10 Things Your Locksmith Won’t Tell You

The information following reprint was found in Readers Digest and all of the contributors were locksmiths from around the country.  I found it interesting and a bit surprising, so hopefully will you.

1. A lot of us do undercover works for the cops.  We make keys for them to get into places at 3am so they can set up surveillance equipment or put bugs into place.

2. Contractors stink at installing dead bolts.  I can’t tell you how many times I go out to rekey one or let someone in and I find problems.  If its not installed right it will not protect you.

3. The best lock is a dead bolt that properly installed. It should have at least a 1” throw and on the strike side, there should be a security plate with screws at least 3” long that go all the way into the door’s frame.

4. If you have a window near on or your door, a thumb turn will not do you any good.  They knock out the glass, stick in their hand, and turn.  Get a double sided dead bolt that needs a key on the inside.

5. Think twice before you buy a locked safe at a flea market or garage sale.  It’s probably going to cost you $300 or more to open it, and chances are, all’s you’re going to find inside is mouse poop.

6. When you buy a new house, always have your locks rekeyed.  Otherwise, there’s probably a master key out there that can easily open your home.

7. Keys stamped Do Not Duplicate are duplicated all the time.  Ask me about High Security locks that can’t be replicated at the hardware store.

8.   You’re suppose to check ID before you open anything.  But half the time when someone is locked out of their house or car, where do you think their ID is?

9. The biggest mistakes people make with their safe; spinning the dial too fast, trying to open it before its unlocked, and forcing it closed when there’s obviously a problem.

10. Its easy to defeat the cheapo locks from the big box stores.  Most are mass produced by reputable manufacturers but to very low standards.  Look for at least grade 2.

These are all topics that locksmiths deal with on a daily basis.  As your trusted locksmith, Pop-A-Lock seeks to 1) educate consumers about best practices in locksmithing , 2) provide secure solutions at an affordable price, and 3) identify and take steps against the scammers that prey upon consumers.  

Old School Isn't Always Bad

I’m old school.  When something breaks, I try and fix it. I believe it is cheaper to fix it than it is to completely replace something altogether.  And I hate throwing something away that’s still good. I'm outlying in today's way of life.

I have owned several DVD players over the years.  When they break after a few years, I've learned that I can’t fix them. On top of that, its less expensive to buy a new one. I can buy a new one for $50 when it costs $80 just to have someone look at my old one and tell me what’s wrong it.  So, I guess you can say I've adapted to this throw-away society.

But not everything is a throw-away when it stops working.   for example.  After living in your home for 15 years, things have gone well.  When you need to get into your home, your key works just fine.  But lately, it hasn't been as smooth.  It’s getting hard to put the key into the lock, you have to try it several times, jiggle the key, and twist it side to side just to get it to work.  Or maybe it just doesn't turn as easily when you finally do get the key in. It’s just an old lockset you say – it was there when you bought the house 15 years ago.   Might be time for a new one.

So you get some quotes and it just so happens to be incredibly expensive to replace that old lock because of it's model. We’ve been trained that when it breaks, it’s time to get a new one.  Here's something to note, a good quality lockset can last a lifetime but it’s not maintenance free.   A little bit of maintenance can go a long ways with a lockset.

This kind of situation happens all the time.  We get a call that the owner wants a new lockset on their front door.  We could provide them a quote, but generally, we start asking questions – why do they want a new lockset?  Is it appearance or functionality?  We often hear, the old one just isn't working very well.  That’s when the old school in me comes out and explains that maybe all that old lockset needs is some servicing.  When the homeowner finds out the cost of the service is a quarter of the cost of replacing the lockset, most are willing to give it a shot.  Saving several  hundred  dollars is enough to make the service worthwhile.  It’s surprising how often a service call with a cleaning, adjustment, lubrication, and maybe a new code cut key makes all those finicky problems go away.

So perhaps being old school isn’t so bad…..at least for those folks we help save hundreds of dollars and make their lives just a little bit easier when they get home at night and that old cantankerous lock isn’t cantankerous anymore.