When Your Key Will Not Come Out of Your Lock

It often happens that, when a manager tries to leave the business for the evening, that the key gets caught in the front glass door lock. If this happens, look closely at the lock and you will notice that the plug into which the key is inserted, which is the part of the lock that actually turns with the key, is trying to come out with the key.  Look closely.  This is happening because the two tiny screws on the back of the lock are loose and this looseness is allowing the plug to come out of the lock outer shell just enough so that the tumblers in the lock get jammed.  When the tumblers are jammed, the key is held captive.

There is no need to call the locksmith for a night call.  Here is what you do. Turn the key to the position where it normally comes out.  This will usually be where the cuts of the key, or the "teeth" of the key, are pointing to the 12 o' clock position, or are in the "up" position. 

Now, while using your thumb to hold the plug in place, you can now remove the key with ease.  Just make sure that your thumb is pushing inward on the plug enough to relieve the pressure on the key.  You may have to turn the key right and left just in small increments in order to be sure that the key
comes out in the exact upward position.  In the morning, call the locksmith.

Locksmith Charges You Can Expect In the Nashville, Tennessee Area

If you hire a locksmith, just make sure you get a 95% commitment on the price before he arrives.  By doing this, you have a verbal agreement in the case the locksmith is a con artist; and, believe me when I say that people are being conned every day in the Nashville area by locksmiths they find on the top of the Google website that are paid advertisers!  As I have said over and over again on my website www.a-bestlocksmith.com, these con artists lure people in with the "Low $14 Service Call! And 15  Minute Response".  Do not believe any of this for a moment; and stay away from the paid locksmith ads on search engines.  Why?  Because these guys are paying to appear as a relevant business listing.  The real locksmiths have to build and maintain good websites in order to EARN the slot on the first page of the natural Google results.

In the Nashville, Tennessee area, you can expect to pay -

1. a $45 to $65 service call for the locksmith to arrive.  If he doesn't have service call as an itemized charge, he has it hidden in with the flat-rate he quoted you.
2. $15 to $20 for a basic lock cylinder re-key.
3. $60 to $85 for a basic residential deadbolt installation where carpentry is needed.
4. $45 to $75 for a car opening.

In the event you are surprised by the bill after you have already agreed to a price, refuse to pay and threaten the locksmith by telling him that you are going to call the Tennessee Locksmith Licensing Bureau.  After making the threat, offer him the original, agreed upon price.

I hope this has been helpful!  If you would like me to bid your commercial or nice residential lock project, call David at 615-308-6794.  I am licensed by the state.  TN LS LIC #68.

Door Closer Issues - How To Make Money Servicing Door Closers

The next time you walk into a restaurant, take a close look at how the door opens and closes.  Here is what to look for:

1. Does the door close too fast or too slow?
2. Does the door slam?
3. Is the door staying open to long?

If one of these problems exist, you might be able to solve it with the use of a flat-head driver or Allen wrench.  Usually, on the side of the closer, there are two speed adjustment screws.  By turning the screws clockwise, you can slow the 1) closing speed from wide open to just about close and 2) closing speed from just about closed to shut.  One screws operates one speed, and one screw the other.

Sometimes, there is a plastic cover attached to the closer that needs to be removed.  It must be noted, however, that sometimes the closer is broken and needs replacing.  If a closer is broken or worn out, you will note the following:

1. There is leaking oil and oil residue around the closer, on the floor, or dripping don the jamb.
2. Adjustments no longer have any effect of the closer speed.
3. The door slams violently 

In this case, replace the closer.

Door closers must be replaced and serviced because, if they are not, this is what can happen:

1. People can be injured by fast closing doors.
2. Locks in the door will be battered loose.
3. Door jambs can be damaged.
4. Glass can be shattered.
5. Oil from the closer can ruin clothing.
6. People can slip on closer oil.

Because managers need these devices serviced quickly, they are willing to pay you extra to get the job done quickly.  You can make some decent money servicing and replacing closers.  Of course, it will take you a while to get the business running hard and fast, but, if you meet the people, show up on time, and do the work, people will pay you.  Even if you service one closer a week, that could mean a $400 per month raise for you.

My ebook Servicing and Replacing Commercial Door Closers is available at Amazon Books as a computer downloadable book for $8.95.  Even if you never get into this business, $8.95 is an inexpensive way to research the possibility.  Also, feel free to call David with any questions at 615-308-6794.  Click here to see the book listing at Amazon.

What Locksmiths Pay For The Locks They Sell You

If you want to have some bargaining leverage when dealing with your locksmith, here are some of the prices he pays for the items he sells you!

1. Glass door lock cylinder, keyed or thumb turn - $6 to $9
2. Medium Grade Door Lever - $45
3. LSDA Grade 1 Door Closer - $65
4. Von Duprin 99 Series Panic Car - $475 to $575
5. Adams Rite "copycat" deadbolt - $18
6. LCN 4041 Door Closer - $240
7. Heavy Duty Door Lever, LSDA $100
8. Heavy Duty Schlage Lever - $250
9. Exit Security Bar - $58
10. Detex EAX-500 - $95 without cylinder

Hope this helps!  If you think you are being charged too much for your locks, and if you need to order locks, I can have them drop-shipped to you at a better price!  And if you need service in the Nashville area, call David at 615-308-6794!

Tough, Homemade Door Stops For a Windy Day!

Drill a hole, add a threaded concrete bolt with washers, drill concrete and, voila! The best door stop made for less than $9.00!

Sometimes, when a door in a commercial building is opened,air pressure coming in from that door will force another door in the building to open up unless it is locked.  If the door that is opening up is a commercial glass narrow stile door, it could be damaged if the wind catches it. 

If a door swings open with nobody there to check that it is closed back properly, a gust of wind could easily take that door and slam it into a wall.  If there is no wall, the door will open up as far as it can under the pressure of the wind, and break the pivots, the door closer, and  possibly bend the top door header.

Today, I had a call to check a small doorstop that was installed to keep a large glass narrow-stile door from opening up forcefully in windy situations.  The door stop, only one month old, was destroyed beyond repair.  Because this stop was near a corner of a building where people could not trip over it, I had an idea.  I decided to make my own door stop,

I went to a better hardware store and purchased a large hard rubber cylinder.  It had about a two inch diameter and was about one and a half inches tall.  I drilled a hole through this cylinder so that I could insert a threaded concrete bolt though it.  First, I took the concrete bolt and placed a large stainless steel washer on it.  Next came the rubber cylinder.  Because the door was elevated a little above the sidewalk, I took four large washers and placed them on the concrete bolt against the rubber cylinder.  I drilled a 3/8 inch hole in the concrete and used a socket wrench to fasten the concrete bolt tightly.

Cost? $8.50.  Installation time?  5 Minutes!

Lubricating Locks and Key Cylinders

People often ask if graphite is the proper lubricant to use in a lock.  Well, I hesitate to say any lubricant is not proper; but graphite does have a tendency to build up in the key cylinder over time.  Given the choice of lubricants, I would say that, yes, graphite is okay.

Many people will disagree with me when I say that, after 24 years as a locksmith, I still prefer to use WD-40.  Can you believe it?  You can spray the key hole, the latches and bolts, and the hinges.  WD-40 is especially good when you shut you door and the latch bounces off of the strike without locking.  Just shoot a squirt into the latch and you are ready to go.  Because WD-40 is a petroleum product, it will tend to attract some dust and thicken over time.  If this happens, you can shoot some more into the lock.  This build-up, however, will take quite a while.  I would go so far to say that the oil used by Kwikset in their locks is worse.

What about these so-called lubricants that use Teflon or silicon?  These are often sold as dry lubes or fast-drying lubricants.  One such product is Tri-Flow.  In all my years of experience, I have learned that these lubricants do not hold up over even a small amount of time.  Not only are they quite expensive, bu they are third-rate as well.  I quit using them.

If you need a lock and related hardware lubricant, WD-40 is still the way to go.  Is it perfect?  No.  But it is still better than anything else out there!

Removing the Commercial Lock Cylinder For Carry-In Service

If you have an office door with a nice commercial lock on it, you can save money by removing the outer handle and taking it to a hardware store that has a locksmith on staff.  Here is how you remove the handle or knob.

1. First, you must have a working key.  With the door open, insert the key and turn as far as it will go.
2. Holding the key in the turned position, use a heavy paper clip and insert it into the tiny hole that is either on the 3 or 6 o'clock position on the knob spindle.  Sometimes this hole is on the knob but it is usually on the "neck" that joins the lever or knob to the door.
3. Depress this "catch" fully with the paper clip while pulling the knob or lever towards you.  Sometimes, you have to release the key a bit while you pull.
4. To reinstall, put the key in the lock in the knob or lever.  Slide it onto the knob "neck" or spindle. Once the knob or lever stops, turn the key, watch the latch retract, and push the knob or lever onto the spindle. Return your key to the upright position and remove.
5. If your key will not remove, push on the lever or knob so it slides onto the spindle more securely.  The knob must be inserted fully into place before you can remove the key.

Indicators of Forced Entry Into Homes

When you come home from work and find that somebody has been in your home, you panic.  What makes this type of situation even more frightening is when you see no clear indications that a break-in occurred.  If you know that an unauthorized person has been in your home, but there is no visible door or window breakage, you should look for and consider the following things.

1.  Has your door been "credit-carded"?  The scenes you see in the movies are real when it comes to this type of illegal entry.  In fact, most home door locks can be "credit-carded."  This, however, is usually only true for the knob or lever lock and not the deadbolt.  However, most contractors are not installing deadbolts correctly.  Because they are not drilling out the deadbolt bolt hole in the frame, the deadbolts are not fully locking.  This means that a talented crook can slide something between the door and the jamb and push the bolt back.  Make sure your deadbolts are being fully locked into position when the bolts enter the jamb.  The hole should be at least one inch deep.
2. Check the painted jambs and weather stripping on the outside of your doors.  Is the paint scratched off?  If so, that means somebody has been trying to pry your locks open.  If you have any doubts, and if the damage looks old, repaint the door and jamb and check from time to time to see if any paint has been broken away by a potential burglar.
3. Check your roll up garage doors for any sign of prying. These can be pried up.  Then check the inside man door that lead from the garage to the kitchen area for signs of prying.
4. If you suspect that somebody is using a key to gain entrance into your home, re-key the locks immediately.