlock their door without any damage nor signs of forced or manipulated entry. The clients existing key (inside the house) still worked like new and we saved the inconvenience of trying to replace a special order lock product.

NOW - Obviously you can see a security issue here that can be distressing. If someone has enough time to take a picture of your house key, potentially they could simply contact a locksmith who could also provide the same service and make a copy of the key. Ethically and morally many locksmiths would not do this, unless they knew the customer and they could prove they belong to the address in question. But not everyone lives by a code of ethics.

A few years ago we wrote an article that talked about creating key duplicates using the credit cards you often get on the mail from promoters.

See Credit Cards Used To Duplicate Keys

Another article we wrote about 5 years ago talked about a service created by some enterprising engineers in California called Shloosl, See the link

Here is an article from about 10 years ago that discusses the ease in creating a copy of your key by picture..... Key Photograph Key Cutting


Simply put, there is only 1 way to prevent unauthorised key duplication. Using a High-Security Restricted Key System. Systems that require your signature authorization in advance of origination. There are many systems available across the world in today's market. Some better than others. We choose to offer the Bilock Extreme Security restricted key system.

January 13, 2019

Lockwood 7444 Keyed Pocket Door Lock And Range To Be Discontinued By Us

After careful consideration, we have decided to discontinue selling this product.

We have been selling this product for 9 years and due to rising costs and reducing sales (even being significantly cheaper than competitors), we have decided to discontinue representing this type of pocket door lock in North America.

In the last 9 years we have sold thousands of this product with repeat customers ordering again and again to satisfy the needs of their clients.

We will sell our remaining inventory (about 18 keyed units and 10 privacy sets and 10 passage sets) at a fire sale discount until no more product remains.

We expect to change the sales page with the new discounted price in the next few days.

Thank you all for your continued interest in this fabulous product and we hope you can still purchase it in future from other providers.


January 10, 2019

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.



January 2, 2019

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.

(source...)





December 29, 2018

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.

(source...)

December 26, 2018

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

December 20, 2018

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.

December 2, 2018

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.

(source...)

Home Advisor (formerly Service Magic) Testimonials And Sites That Recommend Us

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Testimonials

Danny was very professional and friendly at the same time. He not only gave me the quote and fixed the exterior door and explained his work. He was prompt and upfront about the work and did the work. He came in time took care of it on the same day. (Sasheethn K St Louis MO) June 2018d out problems but assured not urgent. Please feel free to have Danny pass out my number for my total experience review 314-351-5553

Charlie M. (St Louis, MO) November 2015


Danny was pleasure to meet and was very knowledgable. He explained several lock replacement options but I decided none of them were a good fit for a storm door, however, I did replace a lock on my entry door with a type of lock I had never seen before. I would highly recommend this company.
Patricia J (Bridgeton, MO) March 2014
They were prompt and showed up when he said he would show up. He knew his stuff. I had ordered new handles and he was honest enough to say that we don't need them that he can fix the doors and he did. Made me lock and unlock my doors to his satisfaction so that I knew what to do. Am very, very pleased with the service and cost.
Joyce K (Glencoe, MO) May 2015

Showed up on time for appointment. Was very knowledgeable about the project and offered a solution beyond what I asked to be done.
Stephen G (Chesterfield, MO) May 2015


Daniel was right on time, assessed the problems I had with two doors, made the repairs, and explained what caused the problems to begin with .... He is a "door expert" and a true professional. I highly recommend him.

Vince V (St. Louis MO) May, 2015




Danny was fabulous! He went over my concerns and he provided me with more than a fair quote. He was there when he said he was going to be there. I would highly recommend Danny. Cheers!
Denise S (Imperial, MO) May 8, 2014

Hired Danny to re-key locks on "new" house purchase. He advised to replace with new deadbolts & door knobs on 3 entry doors instead which I agreed with. All doors have 1 matching key & the safety of excellent quality product & workmanship. He also added new strike plate to door frame to complete project.. I recommend as your 1st & only call to a Locksmith.

Denise F (St. Louis, MO) April 3, 2014


Danny was very helpful in solving a pretty complex problem involving many lock.
Scott C (Eureka, MO) March 27, 2014




Needed patio door track to run smoothly. Arrived early, fixed door and explained what he was doing during repair. Quick and easy. Door works great, my wife will now speak to me, and I've become a better dancer.

Mike W. (Arnold/Oakville MO) July 2013


The owner spent a longtime with me on the phone helping diagnosis the problem. He was on-time, friendly and helped resolve my issue. I will definitely use him again!

Chris C (Lake St Louis, MO) July 2013


I had a very pleasant experience with Master Key Systems. They came out, did the job (which took longer than expected) and they did not change the price they quoted me. Now, I am not certain that it was a great value for the money because I don't have a comparison, but they did what they said, when they said, for the price they said. Enough said!!!

Antonio B (Saint Louis, Missouri) March 2013


Professional.. Upfront about charges. Fixed the sticky door within 20 minutes. I will recommend Master Key for exterior door issues.
Muthu R (Ballwin, MO) July 2012


Danny was a master craftsman, knowledgable and professional. I will be calling on him again in the future as well as passing on his services to friends and family.

Marsha L (Saint Louis, MO) July 2012


Danny was excellent! I called him on a Monday to fix a sliding glass door. He happened to have the exact part we needed (and it was not an easy find - we had looked everywhere) and he came over Tuesday evening. He stayed until 8:00 until the job was done, and cleaned up afterwards. He was courteous, professional, and efficient! I could not be happier!

Rachel P Maryland Heights, MO (July 2012)


He did an excellent job. Got there on time and quickly solved the issue. Was very pleasant and explained the situation and how to keep the door from sticking in the future. Would definitely use Master Key LLC again!

Neil F. (Saint Louis, MO) April 2012


Danny was very friendly and knowledgeable, although his apprentice seemed to do most of the work, Danny kept an eye on him to make sure it was done right. He had very reasonable pricing for re-keying.
Greg D (St Louis, MO) October 2011


He was extrememly fabulous and helpful and did a wonderful job. He was very professional.
Shannon M. (Arnold, MO) October 2011


Growing up spending so much of my time in Italy, the uniqueness of the Nova Classico left quite an impression on me. To be able to have and enjoy them in my own home here in the states is a nostalgic indulgence I'm enjoying beyond words. Thank you Danny for coordinating this transaction.

Joseph M (Chicago, IL) September 2011





great job. hired on the spot and he did job right then at great price

Ron B (Arnold, MO) July 2011







I searched the internet and found your services. I received three phone calls within several days. A service call was scheduled. Two gentlemen arrived promptly, analyzed the problem and fixed it.
James & Florenc M Saint Louis, MO July 2011

The repairman was on time and did an excellent job of fixing a very stubborn door lock. He was persistent and cleaned up the work area afterwards. I would use this service again.

Brenda F (Saint Peters, MO) June 2011


Danny at Master Key Systems has succeeded in making the purchasing of our Meroni door locks, from Italy, an absolute breeze. Even though I live in Australia with a 16hr time difference and was ordering door knobs from Italy that weren't in stock, the whole process was faultless. Danny was prompt and efficient with all his emails and made sure we had covered every possible variable so that the product I received was exactly as required. I would have no hesitation in recommending Danny for your next purchase.
Patrick Carr (Canberra, Australia)


Your product really helped because I needed to secure a nurse's station adjacent to a waiting room and needed a pocket door. Unfortunately, no real options were available to lock a pocket door effectively that would keep me compliant with HIPAA and secure an area that stores medical supplies. This was vitally important as this particular waiting room was for "waiting detox patients". Thank you very much.
Randall R The Fritz Clinic (Birmingham, Al) March 2011


Danny was very polite and knew what the problem was and how to fix it. He also gave me some information about other issues that could arise with my door and locks. Will hire again if I ever need that type of work done.
Jason M Imperial, MO March 2011




I had an exterior basement door that dragged when opening and closing. The hinges were not fitting properly and the door frame had shifted, probably due to the age of the house.The screwswould not go far enough into the wall without hitting stone...even using a special drill bit. Dan worked a long time drilling and sanding to shore up the door as best as possible. I know it will never be perfect. He could have easily sold me a new door and the same issue would happen. He was honest, thorough, and did an excellent job without charging me a fortune. I'm satisfied with the door now. If you want an honest, experienced man, Then Dan is the man

Roger M Saint Louis, MO March 2011


I purchased the Cowdroy P697 Pocket door lock with key over the internet. I emailed questions before my purchase and was provided with the answers quickly by return email. The purchase was quick and easy and the lock was shipped immediatly. Installation is quick and easy. But you do need to convert millimeters to inches (use the internet) in the installation instructions. And the lock looks great and works great. I will do business with them again. THANK YOU

Ed D (February, 2011)





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.

Shipping and Returns

All products are sent in manufacturers condition.
All products are subject to sales tax where applicable.
All products are dispatched within 10 business days of remittance.
All products are subject to manufacturers warranties.
All products returned within 30 days, will be 95% refunded less shipping.
Prices are subject to change without notice.
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