Locksmith Refuses to Turn Over Master Keying Information to Customer - What to Do?

Example of Master Key Chart

Too many locksmiths are holding their customers hostage, especially when it comes to turning over the master-key codes and bitting lists after the keying job is done. The reason locksmiths will not offer to give you the keying information to the lock job you paid for is because they want to keep you from being able to hire another locksmith. It is really that simple. I know a locksmith who does this:

1. Promptly changes the locks at a business.
2. Gets paid.
3. Stops showing up promptly for the little jobs.
4. Is asked by the customer to turn over the keying information and refuses.
5. Doesn't care because he knows the customer is now at his mercy.

Why should you require the lock keying information before the job is started? Because, if you don't, you will never get it. Without the keying information, you will not be able to expand your master key system. Why? Because, without it, the next locksmith may create a key that will inadvertently unlock a lock it is not supposed to unlock. If this happens, everyone can get sued.

Now, you know the truth and, hopefully, you know to ask for the key bitting charts before the locksmith begins your job. Oh, by the way - your locksmith will say, "The lock chart is intellectual property." Hogwash. The guy has a computer program that does it for him.

What does the bitting chart and codes sheet have on it?

1. Key numbers. In our illustration, the key numbers are 1AA, 2AA, etc.
2. The key cutting information (adjacent to the key number. 6AA - 546767).
3. The bottom and master pin numbers, pins used in the key cylinders.

Without this information in your possession, the locksmith who did the original work can give you shoddy service and raise his prices.

How do you get around not having the master key charts and bitting lists? A good locksmith can take a pair of calipers and measure every cut in every key you have and determine the system. That, however, takes time and money.

The moral of the story? If you are an office manager or a maintenance supervisor, you must ask for and receive from your locksmith, in writing, before the job begins, that he will turn over to you all of the keying information. If he refuses, call HL Flake in Memphis, Tennessee, and ask them to design a key system for you. Then, look for another locksmith.

Retrofitting Narrow Stile Storefront Doors: From Adams-Rite Swingbolt to Deadlatch

By David Calvin

Available at Amazon Books. Click the title!


Aluminum, narrow stile, glass doors are everywhere! In fact, I've made a mint servicing them over the years. I install continuous hinges on them, rekey the locks in them, replace the thumb turns in them, replace the lock bodies, lubricate them, and install door closers on them. But when it comes to replacing the Adams-Rite Dead Bolt or Hook Bolts with the Adams-Rite Dead Latch, I'm making a great profit for less than two hours work.

So, just how bad is the money? I buy aftermarket parts. The latches are $15, the levers are another $15, the Adams-Rite strike is another $15. Okay - if I am installing a paddle, those run around $30. So, for $50 worth of lock hardware, I get a $65 service call and up to a $295 install. If I have to install a door closer while I'm there, it's another $100 profit. So, gee - this is really bad, right? I quote the job, I get the job, I get half a trip to Cancun out of it. But who the heck wants to go to Cancun, right? I don't.

The big question is this: can you use a drill, a screw driver, and do you know how to thread a drilled hole with a tap? You can. 

So, what's the deal? Well, for starters, I hate instruction manuals, especially the ones written in China. So I will tell you right now that installing the Adams-Rite knock-off dead latch is more art than - hmm - science and math.

And why do people want a dead latch anyway? Because they want their storefront glass door to close back and LOCK every time somebody comes in by key or leaves by lever. And you need to know how to do this and not be like the locksmiths who runs from such jobs.

My book, which is full of pictures, tips, and know-how, will get you off and running. No, this book is not a field manual. This is a book you read through three times and then hit the road. The same as my other book, The Locksmith's Lever and Panic Bar Retrofit Book. 

I am sorry to say that we will not offer this book in print for a number of valid reasons. You can buy this book, read it on your computer via the Kindle app, or read it on your smartphone or Kindle tablet.

And yes - I include my email address and website information so you can email or even call me.

And do call me! -- Happy hunting! -- You can do this!

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.

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.

Masterkeying Problems - Your Incompetent Locksmith Has Filed Down Your Cylinders

Chances are there are some locksmiths in your area that are highly incompetent. They drive the vehicle, wear the shirt, and have the advertisements; but they have no real clue about quality work. In Nashville, TN, even some of the oldest locksmiths are destroying customers locks so that they cannot be master-keyed securely. You would be surprised by who it is, because they are highly regarded in the community. When an incompetent locksmith re-keys your locks, he removes them, puts the wrong sized tumblers in the chambers, and grinds the lock cylinder down on a grinder or he hand files them. When he does this, he is removing from .020 to ,045 of an inch of valuable metal from your lock. He is ruining your lock!

Now, let us say that you call another locksmith in to master-key the locks. When a lock is master-keyed, a master key works the lock and an individual, different key works the lock as well. In fact, a master key system can have more levels than just two. But the problem comes when your incompetent locksmith files the cylinder plugs down to fit his wrong tumblers. Why? Because there are master pins that start at .024 of an inch. If he files the plug down to .045 of an inch, you can see that a .024 inch master pin will float in empty space and jam your lock.

There is a way around this problem, however. Today I did a small master key job where a locally famous, incompetent locksmith preceded me. The plugs were all filed down and some of the chambers were mauled. Because the master key system was small, I designed it to take larger master pins. Instead of making small two-step increments in the system, like a #2 cut in the master and a #4 cut in the change key, I went to a #5 in the change key. The difference between the #4 and #5 was sufficient enough to compensate for the filed cylinder plugs. So, the difference between a #2 master key cut and #5 change key cut is 3. A 3 master pin is thicker than a number 2 master pin.

I will tell you just how prevalent lock cylinder filing is. A number of years ago there was locksmith school here in the southern part of the country. The owner told me to insert the pins, grind the cylinder, and that would take care of the job; and this guy was grinding away a fourth of the cylinder. His excuse was that the lock was not pick-proof anyway. What he did was to make the lock no longer fit to be keyed. He also made the lock easier to pick and made the chances greater that a wrong key could "jiggle" the lock open.

So, if you want your locks master-keyed, you will need to know if your locksmith has filed the cylinders down. If he has, and he won't tell you they have been filed, he will have to sell you replacement cylinders. The cost of your job will be double.

If you suspect that your locksmith is filing your cylinders, have another locksmith install a new cylinder and call the suspect locksmith to key it. Have the first locksmith inspect the work. If the lock has been filed, fire the old locksmith.

Replace the Stock Cylinders That Come With Your New Commercial Glass Door

If you have a commercial glass door, and it is a newer door, chances are there are stock, glass door lock cylinders installed. Of course, you pay quite a hefty sum to have these doors installed; but the truth of the matter is that the lock cylinders that come with it are "dollar-trash" locks cylinders. If the lock cylinders are newer, then the keys will work okay for a while. If you try to re-key them, and the locksmith uses some deeper cuts in the key, the tumblers will just refuse to operate properly. If you have had these cylinders for a while, it is best to ask your locksmith to install solid brass cylinders on his next visit. Here are some things you should know about the lock cylinders that come with your glass doors.

1. The are made of cheap metal and are die cast. They are not finely machined brass. Die cast metal tends to corrode more easily than brass.
2. The tailpieces or cams cannot be held on to the cylinders as tightly. Eventually, the screws work themselves free and jam the lock. I have seen this too many times to remember.
3. The cams on these locks are often die cast material of inferior quality as well. If you have to force the key to lock the bolt, the pressure can be enough to shatter the cam, causing a lock out.
4. The Adams- Rite set screws which hold the lock cylinders in place just never hold very well, causing the lock cylinders to spin freely when you turn the key.
5. It seems that, over time, the tumblers wear a pattern into the cylinder plug and make accurate re-keying impossible. If you insert your key into the cylinder and it hesitates before turning, your lock has a wear pattern and the top pins are not falling correctly into the chambers.

Locksmiths With Blank Invoices Should Be Turned Away - The Scams Abound!

There is a locksmith running around the Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and Nashville area who is reached through a 1-800 number. Of course, not every locksmith who uses a 1-800 number is a scam business either. But this locksmith will show up, probably be unable to fix your most basic commercial job, and, if he is unable to do the job, will charge you a service call. He will hand you a blank receipt without a name, address or Tennessee locksmith license number, and demand cash. This locksmith is sent to you when you use the Internet PAID ADVERTISING SITES. When you call a 1-800 number from the premium website search result listings, you usually get the scam artists who work out of another state. Here are some things you should know.

1. Never hire a locksmith who has a 1-800 number unless you know he is local and you have checked his references.
2. When any locksmith shows up at your place of business, ask for 1) his Tennessee locksmith license ID card and 2) his invoice booklet. If he has no license and his invoices are blank, ask him to leave because he is working under the radar and cannot be trusted to do the work correctly and charge you fairly.
3. If you get one of these locksmiths, do not pay him a service call, as he will not be able to collect since he is operating outside of Tennessee law. Get his vehicle type and write down his vehicle license plate number and call the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
4. Always ask a price before you ask the locksmith to make a service call. If the locksmith call center tells you that the service call will be $14, $15, $19 or some other low amount, and if the person refuses to give you a final price, cancel the call.
5. The locksmiths who are dispatched are dispatched from businesses you will not be able to find, hence the blank receipts. These locksmiths also get half of the money for the job they do, so of course the price is going to be jacked up. I have seen an $85 job go for $375; and the invoice was blank! The customer could not lodge a complaint nor get a refund.
6. If you do get stuck with one of these hucksters, and he is doing your work, rest assured that he will come to you when he is done and give you a bill three to four times what you thought it was going to be. In the event you do not pay the up-charge, the locksmith will remove your locks at closing time and threaten you with legal action. Do not pay the bill and do not sign it. Get his tag numbers and call the police, because the locksmith will remove your locks and leave you vulnerable!
7. For more information, go to www.a-bestlocksmith.com or www.commerciallockservice.com.

A Murfreesboro Locksmith Does Shoddy Work and Lies to Customer

I received a call from a new client on St. Andrews Street in Murfreesboro, TN. The manager called me over to look at her Adams-Rite dead latch and exit paddle. There was no faceplate on the Adams-Rite lock mechanism. The manager asked the locksmith about the absence of the cover plate and he replied that the lock does not come with a cover plate. He could not fool the manager, however. I was called to tighten the lock, which was falling out of the door, and install a make-shift cover plate, which looked so good the manager decided to just keep the plate and not have me come by and install the "correct" plate. When it comes to glass door dead latches, the face plate plays a vital role in keeping the lock centered. Without it, the lock moves in the door and the activation plug of the paddle falls out, disabling egress.

Remember: if the completed lock service does not look right, then it isn't right. This is especially true when it comes to glass storefront doors. Demand that your job be done properly. If it isn't done properly, refuse to pay.

Managers Should Keep A locksmith Service File For Warranty Purposes

Whenever you call a locksmith, plumber, electrician, etc., be sure to ask about any warranties that might be available to you for the services performed and the goods purchased. Before you send the receipt in to corporate, be sure to make a copy of it and place it in a folder labeled, "locksmith" or "plumber". On that invoice copy, include what was done, where it was done, and what was purchased. Write down any warranty information that the technician provides you. If you have as service issue that arises, check the file to see if the service you now need was something that was recently done. I wish I could tell you how many times I have serviced locks for customers who had no idea when the locks were installed. Without paperwork, a technician can seldom give you warranty service.

Some locks, for example, have 1, 3, 5, and 15 year warranties. No paperwork? No replacement. Other things that have warranties are door closers, panic bars, Detex alarms, Alarm Lock Trilogy units, door levers, safes. Keep a file for every service that you contract. Make notes. In the end, it might just save your bonus.

Replacing a Commercial Glass Door Pivot Doesn't Make Any Sense

If you have a commercial glass door with a pivot on the top and bottom of the door, do know that they wear out! In fact, you can test the integrity of the pivot system by opening the door and pushing against the door from the lock side. You will probably notice the pivots moving. If you see this, there are a few possible reasons.

• The pivots are worn out
• The screws holding the pivots to the jamb and door are loose

Pivots, as compared to after market continuous hinges, are not very strong. I have seen customers have their doors blown off by wind! If the pivots are bad, here are some associated problems.

• Door leans from the top
• Lock bolt does not catch properly in the strike cut out
• Top pivot actually fails and door falls out of the upper portion of the pivot
• Door drags on thresh hold

Here are some things you can do that may help fix your problem.

• Get a ladder and a set of open ended wrenches, tighten the bolts inside the hollow part of the door at the top
• At the top, tighten the three Phillips screws
• Check the bottom pivot. If it has a flat head type screw on the top, you can adjust the door by removing that screw. Down in the hole, there is an Allen wrench screw. If you tighten it, the door will elevate and eliminate dragging and realign the lock and strike. If the door is to high, seldom a problem, lower it by turning the screw counter clockwise

If the pivots will not adjust or tighten, then opt for a continuous hinge. This hinge runs from the top of the door and runs all the way to the ground, distributing the weight of the door equally along the entire door. Most hinge companies guarantee their hinges for the life of the opening, except for vandalism. A-Best Locksmith can install a continuous hinge on your door, if the application is standard, for $395 total. Expensive? Yes. But you will not have to worry about the door again!

Murfreesboro, Tennessee Locksmith Rates

In Murfreesboro, Tennessee, you can expect these kinds of rates for locks service. First, I will list the rates that A-Best Locksmith charges.

•  Service call $45 - $50
• Price per lock cylinder to re-key - $13 to 17.50
• Car opening - $55 (I pay the sales tax!)
• Safe recombination - $125 to $150
• Grade 2 commercial door lever - $150 installed
• Deadbolt installation - $50 if lock provided by customer, $75 if I provide the lock
• Open home - $65 to $75
• Door Closer - $195 for basic grade 1 overhead surface mount, $395 for concealed closer

Here are what my competitors charge

1. Car Opening - $45 to $75
2. Basic Service Call - $45 to $60
3. Lock re-key per cylinder $13 to $18.50
4. Grade 2 commercial lever - $185 by one locksmith

What Store Managers Need To Know In Order To Save Money

If you are a store manager, then you probably receive a bonus at the end of each month. If you manage a restaurant, you are probably shorting your customers by giving them smaller portions than what the recipes call for. There is another way, however, that can make a difference in your bottom line. Consider these solutions to common problems.

• Once each month, use WD-40 (not Superlube, oil, Tri-Flow, graphite, or some other dry lubricant) and lightly spray the key cylinders and lock latches. Yes, WD-40 does attract dust; but it will not be enough to worry about. The dry film Teflon lubricants do not hold up for very long. This is twenty-three years of experience talking here.
• On a weekly basis, test your Detex exit alarms. These units are designed to keep customers and employees from exiting secretly with stolen merchandise.
• Do not allow employees to put broom handles, bricks, or other similar things between the hinge side of the door and the jamb to keep the door open. When you have something holding the door open in this fashion, the least amount of force on the door can ruin a $1000 door. Why? Because the piece of wood acts as a fulcrum.
• Keep the thresholds swept on a daily basis. Dirt, rocks and other debris often collect in the threshold and will make the door harder to unlock and lock.
• Check your door closers for slamming or leaking oil. Do this weekly. If a door slams it can break bones and sever small fingers. I fit needs adjusting, use an Allen wrench or screw driver and tighten or loosen the adjustment screws, but do so a little at a time. If there are traces of oil around the unit or dripping from the arm screw attached to the closer, replace it. This oil can cause a slip on the floor or ruin someone's nice clothes.
• Install a Don-Jo latch protector on the office door. If you have just a lever, then your employees are using a credit card to gain access.
• Check the restroom locks. Open the door, push in the lock button, let the door close. The lock should unlock itself automatically. When a customer uses the restroom and locks the lock when the door is closed, it stays locked. The unlock feature is designed so that the door cannot be locked accidentally by a person who is exiting. If needed, buy a new privacy function lever. Make it a grade 1 for durability. 
• Consider getting a lock and key system that uses hard-to-duplicate keys. Otherwise, your employees are copying keys at Walmart that end up working poorly and end up prematurely wearing out your locks.
• If the safe combination is not working every single time, or takes multiple tries in order to open the safe, have it serviced or replace it. A new lock may cost you $400 to $700. But, if the safe locks up on you, add to that $350 to $500.

Re-Keying Your Front Glass Door Swing Bolt Lock

If you have a a #2 Phillips head screwdriver and a small flat head driver, then you can re-key your own front glass door. When I say "re-key", I mean removing the round cylinder and replacing it with a new one. Go to your better hardware store, not Lowe's, and ask for a 1 inch mortise cylinder with the Adams-Rite Cam. Have extra keys made and test them. Here are the steps in the change-out process

1. Remove the lock face plate on the side of the door. Usually held in with three Phillips head screws.
2. Look for two more Phillips head screws, one at the top of the lock and one at the bottom. Loosen these just enough so that the bolt body wiggles a bit.
3. Look for two sunken flat head set screws opposite each lock cylinder. Look closely. Each cylinder will have one. (Your door does have two cylinders, one inside, one outside.) Loosen these by about three turns, just so you can grab the cylinder you are changing and unscrew it.
4. Unscrew the lock cylinder. You will notice from the new one you purchased that the cylinder is threaded.
5. Take the spacer off the old lock and put it on the new one. Reinstall lock.
6. Do note that, if you screw the lock in too far, the cam may bottom out on the Adams Rite bolt workings inside the door. If you do this, you will feel the key grind as you turn it. If it is grinding, back the cylinder off by one turn.
7. Options you can add to this job are lubing the inside of the Adams Rite and adding an anti-wrench collar in place of the standard collar.
8. Reinstall the set screws, tighten the two top and bottom screws, reinstall the face plate. You just saved yourself $70.

Store Front Glass Door is Hard to Lock and Unlock

If your key is working fine when the door is open but is very hard to turn when locking or unlocking the door, then the problem is not in the lock. There are three things to check for.

1. First, check the threshold and make sure there are not any small rocks or other debris that are being squeezed by the door. When debris is present, you have to push the door in order to get the bolt to lock AND push the door to get it to unlock. What you are doing is relieving the pressure from the bolt enabling it to operate. Remove any debris and repair any screws that may have risen in the the threshold.
2. Second, if your door or door frame has settled, then the bolt receptacle in the jamb and the bolt are not lining up. Specifically, the bolt is too high and is stopping prematurely by hitting the top of the jamb cut out. Yes, it will lock when it is like this, but you will notice by using a flashlight that the bolt is hitting metal before it goes through the complete cycle. Take a small round metal file which you can get at Lowe's and file to top of the cut out and give the bolt another quarter inch within which to move. 
3. Third, if the door is warped, you have to push in on the door in order for the bolt to engage. Using a metal file, file the part of the jamb bolt slot nearest you on the outside enlarging the hole.

Anti-Wrench Collar For Commercial Front Door

No matter how you look at it, your aluminum and glass front door is a security liability; but it doesn't mean you should just sit down and accept it! In fact, there are a a number of things you can do to make this door a more secure, if not from a hardware angle, at least by appearance.

1. First, you can install physical protection on the lock cylinder. You can use a CRL Cylinder Guard, which is inserted into the door and anchored with a retainer ring behind the aluminum stile. However, this device has been known to cause interference with the Adams-Rite lock mechanism. If you opt to have this installed, make sure your locks turn with ease and that there is no grinding as you turn the key. Another guard to consider is the Keedex guard shown above. This item costs the locksmith around $7.00 and will keep a burglar from using Vice grips on your lock. In Tennessee, you may pay a locksmith around $85 to show up and install this item.
2. You can install a MAG strike protector for the narrow stile door. This device will make it harder for thieves to pry the bolt through the soft aluminum metal frame. If you have a hook bolt, a quick visual inspection will reveal this, then your door is especially vulnerable to crow bar attacks. Do know that any latch guard can be compromised with time. What you want to do, however, is make the burglar go to the next store.
3. Get an alarm and display the warning stickers. Or, just go online and get the stickers! You can also buy a stand-alone alarm unit to put on this door, like the EAX-500 by Detex. Although this device will not be monitored by an agency, if the door is breached after hours, the burglar is likely to flee.
4. Because there is no real fool-proof way to secure your aluminum glass storefront door, a good alarm must be considered, along with the lock hardware upgrades, and good lighting.

Lock Cylinder Spins in Circles and Will Not Lock or Unlock Door

When you insert the key into the lock cylinder, only the plug into which the key is inserted is supposed to turn, thereby unlocking the lock mechanism. However, sometimes a set screw comes loose and the entire lock begins to turn in the door. Here is what you can do to fix this and save that $75 locksmith fee.

1. Look at how you neighbor's lock cylinder is situated on the front door. On most doors, the key is inserted with the cuts of the key facing up. It is in this 12 o'clock 6 o'clock configuration that you want your lock to conform to.
2. Unloosen the three Phillips screws on the side of the door where the lock is located. Pry this plate off if it is tight.
3. Using a small flat head driver, further unloosen the countersunk set screw opposite the lock cylinder. Do not remove it, just loosen it. Turn the lock cylinder to the proper position. Tighten the set screw.
4. Sometimes, however, you will have to unloosen the two large screws at the top or bottom of the main bolt lock body in order to give the cylinder some wiggle room. When all is set into place, tighten everything. Reattach plate. Test keys and locks. While you are at it, shoot some WD-40 into the bolt.
5. Also, you will not be able to turn the cylinder if your key is inserted into the lock and turned. The reason is that the cam on the back of the lock is jamming the lock.. If your key is inserted into the lock, you will to turn the cylinder towards where it should be while trying to gently turn the key to where it should be when inserted. You just have to juggle this to get it where the key will come out. Remember, if the key hole is not set to the correct clock position, the key cannot be inserted or retracted.

Key Will Not Come Out Of Lock

When your key is getting harder and harder to pull out of the lock, it will eventually get stuck for good. This problem occurs mainly on store front glass doors where an Adams-Rite style bolt or latch is used. Of course, it can occur on some panic bar rim locks and commercial grade knobs and levers, though I do not see this very often. So, let's get that key out the lock so you can go home for the night. The locksmith can wait until tomorrow when you may be able to get a better service call rate! Here is what every manager and key-holding employee should know.

1. Stand on the outside facing the lock. Your key is stuck in the lock. First, be aware that a key can only be removed in the position in which it was inserted. Usually, this will be with the cuts of the key facing upwards directly at 12 o'clock. (Some automatic sliding glass doors have the entire lock system upside down, however. So, in that case, the key cuts will be pointing to 6 o'clock.) Note that when you try to pull your key out, that small round part of the lock the key is inserted into is trying to come out with the key. This is causing the tumblers to bind and hold the key. You will have to relieve this pressure in order to remove the key.
2. If you are leaving for the night, turn the key and lock the door.
3. Now, grab the key with your right hand. With your left thumb, push in on the small round part of the lock into which the key is inserted. Your thumb will be right up against the key. Now, with the key in the correct position (12 o'clock), push the small round part in with your thumb and "wiggle/pull" the key out. In the morning call your locksmith to tighten the screws on the back of the mortise cylinder.

There are some other scenarios that can cause your key to get stuck. If you use your key to pry open things, then the tip gets bent. Your key is bent if it is hard to insert. Have a new key copied. Sometimes, some one has inserted a device into your lock thinking he or she could force the lock open. Again, your key will be hard to insert. At restaurants, people usually stick toothpicks into the locks. At clothing store, people stick straight pins into the key cylinder.

Removing A Commercial Knob or Lever

If you want to remove a commercial knob or lever, all you need is a heavy paperclip, a #2 Phillips driver and a flat-head driver. Follow these instructions.

1. On the inside part of the lock, look at the round stem of the lock from to which the knob or lever is attached. On either the left at right side of the lock you will see a small hole. Insert your paperclip straight in and depress the hidden button inside.
2. While you are pressing, pull the knob or lever off towards you.
3. Take you flat-head driver and pry off the rose. This is a round dish-shaped part that covers the screw holes and spring cassette. Sometimes, you can just grab it and turn it a few degrees to the left and it will pop off.
4. Now you can see the screws. Remove them. On some Schlage models, however, there is a nut on the spindle with 4 square notches in it. It is in a tight place, recessed in the spring cassette. Take your flat-head driver and a hammer and lightly tap this around, counterclockwise, until it comes off.
5. Some locks use an Allen wrench to hold the lever on. In this case, the Allen screw would take the place of the hidden button.

Kaba Ilco Simplex L1000 and L5000 Combination Changing

Kaba L1000

Here are the procedures for changing the combination on the L1000. You will need to contact Kaba Ilco and purchase a change key and a change tool. Also, make sure your numbers on the unit each have a nice, firm, crisp click. Do this in order after clearing the unit. If a number is soft and mushy, do not use that number in your new combination. If you have a few soft numbers, your locksmith can replace the combination chamber. By the way, the factory preset code is 2 and 4 together, then 3.

1. With door open, turn outside handle once to clear unit of any pushed numbers.
2. Remove small lock on rear side top of unit with special change key.
3. Enter old combination.
4. Insert change tool into hole on back (look at it closely), insert tool, turn to right until you hear a click. Return tool back to left, remove.
5. Turn outside handle once to operate.
6. Enter new combination (You can only use a number once).
7. Turn outside lever and verify that latch is retracted.

The L5000 change is a little different.

1. Clear outside handle.
2. Enter old combination, and push "ENTER". Insert small Allen wrench (any size that will fit) into the hole on the front of the unit in the upper left corner. Angle your Allen wrench upwards so it can come down on the top of the change button inside the unit. Push the change button down until you feel and hear a click. Remove Allen wrench.
3. Clear outside lever once.
4. Enter new combination and push "ENTER". Operate outside lever to verify that the latch retracts. Test.

Commercial Glass Door Deadbolt Unlocking Itself

No, you aren't imagining things when you show up on Monday morning and your front commercial glass door is unlocked and there has been no apparent burglary. The Adams-Rite deadbolt, or the generic equivalent, is a laminated steel bolt that usually swings upward into the locked position when you turn your key. When you lock this lock, you should flip your key hard at the end turn and listen for the "ker-plunk"! You want to hear that bolt banging into position and you want to hear it deadlock.

If you find that the bolt is unlocking itself but you aren't quite sure, you can perform two tests.

1. Lock the door and check that the bolt is locked. Grab the outside handle and rattle and shake the door as if you were trying to open it. Watch and see if the bolt is beginning to drop.
2. With the door open and in the unlocked position, insert your key and turn it very, very slowly. You do not want the "ker-plunk". Watch the bolt and listen. As your key nears the final motion, the lock will either "click" into place or fall back down. If it clicks into place, take your hand and try to force it down. If it doesn't fall, then your lock's spring is okay. Retest. If it falls, it needs replacing. Ask your locksmith for the generic brand, which costs the locksmith around $15. If he sells you the Adams-Rite brand, he will pay three times as much and charge you accordingly. 
3. A good price for a standard install of this type might be $95. While you are at it, make sure your lock cylinders are in good shape. If not, have them replaced. A key on the outside and a thumb turn on the inside.