Master Pins in Locks
You may not give much thought to the locks that protect the doors of your residential or commercial property—that is, until you’re the victim of a crime. Being proactive about your home’s security before a crime occurs is always the best option, and this process starts with learning all you can regarding the best types of locks for your property. Since locks form the basis of your security onto which everything else is built, high-quality locks are essential to keeping your home or business safe. Master pins are one type of lock security that is used in commercial property, but it can also protect residential building. Read on as we explore more information about master and security pins and whether or not they might be an appropriate investment for your building.
How Pin and Tumbler Lock Works
Pin and tumbler locks are an extremely common form of lock mechanism found all over the word that features pin tumblers that need to be set in the correct way to open the lock. Pins are set in a unique configuration for each lock which must be matched by the key that is associated with the lock. Most pin and tumbler locks work using a spring mechanism to set the pins. These are referred to as driver pins which have to be pressed down to the level of what is called the “shear line” in order to set the pin. When all of the pins reach the sheer line, the lock will open.
Lock picking is used to bypass the need for a key and set each of the pins manually using specialized tools. The vulnerability of these locks is that for many of them, if the pins are lifted beyond the sheer line with a tool or other implement, the lock is defeated and will open. For many years, robbers and other criminals took advantage of this vulnerability to gain access to properties.
The Basics of Security Pins
Criminals (and locksmiths who perform the service professionally) use lockpicking in order to open a lock without a key. Since lock pickers use the feel of the inside of the lock with their tools in order to perform their work, security pins can thwart these efforts. Security pins were devised to block these efforts to open the lock without authorization. They have features that not only prevent lock picking, bumping, and snap guns, but can give you signs if someone has tried to open the door.
Security pins were first developed in the 1800s in order to decrease the rate of lock picking that was plaguing property owners across the world. With security pins, the driver pins catch if too much tension is used to lift them to the sheer line, making it very difficult to pick the lock effectively, especially with inferior tools or with too much force. Without getting into the complexity of how these locks operate too much, the driver pins features notches that make the person trying to pick the lock “feel” resistance as if the pin was set correctly.
Master Keyed Locks
Master key locks are found in many different commercial settings as well as some residential ones, such as apartment buildings and duplexes. Master locks allow two or more keys of different calibrations to open the lock. This makes them ideal for property managers and their renters, as well as hotel rooms, storage buildings, and offices. If you have an apartment building, for example, each renter can be given their own key which only unlocks their own door. Then the owner of the building gets a master key which unlocks all of the apartments in the building.
In master keyed locks, there is an extra pin inside the lock configuration, which is known as the spacer pin. There are two shear points in these locks, instead of merely one like a regular lock. The first shear point is the same in all of the locks, while the other one is individual to each lock.
The Benefits of Security Pins and Master Locks
Master locks are extremely useful for properties that require multiple levels of protection, hence their widespread use. Security pins give an added layer of protection against criminals in order to thwart their attempts to get inside your building. Since they complicate the “feel” of picking the lock, it increases the difficulty of getting the door open for the person trying to pick the lock, or use a bump key or snap gun. If one of these tools is attempted, the security pin will catch in the cylinder and prevent the lock from being disengaged. Many criminals will be deterred by this added feature and will look elsewhere for an easier target to hit.
The Drawbacks of Security Pins
Master security pins might seem like an ideal security solution for some residential and commercial properties, but there are some drawbacks to consider. Obviously, they are only appropriate for certain types of buildings that require both tenant and owner privileges to be separate. Security pins obviously don’t offer much in the way of protection against brute force attacks. Deadbolts are usually required to protect against that form of break-in. If you’re locked out of your property for any reason, having a security pin might require you having to call in a qualified locksmith to get you back inside so as not to damage your locks.
If you’re looking to have high-security locks installed on your property, or want to learn about what other options exist for affordably securing your home, contact a local locksmith, such as Lee’s Lock and Key if you’re located in New Lenox, Illinois. A full-service residential and commercial locksmith will be able to inform you of all of your options for lock upgrades, including tamper-proof locks, security pins, and even keyless entry, and guide you into making a decision without heavy-handed tactics. Making an investment in bettering your property’s locks is one of the best steps you can take toward protecting your business’s assets, customers, and employees now and into the future.