Opening a locked safe is still a mystery to the general public. Even as a locksmith people still ask me if a substance can be injected into the key hole that will harden and form a working key from the tumblers. This idea is pure fantasy and ignorance for how a lock works. I can assure you, any substance injected into the lock that will harden will ruin the lock. In fact the keys for the lock will not work either.

Opening a safe without drilling requires knowledge, practice and patience. All three components work together. Patience will only last until you have used up all the knowledge you have to defeat the lock. Of course with out any knowledge your patience is useless, you need to understand the basics of a working safe lock before you can attempt to unlock a safe without drilling. Practice is necessary so you know what to expect when you are trying to dial open a locked safe. Experience helps too, but I think experience is the same as practice. The art of opening a safe without drilling is known as Manipulation.

Opening a safe without drilling is classified by the government as a surreptitious opening, which means there is no evidence a break-in has occurred. All government safes and containers used for classified documents or firearms require a manipulation resistant lock.

Years ago I watched Alexander Mundy on the TV show “It Takes a Thief “, open safes without drilling or making any noise. Since then there have been many story lines based on thieves who can open safes by manipulation. This might lead many to think opening a safe by listening to the tumblers is a myth. But manipulation is a learned procedure first developed by Harry Miller back in 1940.

If you have an antique safe, that may be a family heirloom and the combination is lost there is a good chance the safe can be opened without drilling a hole. Of course some antique safes have precisely machined tumblers and are made to be very difficult to open, with or without a drill. Sometimes drilling is necessary. A highly trained safe technician will know how to find the best way to open your safe with the least amount of damage, keeping repairs to a minimum.

Another reason to manipulate a safe open is the mess drilling and repair would create. Some safes are very difficult to drill because of the barrier material used to protect the lock. Some safe manufacturers install plate glass in front of the lock with cables attached to the glass leading to spring loaded steel pins called external re-lockers. A drill would break the glass setting off the re-locker preventing thieves and anyone else from opening the door. Professional safe technicians will locate the re-locker and drill the safe to neutralize the re-lock pin. This procedure can be very time consuming and costly.

If you have a locked safe with a lost combination consult a locksmith that is trained to open safes, or a professional safe technician. Websites you can visit to find trusted technicians are www.findalocksmith.com, www.aloa.org, www.savta.org, and www.clearstar.com.

Every year I see the same news stories at Christmas time. A family had their Tree up and decorated with all the gifts wrapped and piled under the tree. Burglars broke in while no on was home and stole all the gifts.

Another news story is several cars were broke into at the local shopping plaza. Many items were stolen, no suspects were caught.

I have been on the seen to change the locks or install new locks after a burglary occurs. A few times I was called to homes a few days after Christmas. One specific incident stands out. In the early 80’s I still lived in New Jersey. A family purchased a brand-new stereo system. Since the neighborhood was made up of row homes everybody new everybody’s business. I am certain the stereo was shown off to the other neighbors and played long into the night for everyone to hear. Two days after Christmas the whole family piled into the car and went shopping. Someone took the opportunity to break-in and steal the whole stereo system. It is not wise to show off your gifts to large groups of people. Someone in the crowd may want to take your gift for them self.

Many times when I park my car at the mall I will notice the front and back seat of the car next to me. Many times there are shopping bags with merchandise inside. Sometimes there is a purse, or and iPod or cell phone. If I were a thief of opportunity I could have emptied the car and been gone in 60 seconds or less.

If you are going to shop at several stores put your merchandise in the trunk out of sight, out of sight, out of mind. I sell safes under the same principle. The best security a home burglary safe can offer is no one knows you have the safe. If you are broken into and the safe is found chances are the crooks did not come prepared to open a safe. However, if your neighbors know you have a safe, they might tell the pest control guy. The pest control guy might tell his friends at the bar. One of those friends might have another friend in the burglary business, and you just became a target because you have a safe.

I have worked for two elderly women over the years whose purses were snatched, except these women did not let go. Their arms were broken from the violent yank. When they refused to let go they were dragged several feet and beaten until they could hold on no longer. Keep your purse close to your body and try not to isolate yourself from a crowd of people. Both the women I worked for were walking to their cars in the parking lot.

One busy shopping season my wife noticed a man following her along the sidewalk in front of the stores. She noticed the man getting closer. My wife was alone, so she saw a group of people talking in the parking lot and she walked up to them as if she knew them. The would-be purse snatcher kept moving past my wife and disappeared in the crowd.

If you have wrapped gifts at home do not leave them in plain sight. Keep everything hidden until the time you will be exchanging gifts with loved ones. If you have an old alarm that just makes noise, use it. Hearing the 30 second delay of an alarm beeping for the pass code will add stress to the thief. Dogs are great deterrents also. Let Fido roam the house and have access to every window and door.

Your first line of defense any time of year is good locks on your home. Thieves like easy targets. If breaking-in takes too long the thief will most likely give up on your home and rob your neighbor.

Be mindful of your surroundings and don’t give a thief an opportunity to rob you.

I wish all of you a wonderful Christ filled holiday and New Year!

Jeff Gater, CML

The security of today’s era is cameras, alarms and card readers for gaining access. Every event at many businesses is monitored and recorded.

The problem with all these good security measures is that none of them will stop a couple of thugs with ski mask and crow bars from breaking in your back door and stealing what they can before the central station notifies the police.

In many businesses the back door is necessary for receiving deliveries and employee smoke breaks. But after hours the back door is locked and seldom ever entered in the morning when the business is opened.

The back door is usually a commercial steel door with a poured concrete metal door frame. It can be very difficult and expensive to install deadbolt security locks into these types of doors. Many times the Life Safety Code and the Local Fire Inspector will not allow a deadbolt on the back door, especially if there are many employees, like in a factory.

The Exit Security Bar provides good physical security while satisfying the Life Safety Code. At night the bar anchors the door to the door frame and is much more effective than a deadbolt. During working hours the bar is removed so people can come and go as they need.

Some of my customers have requested two Exit Security Bars be installed on one door because of the high crime rate the business was located in.

The Exit Security Bar offers good security against a physical attack and meets the requirements of the Life Safety Code without breaking the budget.

Recently on a technician’s forum for locksmiths I was confronted with the belief there is never a good reason to install a double-key, or more commonly called double-cylinder deadbolt. Double-cylinder means there is a key hole on both sides of the door.

In the locksmith trade the component containing the key hole is called the cylinder. There are different kinds of cylinders, for example rim cylinder and mortise cylinder. For this discussion all you need to remember is “cylinder” equals key hole.

The belief that double-cylinder locks should never be installed is simple, life safety is more important than protecting valuables. If you are awakened in the middle of the night and find yourself in a smoke filled room you are going to be confused and alarmed. You may get yourself to the nearest exit by crawling on the floor, but when you attempt to unlock the door you realize the key to unlock the door is in your purse or pants pocket. In the urgency of the moment and the choking thick smoke you cannot remember where you left your purse or pants. I am told by seasoned firemen bodies are often found by the door which needed a key to unlock from the inside.

In commercial buildings and places of assembly Life Safety Codes are strictly enforced by the Fire Marshall and local Fire Inspector. As a locksmith I am responsible for knowing these codes so I do not put others lives in danger due to ignorance.

Life Safety Codes for residential homes are often ambiguous and not under the jurisdiction of my county fire inspector. In other words MY local fire inspector has no authority over how someone locks the doors on their home. In my area a home must meet certain codes before it is given a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). The code pertaining to the locks says, the door most likely used as a means of egress, or way of escape, cannot be locked from the inside with a key, tool or special knowledge needed to unlock the door.

The Life Safety issue is really left up to the home owner. In south Florida most homes are single story homes. If a fire were to wake you up there are usually several windows or sliding glass doors to escape through. However, south Florida is one small part of the country. Many homes have second floors and the fastest way of escape is down the stairs and out the front door.

The real object of securing your home is to keep the bad guys out. When a door has a window or side light next to the door, instead of installing a double-cylinder deadbolt lock consider installing Lexan over the window. Lexan is a clear sheet of plastic and was first made by General Electric. Thicknesses of 3/16 of an inch and greater are near impossible to break with a hammer.

Usually Lexan is installed over the window on the inside of the home. Clear Lexan is not detectable by burglars until the outer window is smashed. Lexan can be purchased at any commercial plastics supply company and is available in clear, tinted or opaque colors.

If you do have a double-cylinder lock on your door and you prefer to keep it that way, I recommend hiding a key near the floor next to the door. If you find yourself crawling through smoke in a half-sleepy daze you will at least be able to find your emergency key and escape with your life and perhaps the lives of others.

New homeowners often move in and start remodeling. Many remodel before they move in. Wood floors replace carpet, old wall paper is removed for new paint and the locks are changed to a new key.

Some new homeowners want to change all the hardware on the front door. In the photos that follow you will see an old Baldwin mortise lock replaced with a more effective handle-set and deadbolt. I say more effective because the Baldwin lock was designed for a door with a narrow rail, or style. A wood door is made up of two side rails, a top rail, bottom rail, cross rails and panels. Many older French doors had narrow styles and the standard locks we use today would never fit.

The Baldwin lock I replaced had a 2 inch back-set. The back-set of a lock is measured from the edge of the door to the center of the lock. The standard residential back-set is 2 3/8 inch. Many commercial metal doors use a 2 ¾ inch back-set. The point is the smaller the back-set, the less room there is for a one inch deadbolt. The Baldwin lock I replaced only had a ½ inch deadbolt and the bolt did not operate properly.

Lock replacement in this case was the best option. Even though the doors are painted, they are solid mahogany and built to last the life of the building. Even though this job was time consuming and a bit costly the original doors were preserved and a more secure lock installed.

Recently I was working in a 50 year old home. In south Florida I do not see many old homes and I often appreciate how things were built years ago compared to today’s construction practices.

While working at the old home I was asked to look at the original door and locks to see if they were up to today’s standards. The old wooden door exceeded today’s standards but the deadbolt lock from 50 years ago would not stop any hack with a claw hammer from ripping the lock right off the door.

I replaced the old Schlage lock with the new Schlage B560 deadbolt lock. You will not find this model of Schlage deadbolt at the mass-merchandiser stores. You will only find Schlage’s best grade of locks at a locksmith shop or specialty hardware store.

When purchasing a deadbolt lock of any brand you should always consider how the lock is made to withstand abuse from a thief. Every lock today has a 1 inch bolt, but how much of the deadbolt remains in the door. In other words how deep is the root of the deadbolt after the bolt is extended. If you are shopping for a deadbolt lock and there are sample locks mounted try this test. Extend the deadbolt all the way. Now grab the end of the bolt and wiggle it back and forth up and down. Does the bolt feel solid or does it have a lot of movement? You are looking for a lock where the bolt feels solid when extended.

Look through the package to see if the deadbolt lock has solid collars. The collar is the round piece of metal which protects the key-cylinder. The collar should be a dense material made of either die cast metal or cast steel. The collar is designed to rotate if someone tries to wrench your lock off the door.

Another part of the lock to check out is the locks mounting screws. The better locks usually have ¼ inch steel machine screws for holding the lock on the door.

Other things to consider is “bump-resistance,” pick resistance and key control. Kwikset offers great bump-resistance and pick resistance with their Smart-Key Technology. Kwikset also makes very nice deadbolt locks. Look for their 780 model deadbolt.

Consider how old your home is. Does your home use the original locks as the main security of the door? It may be time to have a professional locksmith visit your home and recommend upgrading your homes security with better deadbolt locks.

In 1969 or 1970 General Motors moved the ignition lock from the dash board to the steering column. This allowed the ignition lock to also lock the gear shifter on the column and the steering wheel. The other car manufacturers also started placing the ignition lock on the steering column and they also locked the gear shifter and the steering wheel. The above service call to the locksmith was, and still is in most cases the result of the locking steering wheel.

I am not up on how steering wheels are locked these days, since I stopped working on automotive locks in 2004. I imagine the locking steering wheel has not changed much since 2004. Usually domestic cars (made in the USA) locked the steering wheel with a spring loaded steel pin. The steel pin would fall into one of many slots formed into a steel disc. The slotted disc was usually just under the steering wheel.

Foreign cars (not originally made in the USA) used a different locking mechanism to lock the steering wheel. This involved a large spring loaded steel pin which was part of the ignition lock assembly. The steel pin would fall directly into a slot cut into the steering shaft. It was much more common for a foreign car to jam up the ignition key because turning the key retracted the large locking pin from the steering shaft. If there was any turning torque on the steering wheel when the car was turned off, the steering shaft would pinch the steel locking pin and make it near impossible to turn the key in the ignition lock.

If you find yourself in this scenario, the car started fine when you left the house, you arrived at your destination and turned the car off. When you returned to the car to head to your next destination you cannot turn the key to start the car. Don’t panic yet. While you are applying turning pressure on the ignition key, forcefully turn the steering wheel left and right. This should relieve the pressure on the steering wheel lock and allow the key to turn. If this does not work try shaking the gear shifter, even if it is between the seats. I noticed in newer cars many components are connected with cabling. If you forget to put the transmission in park before you turn the car off you will not be able to remove the key from the ignition until the shifter is moved to PARK.

One last ditch effort you can try if your ignition key will not turn is to vibrate the lock through the key. There is a chance a lock tumbler is stuck. Insert your key. Use the heel of your shoe or something similar to tap on the end of your key. Tap light and fast, the object is to vibrate a stuck tumbler loose.

 DO NOT SPRAY ANY LIQUID LUBRICANT INTO THE IGNITION LOCK. There is a risk you will short out something electronic. This might result in a towing charge and expensive repair bill. It might cause a fire!

If these simple steps do not get you going then it is time to call a reputable locksmith who works on cars. There are many good locksmiths who have stopped working on cars. Many locksmiths find a specialty or a niche market and conclude it is not cost effective to stay current in every specialty of the locksmith trade.

It is best to find a locksmith or locksmiths you can trust and rely on before you need one. The best way to find a local locksmith is to ask around. Who does your employer use for locksmith service? Ask your friends at the gym, church or night class. Someone you know uses a locksmith, maybe on a regular basis. If there is a locksmith shop you pass by on the way to work stop by and get their business card. Ask them if they work on cars, or who would they recommend for automotive lock work. Confident successful locksmiths sincerely want to help the customer get what they need, even if it means sending the customer to another locksmith.

In the past two months I have been to at least three homes after break-in robberies. Three homes and three different means of breaking in, the window, the sliding patio door and an entry door was pried open with a crowbar or similar tool.

Today I am going to address the deadbolt strike plate, which in reality is the other half of the deadbolt locking system.

Before I talk about the deadbolt strike plate I want to look at the traditional use of the strike plate and why it is called a “strike plate.” The traditional strike plate is used with the latch. The latch holds the door closed even though the door may be unlocked. The latch always protrudes, or sticks out on the edge of the door ½ inch to ¾ inch. Or 12.7mm to 19mm. When the door is closed the latch must be retracted by turning a knob, pushing down a lever or some other means by which the door is opened.

When the door is open it can be closed and latched without touching the knob or lever. This is because the latch is spring loaded. When the door is closed, the latch “strikes” a curved piece of metal (called the Lip). The purpose of the Lip is to push the spring loaded latch back into the door until the door is completely closed. The latch will spring out into a hole when the door is closed and hold the door in the closed position. The Lip and the hole the latch springs into are parts of the strike plate.

The deadbolt strike plate works nothing like the latch strike plate. A better name for the deadbolt strike plate would be “dress-plate” or “reinforcement plate.” The deadbolt lock has one function, secure the door against thieves or the enemy or both. Most deadbolt locks have a 1 inch (25.4mm) bolt or bar that extends into the door frame after the door is closed. If the deadbolt lock is a quality lock mounted in a good quality door the chances are slim the door is going to break if someone tries to kick the door in. The weak link then becomes the door frame the deadbolt is locked into.

Therefore it is imperative the deadbolt strike plate act as an anchor point and means to reinforce the door frame and deter, even prevent the door from being kicked in by robbers and home invaders.

Many brands of deadbolt locks come with extra reinforcement plates, longer anchor screws and even a steel cup, or “strike-box” as we call it in the trade. The problem is many installers, whether they are handy-men, carpenters, door specialist and even locksmiths omit installing these very important components. In reality, the way the strike plate is installed (or not installed) will determine the true security of your door.

In the the photos to follow I will explain the traditional strike plate. I will also show some deadbolt strike plates some manufacturers include when you purchase a deadbolt lock. I will also show the different parts of the deadbolt strike plate and why it is important to install all the parts.

I could show you many more examples of properly installed deadbolt strike plates but it would only bore you.

The point is to be pro-active about the security of your home or business. I have had many customers tell me “when a crook really wants to get in you cannot stop him.” True, but many homes are broken into by kids or hacks because the home owner made the opportunity so easy. If you make the average burglar work to hard to gain entry, there is a good chance he will he give up on your home and rob your neighbor.

Time, light and barriers are the thief’s enemies. The longer it takes a crook to break in, the greater chance he/she has of getting caught.

“Everyone here has tried to pull out the key, we even clamped vise grips on the key to pull with and now the key is almost broken, can you help us?!”

Yes I can help you, but removing the key will only treat the symptom of a more serious problem which has the potential to lock you out and jamb-up the inner workings of the lock. This would result in an expensive repair bill.

This particular problem makes me look like I have magic powers. By the time I show up people are frazzled and mentally exhausted trying to solve a problem they do not understand. Usually several men have clamped vise grips to the key and yanked as hard as they can until they are tired and perplexed.

I show up and remove the key in less than a second, without tools. Now the question is, “how did you do that?”

In the pictures to follow I will first show you how to remove the key. Remember, this is a symptom of a more serious problem and a professional locksmith should be called as soon as possible to service your lock.

 Another way to remove the key is to push and hold the plug face (keyhole) in with your left thumb, then pull the key out with you right hand. Remember, the key will only enter and exit the keyhole in one position. Usually the keyhole is in a vertical position with the cuts of the key pointing up. However, the keyhole could be horizontal or vertical with the key cuts pointing down. If you do not know, use the push-pull procedure while you are turning the key. The key will eventually come out of the keyhole.

I have heard these words many times over the years from desperate homeowners and apartment dwellers. A few were returning from the airport after a trip, some had a car load of groceries in the hot car. No one expects their lock NOT to open when they have the key, but it happens all the time. Usually the lock gives fair warning it will fail. You just need to know the signs and take preventative measures.

Not much can be done if you find yourself in this scenario. Your best option is to call a professional locksmith. The easiest way to find a locksmith is the website findalocksmith.com. If you know of a local locksmith because you have seen their locksmith store, then call them. I recommend storing a trusted locksmith’s phone number in your cell phone. To find a good locksmith in your area ask people where you work, or people you know at the gym, or church or night class. Referrals are better than guessing on your own.

The reason your key is turning all the way around is because the little piece that transmits turning power from your hand to the deadbolt has broken or become detached. The only way to fix the problem is to remove the lock from the door. I will explain the tail piece failure in the pictures to follow.

Before you call a locksmith there is a chance the key retracted the deadbolt half way before breaking. If the door opens out, and you can see the lock bolt between the door and door frame, use a pen knife or similar tool to push the lock bolt back into the door. This is a long shot but it is worth trying.

If the problem is occurring with a door knob, you can try the pen knife trick in the previous paragraph. Your best option is to call a locksmith.

The only way to avoid this lockout problem is to take steps to prevent it from happening. You can test your own lock. Close the door and turn the key to lock and unlock. Is your key hard to turn when locking or unlocking the door? If so this could indicate the strike plate (hole in door frame) is out of alignment and stressing the inner lock parts every time you turn your key.

Now open your door and use the key to extend the lock bolt. Is the key hard to turn now? If so your lock may need lubrication, or the lock mounting holes may be out of alignment. Either way the lock has to be removed so the inner moving parts can be lubricated. Any silicone based spray lubricant will work. Do not spray silicone lubricant in the key hole! If lubrication helps the lock work easier, but you still feel resistance when you turn the key, you should have the lock mounting holes re-bored by a locksmith.

If your home or rental is new to you, consider having all the locks changed, or re-keyed to a new key. A locksmith can use your existing locks and rebuild them to a new key. The previous owner or renter may have given keys to trusted friends, neighbors, or family members. Re-keying your locks will ensure you have the only keys to your new place.

The locksmith should check to make sure all your locks are working normally while he/she is removing and reinstalling your locks.