Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I get a lock pick set?
Try a locksmith supply house. Look under "Locksmiths' Equipment & Supplies" in the Yellow Pages. Your locality, State or the company may have requirements, such as having to prove you are a locksmith or showing a drivers license; call and find out. Look for mail order houses in the Appendix. You can also check on the Web for suppliers

2. How can I make my own picks and tension wrenches?
You can file or (more easily) grind picks out of spring steel. It is best to use spring steel - sources include hacksaw blades, piano (music) wire, clock springs, street sweeper bristles (which can be found along the street after the sweeper has passed), metal from a plumbers "snake", etc. In a pinch safety pin steel, or even a bobby pin (much worse) can be used. When grinding, keep the steel from getting so hot as to anneal (soften) it. You may have to re-harden/re-temper it. (See a book on knife making, gunsmithing, or machine shop practice for a discussion on heat treating steel. Spring steel is hardened and then tempered/drawn so as to retain some hardness and to get quite a bit of flexibility.) Some people prefer a rigid tension wrench and just bend a small screwdriver for this, but many prefer a slightly flexible wrench and use spring steel.
The "MIT Guide to Picking Locks" and the "Eddie The Wire" books (see below) cover making these tools. There are many places you can buy picks and tension wrenches. See the appendix.
Steve Haehnichen maintained an archive of GIF and JPEG images of picks located at ftp://ftp.vigra.com/steve/locks/ which are useful guides for those making their own picks. But this link isn't working right now - this is being checked.
Another archive has some pickes illustrated, but does not show the rake pick.

3. What books can I get on locksmithing?
Bill Phillips has written a number of locksmithing books. For the beginning or aspiring locksmith here is an excellent and practical introduction and overview:
Locksmithing
McGraw-Hill 2000 ISBN 0-07-134436-5
paperbound 7 1/2" x 9", 550 pages, $34.95
An excellent encyclopedic reference:
The Complete Book of Locks & Locksmithing, 4th ed.
McGraw-Hill, Inc. 1995 ISBN 0-07-049866-0 $24.95 (Paper) USA
and another one:
Professional Locksmithing Techniques, 2nd Edition
TAB Books/McGraw-Hill 1996
ISBN 0-07-049867-9 (Paper) $36.95 (Paper)
also many people think highly of:
Eddie The Wire: How to Make Your Own Professional Lock Tools
"Eddie The Wire" Loompanics Unlimited
ISBN 0-685-39143-4 4 Volumes $20
Your local book store should be able to order these for you. You can find other titles under "Locksmithing" in the Books In Print Subject Index, which any decent bookstore should have. Also see the Appendix.

4. How do I continue learning about locksmithing?
There are several things you can do to continue learning more about locks and locksmithing. One, of course, is to subscribe to a locksmithing magazine. Some years ago I compared the National Locksmith to the Locksmith Ledger and felt that the latter was a bit better on technical info. Call yourself a Student Locksmith, or perhaps a Security Consultant (surely you have given some advice to *somebody*!). Also read The Complete Book of Locks & Locksmithing, 4th ed. by Bill Phillips which was mentioned above.
Lock companies are starting to use the Internet to distribute information. See the on-line resources section below for many lock related web sites.
But all this reading can help only so much, so you have to continue buying various types of locks, taking them apart, figuring out everything about them, and installing, removing, modifying them. Buy some key blanks, make up a master key scheme, and file the keys to fit (assuming you don't have a key machine yet) - filing may take a few minutes, but it does work. Maybe buy a re-keying kit (kit of different size pins, with a plug follower) and do some re-keying for your family or friends (the same size pins fit, I think, the familiar Kwikset and Schlage pin tumbler locks) so that their deadbolts can be opened with their normal front door key. (Hint - when disassembling a lock you may want to do it inside a transparent plastic bag. Then the small pieces and springs will be trapped and won't go flying across the room, leaving you with a sad look on your face.) (A follower is used to push the plug out, when the pins are at the shear line, therefore keeping the top pins and springs in place. Then the rekeyed plug is used to push out the follower, again keeping the top pins and springs in place. Similarly the follower can be used when loading new springs and top pins, keeping the loaded ones in place.)
Or buy a deadbolt installation kit (hole saw plus template - I think that Black and Decker makes a good inexpensive one, available at better building supply places) and put in a few deadbolts for your family and friends - charging them only for the materials plus a couple of bucks towards the installation kit - and re-key the deadbolt for them, too.
Buy or make a pick set, and use your practice locks to practice picking. Do you have a good locksmith supply catalog? If not, give a call to a local supplier. Help people at work who have been locked out of their desks or filing cabinets. Desks usually have wafer tumbler locks which are *much* easier to pick than pin tumbler locks. Filing cabinets are not as easy to pick, but are pickable (actually some are very easy to pick - they vary greatly) and also can be opened by pushing a flexible plastic ruler between the side of the sliding drawer and the cabinet body - carefully inspect some working cabinets to see what I'm talking about.

5. How do I open a car door with a Slim Jim?
Besides picking the lock, one can open a car door with a wire coat hanger. Open the coat hanger by unbending the wire, leaving a small loop at one end. Insert the looped end of the wire hanger between the rubber weather stripping and a side window. Hook the looped end of the wire around the button of the door lock and pull it up to the open position. Many lock buttons are without a lip, an anti-theft measure, so that the wire coat hanger slides off without lifting it. One can also try to snag the door handle and pull it open.
The Slim Jim, a thin strip of metal with a notch cut at the bottom side, slides down the passenger window into the door. The notch tries to catch a rod running inside the door that connects the lock and the lock buttons. Pulling on this rod pops the lock into the open position. Many modern cars have the rod shielded from this access. Most cars today have many wires running through the doors to control such things as power windows, power locks, heated side view mirrors, lighted key ways, and burglar alarms. Some newer cars have airbags in the doors - setting them off is a very dangerous and expensive mistake! The Slim Jim can snag one of these, or a mechanical part and cause damage. Most locksmiths advise against using a Slim Jim except on old cars. The pros often use wedges, lights and manuals of parts locations to avoid damage and increase their success rate.

6. What is a jiggler key?
A thin piece of metal cut in the general shape of a key, the jiggler slips into the keyway of many locks and most car locks. The jigglers in the set come with a variety of general cuts that vaguely resemble cuts on keys. A jiggler is slipped into the lock and moved around, much as using a rake type pick, until the lock opens. If one jiggler does not work then the next one in the set is tried. Probability of success depends on the skill of the user and on luck.

7. Is there an ethical dimension to locksmithing?
Yes. Locksmithing is an old craft, and there is a strong tradition of ethical responsibility. A trainee (apprentice) learned about locks and security, and was supposed to have the personal integrity to avoid abusing that knowledge. This "do no harm" concept has been incorporated into the 'hacker ethic' which is found at MIT (in the "hacking community") and elsewhere.

How to protect your home as well as your family.

How secure is your home? How accessible is your home? How often do you ask yourself these questions?
Your home is where you and your family want to be safe from the daily stresses of life and most definitely from crime. A burglary happens every 15 seconds in this country. Though many intrusions are non confrontational, have you ever asked yourself what if I or my family were home during a burglary? Most Burglaries happen during daytime hours because this is the time many of us are working, going to school, etc. The typical burglar is looking for anything of value. Rape and/or sexual assault after a break-in happen almost regularly during the summer months when windows and doors are left open and unlocked. If you try to think like a burglar for a minute, the first step in planning a break-in would be to figure out when the home owners are not home. You would watch the daily routine of the homes occupants. The next step would be to figure out how difficult gaining entry to the house would be.
A couple of things comes to mind here; Locked doors and windows, alarm systems, and even surveillance cameras now. Burglars are going to enter your home by walking right thru an unlocked door or open window, using tools to break in or unlock the existing locks, or simply using force to gain entry so let us look the first steps in preventing a burglary.
Door and window locks are the homes initial barrier to be overcome by an intruder. Typically the garage and rear doors of the house are the weakest entry points as well as first floor windows on the sides and rear of the home. These areas may also provide cover for the burglar. You will want to make sure your locks make it very difficult to gain entry. Use a solid core or metal door for all entry areas, Use a quality, heavy-duty, deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt Use a quality, heavy-duty, knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism Use a heavy-duty strike plate with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a wooden door frame, use multiple locks for your doors as well. Sliding glass doors have blocking bars that can be inserted in the track to prevent the door from sliding open. You can use pins that slide thru the track as well to prevent sliding or lifting of the door. Windows are often left open during the summer months. Blocking devices are necessary to keep the window from opening further. A window should not be left open more than six inches or enough to allow a burglar to reach in and unlock or remove blocking device. If an intruder makes it into your home via door, broken window, etc.
We suggest the next step of arming your home via an alarm system that is monitored and dispatched to police upon an alarm or simply by having detection and sound alarm devices to not only scare off an intruder, but also warn anyone who may be home at the time. Devices such as Door and window sound alarms, motion alarms, vibration alarms, etc. Alarm yard signs and window decals are also a great deterrent, as well as the lighting in and around your home. We suggest using floodlights with motion sensors around the exterior of your home and timers that your lights and appliances plug into and will come on automatically simulating people are home. You may purchase surveillance cameras to help further deter and/or monitor your homes activities when you are not there. These images can be viewed and recorded onto time lapse recorders or your PC with proper software. You can even watch your home while on vacation thru your laptop computer.
These are the basic steps in preventing home burglary as well as protecting your family. For more information on crime prevention and personal self defense call us at: 212-586-3234

The Professional Glossary of Terms Relating to Cylinders, Keys and Master Keying

From: http://www.gpla.org

"In 1982 the LIST Council’s predecessor released to the industry The Professional Glossary of Terms Relating to Cylinders, Keys and Master Keying and the ALOA was the first to publish and distribute it. The definitions and terminology in the glossary have since been adopted by most of the manufacturers, publications and associations as our industry standard and many manufacturers offer a printed version as part of their factory training.



The LIST Council has been asked by ALOA and others to complete what would amount to a Dictionary for Locksmiths. We have begun that work and are pleased to submit for Peer review, by every locksmith interested, the first installment of the remaining 1236 terms which have been identified as specific to our industry.



Our approach to this project was a simple one with a few rules which we hope you will also apply in your review. When making a definition of a term, we applied the following rules to the term:



1. Is the term listed in “Webster”?

2. Is the definition there the same meaning used in our industry?



To us, “Webster”, means a typical pocket dictionary which could be obtained easily and on short notice from any grocery store which has a pocket book display. If the answer to either of the questions above was no, we felt the term must be in our dictionary, otherwise it was common usage which anyone could define.



Because there is generally more than one term in use from one geographic area to another, we established the most popular term which most closely describes what it means as the “primary” term to be defined, unless it has different opposing definitions. All other terms with the same meaning become secondary terms and are only listed in the appendix. With that established, the definitions have to meet the following rules:



1. It must describe the subject of the term without graphics.

2. It must describe ONLY the subject of the term.

3. The term should not be used in the definition.



Click on the title to choose which file type you want to download "The Professional Glossary of Terms Relating to Cylinders, Keys and Master Keying " in.

Close that door!

Door closers must be an integral part of the overall health and safety considerations of your business. Door closers on entrance doors prevent injuries to clients and employees alike by controlling the closing of the door on even the windiest of days. Closers on kitchen or service doors help control the intrusion of insects, vermin, and even would-be crooks. Door closers on restroom doors provide privacy and prevent the migration of odors and germs to other areas of the premises.

Additionally, door closers can even be considered an essential part of your overall energy conservation program since they do automatically firmly close doors and help prevent cooling or heating losses because doors stay open for protracted periods of time.

Door closers are mechanical devices, they need periodic servicing, adjustment, and even replacement. Since Life Safety Codes, National Building Codes, and the Americans With Disabilities Act all mandate specific door closer performance, you need to be in top form.

Whether yours need adjustment, repair or replacement – contact us and we'll find a secure solution to your door closer problems.

Homeowners: Kiss Your Keys Goodbye!

I always like to hear about new ideas that really work well, are easy to implement, and not expensive. Here’s one that is so simple, you’ll wonder why more people don’t do it. That is installing a digital door lock on the doors in your house. Hey, these work great on cars—why not houses? A digital door lock is simply a fancy name for a pushbutton, combination, or keyless entry lock. With a digital door, you won’t have to risk your keys will be lost, stolen, or copied. There is no AC wiring or batteries, so you won't be locked out during power failures. And you’ll never have to pay a locksmith to change out your locks—you can do this yourself. Digital door locks are available nowadays with a hacksaw-proof deadbolts for standard doors, sliding doors, cabinets, even outdoor gates & fences like around a pool or play area. You can even get locks with a keypad on both sides or with a spring, so door automatically locks each time the door is closed. Most digital door locks have with easy-to-change codes and some even come with a key override option so that a master key can be used to open the lock as well as the combination. Some models are big and clunky and look like they would do best in an industrial setting like a data center or lab, but others have really nice designs and finishes that go quite well in a home setting. What are the things to look out for when choosing a lock? Pretty much what you would expect:
1. Make sure you get a high-quality lock with a good warranty, at least 5 years, from a reputable dealer who also has a clear, no-nonsense return policy.
2. Find a dealer that will sell you parts, just in case you need them.
3. If you think you’ll be purchasing more than one, also ask about volume discounts, even if you purchase them at different times.
4. Look for a dealer that carries several models and finishes, so you can get exactly what you want.
5. Check out the installation instructions. These days, any homeowner equipped with a Phillips head screw driver should pretty much be able to install these locks themselves and change the combination in just a matter of minutes.
6. Make sure you know up front what the tax, shipping and handling costs are
7. Finally, shop around. Use the Internet to find sites that sell digital door locks. It’s fast, easy, and secure.

Your Security is Your Choice

Many home builders install Grade 3 deadbolt locks on the homes they build. These locks may look and operate as if they are high quality and you may think that a lock is a lock, but don't be fooled by appearance. The housing of this lock can be hollow and the strike applied to the door frame can be a thin and weak material with 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch small diameter screws only fastened to the frame or moulding...

A Grade 2 deadbolt however may cost 3 times the price, but you get what you pay for. When installed properly this grade of deadbolt will drastically increase the security of your home.

A deadbolt made by Weiser Lock is an example of a good quality deadbolt lock in this grade. With a thicker and tapered housing to resist tearing the lock off the door, heavier bolts holding the lock on the door and a high security strike applied to the frame with heavy 3 inch screws that fasten to the stud behind the frame. Under normal circumstances, this lock will and is guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Grade 1 deadbolt locks made by manufacturers such as Weiser Lock and Schlage can be 2 to 4 times the cost of a grade 2 deadbolt. Now we are talking some tough and very good quality locks. A solid housing or a seperate solid ring around the cylinder and with Schlage, a heavier bolt that extends into a higher security stick in the frame.

Your security is your choice, but an upgrade in deadbolts on your home is a one time cost and will not only increase your security but will give you and your family a secure peace of mind.

If you have any exterior doors without Grade 2 to Grade 1 deadbolt locks, call us for advice.

When you need a Locksmith...

When you have to wiggle your key to get it to work, you need a locksmith.
When your key breaks, you need a locksmith.
When you don’t know who else has a copy of your key, you need a locksmith.
When you have lost your keys, you need a locksmith.
When you lose an employee who had a key, you need a locksmith.
When you move into a new house, you need a locksmith.
When you forget the combination to your safe or need it changed, you need a locksmith.
When your keys are stolen along with your ID, you need a locksmith.
When your safety and security is in doubt, YOU NEED A LOCKSMITH!

Most people don’t ever think of a locksmith unless they are in dire need of their services. Just like a plumber, a pest control specialist, or an electrician, they are one of those people you call when something goes wrong, often when they could have prevented the problem ahead of time with some preventive maintenance.

Locksmiths provide many services to the community that they serve. Many are willing to do a security survey of your property for a nominal fee, or even at no charge. They are professionals that are ready to serve you around the clock. They have hundreds of tools to help them service your needs. They have studied locks to be proficient in servicing them. They are likely members of an association, or organization where they continue their education. They subscribe to monthly trade magazines to help them learn tricks of the trade, from other locksmiths, and from manufacturers, and to keep up with the new locks coming out on the market. Some have studied for years, and earned designations like Certified Master Locksmith, or Certified Master Safe-cracker.

Some of them specialize in Automotive servicing, from unlocking your vehicle, repairing a vandalized or malfunctioning lock, to making you a replacement key when yours has become lost, or worn beyond functioning. Some specialize in residential or commercial service, and can re-pin your locks to a new key code, so the old key will no longer work, or if you need a new lock or deadbolt added to a door. They can also repair malfunctioning locks, add or repair a door closer so your door won’t slam, or add electronic access control to almost any level of security or convenience. Some specialize in high security areas, such as safes, vaults, and bank boxes. Many will be able to provide all of these services.

Locksmiths are there when you need them, from the local shop, to the mobile only service provider. They come out day or night, rain or shine. They understand when you are in need, and irate at your dog for burying the keys to your car in the flowerbed. They understand when you locked them in your car; they have more than likely done that too. When you come home and find your house has been broken into, they sympathize with you and can repair the damaged door, and make it stronger.

Security Tips: Is your building secure?

Most building owners/store managers issue keys to their employees to either open or close the business, and think that the premises is secure. But if those keys can be duplicated at the nearby hardware store, then a false sense of security exists.
There are many situations where security can be compromised: let's take a look at a few:

'Joe' is given a key to lock up at night. He's a little forgetful, sometimes misplaces the key, and figures if he had another copy made, and hides it, he could have a backup. If he terminates employment for any reason, he turns in one key and keeps the other, so he can come back at a vulnerable time and you'll have fewer inventories.

'Mary' has a key and her boyfriend has been eyeing the building. He 'borrows' her car, which has the company key on the ring, gets another key made at the local mall kiosk, and has free reign over your building.

One good way to protect your building and control your keys is with a patented protected keying system that prevents unauthorized duplication without your permission. Copies of your key can only be obtained through authorized dealers, and then only with proper identification and an authorization card. Every duplication is recorded, providing an audit trail and virtually eliminating the possibility of new or additional keys getting into the wrong hands. These systems also provide good pick resistance. That's becoming more important now that the internet has sites teaching anyone how to pick locks.

Make sure the locksmith is a member of a state or national organization, as membership lets you know that the locksmith is keeping up with the latest trends in the security industry. The security of your building, of your home is important to us.

The first 24 Hours After a Burglary

If you ever return home and notice any signs of a burglary - a broken window or a door ajar - do not enter your house or apartment alone. Call the police from a neighbor's house and wait.

If you are already inside when you discover there has been a break-in, don't touch anything: you may destroy that one fingerprint that could be used as evidence. You should, however, call the police. Chances are the burglar didn't use your phone.

While you wait for the police, make a preliminary inventory of things you can see are missing. Don't open drawers or shuffle through closets, but note if they look as though they have been disturbed. Give the police this information. Let them know you can provide them with serial numbers and photos of stolen property, if you have them.

After the police leave, arrange to have your locks rekeyed and broken windows fixed. Make sure your inventory of missing items is complete and use it to report what's been stolen to your insurance company.

Try to assemble documentation for major items: receipts, invoices, jewelry appraisals, warranties and photographs.

The first day, as well as for some time after, expect to feel violated. Talking about the break-in with friends and neighbors can help you ventilate your feelings and alert them to be on the lookout for unfamiliar people or cars in the area.

Most people have trouble sleeping, knowing that a thief has been in the bedroom (they often head there because that's where the money and jewelry is usually kept).

The best cure for a burglary, of course, is prevention, and that's where we can help.

Do you know who has the keys to your new apartment?

Moving in to a new place is exciting. You buy new things, refurnish, decorate…
But, in all this excitement, people tend to forget something important, more then anything else - their personal security.

There is always a possibility that the last tenant forgot to give you one more copy, perhaps your superintendent, the building manager, even the renovation company.
The only way you can defend yourself from this option and everything that is implied from it is to change your lock.

There are many ways to protect your new home, like putting bars on the windows, make sure that the Intercom and Video Intercom in your building are installed in a proper way and, must important, changing the locks and making sure that the locks installed are from the best kind.

Mr. Yaron Erez, a security expert and the co-owner of New York locksmith company, Mr. Locks recommends that one should install at least one high security lock, with a restricted key, one for each entrance door in order to maintain a basic level of security.

Mr. Locks also offers free inspections, consulting and free estimates in all security issues preformed by its highly trained security experts.