Three Locks To Improve Your Life
It’s not very often that we consider locks to be life-changing. It’s hard to find products these days that:
- Offer great value
- Come from a reputable brand
- Has a history of durability and performance
It’s like the old saying that, “You can have cheap and fast, but not cheap, fast, and high quality.” While not perfect, we think the following three locks will definitely improve your life for both residential and commercial applications.
As always, if you have any questions or comments, please call/text me at 604-363-2760 or email me at alex@locksmithvancouver.com. Our Downtown Vancouver Key Store is open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm and our Mobile Services are available everyday 8am to 11:30pm. Please note that our Port Coquitlam location is mobile only and not open to the public.
Lockey USA
I think most people not in the locksmith industry have not seen or heard of Lockey USA before. As their name implies, it is an American company based in Tampa, Florida. The firm was started back in the 1970’s and I first encountered them because of their specialization in Gate Hardware.
If you wanted door closers, mechanical keyless locks and other hardware specifically for chain link fence gates, wood/metal slat gates, and so forth, your choices are pretty limited. Lockey USA is well-known in the industry for door hardware that can be used on standalone exterior applications. This means that their products are all able to endure years of abuse in varying environments from scorching deserts, humid swamplands, and to arctic conditions.
In the past 10 years, Lockey USA has diversified into locks for residential and commercial applications. Using the same design philosophy, their products can be used in both exterior and interior doors and usually lasts a very long time. There’s a building on West Georgia St near the Stadium that installed Lockey code locks on their ground level units’ gate doors. They’re probably nearly 20 years old and they’re still working.
Residential Mechanical Keyless Deadbolt
These days, clients have a plethora of electronic deadbolts to choose from. They range in price from $200 to $400 depending on the extra features you want. However, like I keep telling people, you are gaining more convenience at the expense of security.
In addition, all the popular electronic deadbolts are battery powered which means that at some point you will need to change out the battery. This increases the chance that you will be locked out at some point in the future and will need the services of a Vancouver locksmith.
Finally, none of these electronic locks are rated for exterior use. They are all only for use on interior doors.
One type of keyless deadbolt that is not often discussed is the mechanical keyless deadbolt. Mostly because there are not that many options available in the Residential or Architectural Markets. In addition, they often have non-standard door preps which can be difficult to accommodate if you live in a home built in the past 25 years.
For example, the Dormakaba 7100 is a popular lock used in smaller hospitality applications and in the cottage/cabin industry. It’s easy enough to install, however, it requires a smaller hole than the typical deadbolt. So if you have a modern door pre-drilled for a modern deadbolt, you can’t use it.
Our answer to this problem is the Lockey USA M210 Series deadbolt. It’s great for the following reasons:
- EZ template ensures proper fit with standard door templates
- Does not use batteries
- Rated for interior and exterior use
- Available in a double sided keypad version
- Can accommodate thicker doors
The last point will be of particular interest to clients living in older heritage homes or in newer luxury homes with thicker doors. Most electronic deadbolts can only be installed on doors that are 1-⅜” to 1-¾” in thickness. If your door is thicker than that, you will need a specialty product like the Lockey USA M210 Series or you have to stick to purely mechanical keyed deadbolts.
One of the reasons I recommend a mechanical keyless solution is that my clients never have to worry about batteries. They can go away on an extended trip and not worry that my expensive electronic deadbolt will be dead when they get back. Of course, the emergency override key will be inside the apartment which may necessitate that the lock be drilled open and completely replaced.
While the Lockey M210 is a fantastic product, there are a few drawbacks to consider:
- Only one code can be used a time
- Limited number of unique code combinations
- No manual key override
- No bluetooth or WiFi connectivity
The M210 Series deadbolt uses a 4 digit combination to unlock the door. Unlike an electronic deadbolt or a fancier mechanical system like the Dormakaba 1000 Series, the sequence of the digits do not matter. So if your code is 1234, any combination of these 4 numbers will also open the lock.
Unfortunately and despite their advertising, this greatly limits the number of codes you can use and potentially increases the chance that someone can brute force the code by trying all the combinations. Given the lock does not use batteries or have a lockout feature, someone could stand there for hours trying different codes. Unless they change the design of the M210, the number of possible unique combinations is 210 vs the 10,000 if the sequence did matter.
This is why a lock like the Dormakaba 1000 Series is so much more expensive. It has a complex mechanism where the sequence does matter and even two buttons can be pressed at the same time to form an “extra” number.
However, I think this is still a great product for doors both in remote locations like a workcamp or in high visibility locations like a condo unit’s front door. Like all security systems, it should be layered on top of something else. If you need a higher level of protection, perhaps the M210 Series is not the right product for you. On the other hand, if you really want a keyless deadbolt and are concerned about the longevity and performance of an electronic deadbolt, the Lockey USA M210 may be the solution you have been looking for.
Mechanical Keyless System for Storefront Doors
Over the years, many commercial clients have asked me about a keypad lock for the commercial retail storefront doors. These are the aluminum framed glass doors that can be found in every Vancouver neighbourhood.
These doors almost always use an Adams Rite product or a knock off version of an Adams Rite lock. These in inevitably in the form of:
- a Deadlatch
- a Deadlock
- a Hook Bolt
- a Push Bar
In the past, if you wanted to install a keypad lock on your retail storefront doors, you had two options:
- A really expensive electronic Adams Rite lock
- Install an electric strike or mag plates tied to an access control system
Regardless of which option you went, both routes were still quite expensive.
Lockey USA has hit a sweet spot with their 2900 Series Mechanical Keyless Locks for Narrow Stile Doors. Regardless of whether you have a deadlatch, deadbolt, hook bolt, or a push bar, you can install a non-electronic keyless lock at a fraction of the price.
Admittedly, I have yet to see a client with this product on their doors. Lockey USA products are not well-stocked at local distributors and most locksmiths are not well-versed in the company’s total product offerings. Most old timers still think that Lockey is only a gate hardware company.
In addition to the price and the advantages of a mechanical system, the 2900 Series has a much smaller profile compared to the Adams Rite electronic versions. The former is barely bigger than the lock itself, while the latter takes up considerable door space. Such a large footprint can be difficult to work with when there are additional hardware like handles and astragals to consider as well.
The downsides of this lock is again the limited number of unique combinations that can be used. With only 210 unique possible combinations, it’s not that hard to brute force the code.
The more expensive electronic version from Adams Rite has a much more robust code system that is harder to decode. In addition, they tend to have a much more sturdy body and frame to withstand kinetic and prying attacks.
Glass Patch Locks
While all frameless glass doors are gaining popularity, there is currently no Lockey USA keypad lock that will work with this type of door. For glass doors with patch locks, the only method still viable today would be mag locks with plates at the top or at the bottom of the door.
Sticker FOBs
While this is not technically a lock, I think FOBs in the form of stickers can improve my clients’ lives significantly. Up until now, a lot of us use FOBs in the form of hard plastic dongles hanging off our key chains.
Recent developments in FOB and adhesive technologies have led to the growing popularity of FOBs in the form of stickers. Rather than carrying the plastic dongle everywhere, you can simply stick this FOB onto your cell phone case.
Combined with a keyless entry lock, most condo owners can leave their keys at home. After all, one thing almost everyone has on their person at all times is their cellphone. As a result, this will streamline your life. This sticker FOB and keyless entry lock will:
- Reduce or eliminate the chance of being locked out
- Reduce the weight and number of things you carry all day
- Easy to peel away and discard
On the last subject, there may be a situation where you want to prevent someone from accessing your building through your keys or cellphone. In that case, the sticker FOB can be peeled off easily enough and hidden or discarded without throwing away your entire key set.
Back when RFID chips were becoming popular along with bio hacking, we had some clients who embedded an RFID chip in their hands. They could literally wave at card readers to open doors, access system terminals, etc. The idea was that if they ever had to, they could bite that piece of skin off to prevent unauthorized use.
But, how many of them were willing to bite a chunk of skin off their hands? We wager, not many. A Sticker FOB is so much easier. Just peel it off when you need to. If you change your cell phone case, just peel off and reattach to your new phone. If the adhesive has worn off, just apply a small strip of double sided tape and it should work just fine.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a good quality code lock that does not use batteries and can be used in both interior and exterior applications, consider the M210 and 2900 Series from Lockey USA. The company’s products fill a niche market but sometimes they’re the only feasible solution.
Just remember that their limited mechanical designs limit the number of unique possible codes and they are not as resilient to hammering or prying attacks. If you are seriously concerned about security, we recommend staying away from fancy electronics and sticking to time-tested mechanical key devices.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us alex@locksmithvancouver.com or call/text me at 604-363-2760. We would love you lend your our expertise!
