Rim Locks

There are many types of locks in the market and some of them are more common than others. Rim locks are type of lock systems that attaches to the surface of a door. It is a contrast to a Mortise lock where the assembly is similar but installed differently attaching to the door rather than within it. It is initially a box that would be located under the door knob. Normally it would be installed on the interior side of the room and would include a keyhole for operation.

The rim lock locking system can be used to lock the door in two different ways. Using the key is the main method to operate the lock. Just like most types of locks, inserting the key to the keyhole and turning it, the lock will move to the locking position so the door cannot be opened. The second method in which the rim lock can be moved to the locking status is by turning the knob that is part of the rim lock assembly.

Theoretically, the knob will function similar to the key. Once the knob is turned, the locking mechanism inside the rim lock will be enabled to lock the door until moved again to unlock it. There are several types of rim locks where some can be reopened using the key while others can only be unlocked from the other side of the door.

As mentioned, there are many types of rim locks in the market that come in different designs and styles to accommodate the customer's unique needs. Some of the styles and variations a rim lock can come as include modern and antique styles as well. Some types will include a secondary security measure such as a chain while others will only come in a form of a deadbolt.

For more information about rim locks, contact NorthWest Locksmith Reno (775) 276-5673.

Commercial Grade Sargent Mortise Lock

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Restricted Key-Way Lockout

Lockout services are the most common when it comes to the work an average locksmith does throughout his years in the field. Most are fairly simple, no hassle type of lockouts, but there are few exceptions. Out of residential, automotive, or commercial lockout services, commercial would be the hardest even for the above average experience locksmith technician. Most businesses are equipped with high security commercial grade lock or other types of unique security lock system which may be nearly impossible to hack without damaging it such as restricted key-way lock system. Restricted key-way lock will incorporate a unique combination inside it joined with a unique key that will not be possible to duplicate by any other professional except the certified locksmith who installed it. Most of the time, this type of lock system will even be pick proof depending on the type of cylinder being used.

Few years ago I remember getting a call from a local store where the customer claimed he has lost the key. He didn't give too much information on the phone, but from what I could tell, the store was probably equipped with a Mortise type lock. I took the customer's information and I was on my way to his store. Once I got to the customer's location, I did a quick inspection of the lock and saw it was a Mortise type lock as I suspected. I grabbed my pick tool set from the van and quickly started to work on unlocking the door. For some reason, I was not able to get ahead much with picking, so I decided to go with an alternative and just drill the plug.

Unfortunately, as I examined the lock a little closer, I suspected it was a restricted key-way plug which meant it would have taken a few weeks for a new plug to arrive which wasn't an option at that point. I decided to call a fellow Reno locksmith technician which I knew had more experience than I did working with commercial type locks. Once I got him on the phone and explained the situation, he said there might be a way to avoid drilling and damaging the restricted key-way plug.

The process started by inserting an uncut key blank into the key-way and drilling a small hole just above the plug which will drill through all six pins. Next, I had to remove the blank and use one of the pick from my set to push the bottom pins which allowed me to turn the plug and unlock the door. All I had to do after the door opened was to replace the cylinder shell I drilled with a nother one and re-key the plug.    

Mortise Pick Tip

As a locksmith technician. you tend to run into jobs sometimes that will give many aggravations. Most of the jobs I found to be difficult and time consuming are commercial type jobs. Recently i got called to an  office building downtown. The customer who called me had a private office in the building and he seem to misplace the keys to the office. Normally, most of the office doors I ran into during my years in the field all had a Mortise type lock. These locks are much more heavy duty than the traditional standard key-in-knob lock and sometimes can be a hassle to open them. The Mortise mechanism is fairly complex which makes it very difficult to pick.

Once I got to the job site, all my suspicions turned to be true. The office door did had a Mortise type lock on it. There are only two options usually when facing this type of lockout job. One is to try and pick the lock, the other is drill and replace the lock with a new one. Unfortunately, that day I did not have any Mortises with me in the service vehicle, and I was also under the impression the customer will not be so thrill to pay extra couple hundreds because he lost his keys.

I reached out to my picking tool set and started working on the lock. As I was working it, I had some trouble turning it as the cylinder required a lot of force to turn, and my skinny pick tool set just wasn't cutting it. I then remembered of an advice one of my fellow locksmith technicians gave me once about using a key blank as an extra force to get the cylinder to turn and at the same time prevent from the pins to fall and mess the cylinder. Luckily, I did have a blank for that type of Mortise cylinder with me, so I figured it was worth a try. What I had to do was pick the lock with my pick tool just enough to turn it a little and then use the blank to turn it all the way to retract the bolt, and it worked! The customer was very satisfied from the fact I could open the door without drilling the lock and even gave me a tip.

Visit the following links for more info on Reno locksmith solutions. | NorthWest Locksmith Reno services.    

About Mortise Locks

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Commercial Locksmith Service in Reno

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