Biometric Deadbolts

What was once a staple of futuristic and top secret companies movies has been entered for sale on the public market. Biometric locks were always apart of those sci-fi compounds and high-class government buildings in the films and television shows we watch, now you can own one for you own home. They range from the moderately priced to the fancy and expensive. But as usual, it is assumed that you get what you pay for. The better the quality of lock, the better it will be able to scan your fingerprint.

Most of the units do still employ standard keys as a backup, because these are electronic devices, which do fail from time to time. And they run on batteries, so you don’t want to be locked out because the lock’s batteries are dead. Some of the locks feature keypad lock codes as well, but again these rely on there being power to the lock. Depending on which lock you get will determine the number of fingerprints that you can store on it. In addition some locks let you configure levels of access for those prints from full access for you and your family, a one time entry for service technicians, or certain days of the week for scheduled cleaning staff and the like. Overall it is a pretty neat device.

Security may be at risk, since someone just needs your finger. And since many of the locks still employ keys, they can potentially be picked. At this point the pros outweigh the cons, and this is a viable new form of home locks.

Here is a clip demonstration a fingerprint scanning deadbolt lock.

Tubular Pin and Tumbler Locks

Tubular pin and tumblers locks are also known as the ace lock, radial lock, and axial lock. These are the type of locks that you often see on bike locks, computer cases and peripherals, candy machines, soda machines, and on some models of safes. Rather than using a traditional key, the tubular lock uses a series of pins set up in a circle around the main tube. The lock uses six to eight pins that push themselves towards the front of the lock. The lock’s key uses a series of indentations that correspond to the pins in the lock. When the proper key is inserted, the driver pins and key pins will align over the shear line allowing the lock cylinder to turn.

Tubular locks are harder to pick than traditional locks, but it can be done. The sloppy destructive way is to try and drill out the center of the tube. To prevent destruction the central part of the lock is often made of hardened steel. There is a specialized lock pick for opening tube locks, using one of these would be your best bet at opening one. You can try traditional lock picking to open the lock, but as you turn the lock each pin you have set will reset itself in the hole of the next pin. So you will need something to hold the pins back once you’ve set them.

This video uses a clear acrylic cylinder, so that you can see the inner workings of the lock.

Guns are investments, and like your other investments, you want to protect them. You also want to keep them hidden away from thieves and your children, so what better way than with a safe. There are various types of safes available, which differ in sizes and construction material. To start your search, assess the sizes of your current firearms and any you may plan to purchase in the future. You want just enough space, but maybe a little extra for other stuff. You will probably end up storing your other valuables in the safe as well.

When choosing your safe, consider the following:

• Materials: Your best bet is all around heavy gauge steel. You want the whole safe to be thick, not just the door.
• Look for a safe with internal hinges. External hinges are a security risk.
• Look for a safe that can be bolted to the floor. It is just another good deterrent.
• Opt for a fireproof safe. Check out the fire ratings.
• Decide on a style of lock. This will be keyed, combination, or a digital keypad. Or sometimes a combination of two styles.
• Look for customizable interiors. You may want to configure the racks and shelves in different ways.
• Welds are another point of attack, so find a safe with little to no visible weld seams.

If you have stayed in a hotel or motel in the last few years, chances are they had key card door locks on the rooms. In the long run this a cheaper option for them. The hotel will no longer have to worry about keeping track of real keys, as the new keys are cheap, plastic, and easily replaceable. There is no need to worry about somebody making copies of the keys, or who has copies.

With a keycard the door look is opened by a combination that can be changed at will by the business using them. So even if a guest keeps their key after their stay, they won’t be able to still use it to open the door.

The keycard is like your credit card, in that it features a magnetic strip or a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip to hold the door unlocking information. I have been trying to find more technical information on these door locks, but have been unsuccessful. But it is understandable and somewhat refreshing that there aren’t thousands of online videos explaining how to manipulate these locks.

Another aesthetic benefit is that these cards can be easily printed to feature company logos and other products the card is representative of.

To avoid potential lock bumping and lock picking, you’ve decided to move away from keys, they are an obvious security risk. Who knows how many copies have been distributed over the years. And getting the locks changed or re-keyed can get expensive. So what are your options? For your home there are buzzer systems, numbered keypad locks, and Biometric locks. There are also remote door locks that you can control with a remote. Like the ones most cars come with now.

Businesses can use the same styles of systems.

Buzzers are good for letting people into your house area or a building lobby. Someone would usually man the buzzer and allow entry only to those who have business there.

Or you often see them for apartment complex entry. They are good for basic security.

Keypad door locks are good because you don’t need to worry about having a key. But you do have to remember your combination. And there is always the possibility of someone being able to guess your code. And if your lock is electric, a power outage could potentially lock you out.

Biometric locks are good in that you don’t need to have keys or remember a combination. In most cases you just need to scan a finger tip. This has the drawback of requiring electricity.

Some locks employ combinations of the aforementioned lock systems. Some have a Biometric scanner and a keypad entry system. Or access with a key, just in case of a power failure. There are lots of choices out there, so look around and find the lock styles you like.

Tips for selecting a Deadbolt Lock for your Home

• Choose a lock that has been labeled “ANSI GRADE 1”. This means the locks has been tested and approved by the American National Standards Institute. And is therefore rated high in quality.
• Look for deadbolts that are resistant to saws. You want something with hardened steel. Whether it is the whole lock or just an insert. Soft metals like brass will be more susceptible to cutting.
• Get the longest deadbolt bar your door can support. This will help to prevent your door from being opened by door jam spreaders. The “Throw” should be at least an inch long.
• Get a Double-Cylinder lock. The lock will be on both sides and therefore always require the key. This is beneficial if you have glass in your door that could be broken for access to the inside of the lock. If you just have a solid door with no glass, a Single-Cylinder lock should be fine.
• Look for locks with Anti-Drilling features.
• Choose a lock with a beveled casing. This will help prevent attacks by hammers and other force tools. The hammer will glance off of the lock and not land a direct blow.
• Get a Strike Plate with long screws that anchor into your house and not just the door jamb. So look for 3 to 4 inch screws that will reach the wall stud.
• Make sure the door you are going to put the deadbolt on is solid wood. It probably is. If you use a hollow core door or something else weaker, your door can easily be kicked in. It will just splinter away from the deadbolt.

Here is a video showing you could install a mortise style lock into your door without having all of the fancy mortise cutting tools. All you need is a drill bit and a side cutting drill bit, and a chisel.

The Kwikset Smart Key series sells itself as being bump proof and re-keyable. I am not sure if that just means with the keys they sell or any key you have that fits. This series of locks features a side-locking bar system that is used instead of a pin and tumbler system. The side-locking bar system is what makes the lock bump proof. The Kwikset website claims that the locks are pick resistant, but still not pick proof. The other selling point is that you can re-key the locks yourself. To do this you must have the currently used key, the re-key tool they give you, and a new key you are changing the lock with. The annoying part is that the slot for the re-key tool is on the outside of the lock, which may be a potential security risk. As well as it just getting clogged or messed up from being on the outside of your house and exposed to the elements. Unfortunately, if you lose your key, you still have to get a locksmith to reset the lock. Or you have to buy the reset tool and dismantle the lock yourself, to reset the lock cylinder. So all in all, this series looks like a step in the right direction for home security. Watching all of those lock bumping video on youtube should make you want a lockset like this.

Here is one of the commercials

Re-key a lock

If you have too many different locks on your house, you get tired of looking through keys. You may have a fear of former house owners with keys to your house. If so, you do not always have to buy new locks. You can get your current locks re-keyed to work with a new key, or setup to work with a different key of the same lock series.

This is a project you can do yourself, as there are many re-keying kits for sale online. But if you are not comfortable doing it, you can take your locks to a key maker or a locksmith. If your locks are from the same company and series, you can probably get them all set to the same key. So you should be able to cut down on the amount of keys you need to carry.

The videos I’ve found on rekeying revolve around padlocks, but the idea is the same.