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Locks and keys come in many forms, styles and materials. The timeworn image of a padlock and a traditional key are what most people think of when you mention these words. But you don’t need our West Memphis Lock Pros technicians to tell you that in recent years, so many advancements have been made in locksmith technology that some forms of locking mechanisms are hardly recognizable! Just look around and see for yourself the vast array of locks and keys in your daily life.
You see locks in cars, homes, businesses, government buildings, law enforcement, entertainment and hundreds of other places. That’s for a reason; locks and key work! Are they foolproof? No, of course not but they do their jobs well enough that locks have been in continual use since Ancient Egypt and Babylon. Locks have secured and protected ancient palaces, tombs and temples with varying degrees of success and it’s pretty safe to say that locks, keys and locksmith technology is not going away now or ever!
Yes, they are! Locks are not just here in West Memphis, TN but all over the world. Locks are being invented and upgraded every year by leading manufacturers in an effort to satisfy customers need for security and to stay one step ahead of crooks, thieves and robbers. Of course, this has resulted in a bevy of new locks and lock types with upgrades, options and uses that were virtually unknown only a few years ago.
Every lock is built and made to protect something but not every lock is right for every security need. Some locks might provide minimal security while others are made better and built different for greater protection. Locks like padlocks can be lightweight, portable and very inexpensive while more advanced locking mechanisms like biometric locks are more expensive and offer solid, built-in protection for much greater security. Before you rush out to buy just any lock, be sure and research a bit on the lock types available to you, their cost and how to best install and use them. Of course, feel free to call our locksmith shop and speak to any of our technicians. A local, full-service locksmith shop in your area will also be glad to answer your questions and to provide professional service if needed. Here is a short rundown of some commonly used locks and keys we all use on a regular basis.
Cam locks are those rounded locks with a tail that turns when the key is used. You typically find them installed on desk drawers, file cabinets, office cabinets and locking supply shelves. They offer minimal security as they are easy to pick, pry and smash open. Anything of a sensitive nature or worth a great deal should not be secured with a cam lock.
These are quite common, very inexpensive and portable. As such, they are quite versatile and useful in many applications from securing high school lockers to storage rooms and sheds. Padlocks offer medium security as they can be cut off with lock cutters. They can be opened with a dial using a number sequence or by a key or both. Padlocks have been around for decades and we don’t see them going anywhere soon.
The simple deadbolt is often installed, used and underestimated. They come in one- or two-cylinder varieties and are hugely successful when used. A strong deadbolt is a deterrent against burglars who manage to bypass the door’s main lock. They are hard to pick when installed right and attempting to do so buys the homeowners extra time which could be used for calling police or even arming themselves.
These amazing solidly built locks are little known but highly effective. They are made from solid steel parts as opposed to hollow tin like most other locks. You can’t pick or pry these locks open. For that matter you can’t smash or even shoot them open. High security locks are available for home and business use and they even come in bump proof variety which makes them impossible to open using any kind of bump key. For all their usefulness, high security locks are not expensive so be sure to ask your favorite locksmith about these.
Keyless entry is a form of lock that uses no key at all. Instead, the entry is accessed by entering a number sequence, badge swipe or fingerprint. Keyless entry can be found in cars, home and businesses and is very versatile. Safeguards include devices that call police and ring alarms if the number sequence is not correctly entered after 3 or more times. Keyless entry systems can be double effective when backed up by video surveillance to further verify identity.
If your car is a model from 1995 on, you are using a transponder key in order to start it. The word transponder means to transmit and that’s exactly what this key does; it sends a signal from the chip embedded in the key head to the car’s onboard computer. Both chip and computer have been programmed to recognize signals from each other. Any other transponder key will not send a recognizable signal so the car engine won’t start. Due to the effectiveness of transponder keys in thwarting car theft, this form of automotive key is universally used by all car makes and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
These are also known as fingerprint locks. While they are very futuristic sounding, they have been in mainstream use for quite some time. You can find fingerprint lock technology in homes, smart phones, laptops, government offices, local businesses and many other places.
While there are too many to actually list and describe here, there it behooves anyone interested to call the locksmith shop of their choice to find out more. Get some free price quotes, ask good questions and get yourself some good locks and keys for your safety and protection.