Bill's Lock & Safe Service

Can you separate the myths from the facts when it comes to home security? https://bit.ly/3lIYalk

The locksmith industry is not new, actually dating back at least 4,000 years. Get more information in this article. https://bit.ly/3qwXnGf

How old are your door locks? If the hardware is a little old, you may want to consider replacing them!

If you’re not tech savvy here’s why you might want to keep a traditional keyed lock. https://www.houselogic.com//are-electronic-door-locks-safe/

Since 1969, we have been providing our customers with quality lock and safe services they can trust. Visit our site. https://bit.ly/3nlWSyT

It may seem like key fobs with alarm buttons remote entry access have been around forever. But if you have a car that is a 1995 model or older, you don't have a key fob. That was the year that electronic car chips and key fobs were introduced.

Care to guess how long ago the classic pin lock was first developed? That would be about 4,000 years ago. Although the Egyptians can take the credit for inventing the pin lock, it was the early Greeks who refined this type of lock by miniaturizing it and crafting it from durable metals instead of wood.

Keys are made to be as durable as they can, but they are thin strips of metal. Metal can fatigue over time, and a hard twist can make it break, which unfortunately can be in your ignition or your door lock. Not to worry. Auto locksmiths can help with broken key extraction.

If your house has a window by the front door, installing a deadbolt lock won’t deter thieves. Instead, get a dual cylinder lock that requires a key on the inside.

Is your deadbolt lock stiff and hard to turn? The culprit may be a misaligned inside trim piece. When the inside trim is higher than it should be, it can cause the tailpiece to tilt and rub against the retainer pin.

When was the last time you took an inventory of all the keys you’ve issued to your warehouse? As a best practice, it’s smart to do this on a regular basis, especially if you allow vendors to have keys, as they may misplace them more often than regular employees.

Interestingly, brass was the material of choice for auto locks in the 1920s, but in the 1930s, diecast materials began to be used. Since diecast disintegrates with age, this has caused a problem with some vintage cars.

Have you ever locked your keys in your car? This can be very frustrating and embarrassing. Locksmiths can help get inside your locked car and retrieve your keys quickly so that you can get along with the rest of your day.

Why would you want electronic keypads controlling deadbolt entry systems on key entry doors in your business? Keypads offer tremendous flexibility because the combination can be changed from one day to the next if necessary.

How do I know if the lock on my front door is strong enough? An experienced locksmith can answer that question for you. A deadbolt adds to the security of your door and a stronger strike plate can also make a significant difference.

A "lockout" tool is sometimes employed by locksmiths to open car doors, especially doors on older cars. Care to guess the common name for this simple but effective tool? If you guessed it's called a "Slim Jim," you're right.

Many times when you lock your doors with a power device, you see a light or hear a horn that signals what you have done. This is great so you can recognize when your car is locked or unlocked. We can check out these settings if something might be wrong with them.

If the doors in your business rely on locks you must be concerned about the ability of burglars to pick or bump a lock in as little as one minute to gain access to a building. A commercial locksmith can recommend high security locks that are both pick and bump-resistant.

When looking to make your house less of a target for burglary, one of the best fixes is lighting, both outdoor and indoor. It’s partly about minimizing the appearance of vacancy inside the house, but partly about shedding light on would-be intruders outside your home.

As a professional locksmith service provider, we have access to the latest available automotive key codes for semi tractors, motorcycles, RVs, and more. So, if you are in trouble and need access to any of these, call us.

No matter what type of automobile you have or its age, we offer state of the art auto locksmith services. We can help you with everything from ignition key replacement, to lockouts, to transponder key programming.

When most people think of unlocking a car, they might think of the old trick of using a wire coat hanger through a window crack. Door locks have come a long way since then, which is why you should always use an auto locksmith.

Having your home locked up whenever you are away or asleep is the easiest way to prevent burglaries. Another way to prevent being robbed, especially by a professional, is concealing all wiring of your alarm system.

Have you ever heard of a Maison key system? This is a keying system that permits a lock to be opened with a number of unique, individual keys. There is also something called a master key, which operates a set of several locks.

Although you may have friends or family who have spare keys to your home, they won’t always be able to drop everything to bring your keys to you when you realize you’re locked out. Luckily, we’re happy to drop everything to help.

You should always change the locks of your new home when you move in. In fact, it should be your top priority if you want to ensure complete safety and security.

Auto locksmiths know that mistakes don't take holidays, weekends, or nights off. Keys can get locked into cars at any time of day, which is why many auto locksmiths are available 24/7 to help you out, because nobody likes to be stranded in the middle of the night.

Certain situations call for a master key, one that can open multiple locks. These can include an owner or property manager of an apartment building, or an executive of a company. A locksmith can get you set up with a master key when the situation warrants it.

Unfortunately, not all of us are lucky enough to get two sets of keys when we purchase our vehicles. If your one and only set is now locked within your locked car, we’re always ready to help you retrieve it so you can get on with your day.

During the 1300s, towns were often contained within high walls that were locked every night to keep out intrudes. Town shops may or may not have had locks on the doors. If they did, the keys weren't held by the shop owners. They were maintained by guards.

Are you always available in the event of an emergency such as a car key that's broken off in the ignition? What happens if you are out of town on a business trip or vacation or sick and unable to drive? That's why it's important to select an auto locksmith and make sure every driver in the house has the phone number of the business in their purse or wallet.

The oldest known lock that opened with a key dates back to 704 BC. It was found in the northern city of Khorsabad in Iraq, among the ruins of the Palace of Sargon.

You probably already know locking your car door discourages thieves. Care to guess what percentage of car thefts involved unlocked vehicles? If you guessed 25 percent, or one in four, you're right.

A locksmith is a professional who can help you with anything that is operated by a key (and even a few things that aren't, like keyless entry systems). Door locks, automobile ignitions, and safes are things that a locksmith knows backwards and forwards.

You've probably heard the term "lojack" to describe a vehicle tracking system and wondered where the term comes from. It's actually a play on words where "hijack" means seizing or stealing a vehicle, "lojack" means making that more difficult. Hi and lo, get it?

One high-security measure you can take with your locks is an anti-drill feature. Here, hardened steel chips are installed in the lock housing. If an intruder is trying to drill out the lock, the drill bit will hit these steel chips and break.

You've been to the grocery store, and everything from break and milk to ice cream is in the trunk. However, the key won't open the truck, and neither will the inside release latch. An auto locksmith can get into the truck and repair or rekey the lock before the milk has a chance to spoil.

Have you heard of the Dutch Open? Every year, participants from all over the world attend LockCon conference to take place in a lock-picking competition.

Have you ever seen a double sided deadbolt? While a common deadbolt has a key on one side and a thumb turn on the other, a double sided deadbolt is keyed on both sides of the door.

What are automotive jiggler keys? These are keys that have been produced to simulate the shape and size of manufactured automotive keys. Jiggler keys are not model specific master keys, but with a skilled hand they can be used to unlock most vehicles.

Do you have an emergency plan in place for you and your employees at your business? This should include what to do and who to notify in the case of any emergency such as fire, theft, robbery, etc.

What is lock snapping? It is a burglary method where a burglar snaps a cylinder lock in order to gain entry to a property. Lock snapping can be prevented by ensuring your lock is correctly fitted. You can also fit an anti-snap cylinder.

If you've just installed new locks in your small business, one way to help maintain security is to limit the number of keys you hand out and keep a list of keys you have in circulation, complete with who has possession of them.

A problem with your vehicle that requires a locksmith is something that doesn’t regularly happen. That's why it's important to know who to call if you find yourself locked out of your vehicle or with a broken car in an isolated area late at night.

Making security a top business priority is a good idea. Securing possessions and goods with reliable locks is important, and has been for centuries. Nearly every culture on Earth has evolved the practice of securing valuables from thieves.

Purchasing a safe shouldn't be undertaken lightly. The models you find in hardware or big-box stores generally don't provide much more than fire protection and are fairly useless to stop would-be thieves. A locksmith can help you find a high-quality safe that fits your needs.

Most of the auto door locks used during the 1930s were called pillar locks. These locks had long square shafts connected to the cylinder, which were equipped with flexible couplings. Locksmiths were able to poke a small hole in the upholstery to access the guide hole and release the lock.

Do you hate having to replace everyone’s key to the building just because you stop working with a particular vendor who had a key? When you need to grant access to non-employees, we may be able to help you create an alternative that won’t impact the keys you provide employees.

You may already know the acronym for your automobile's keyless entry system is RKS. Care to guess what RKS stands for? If you guessed it stands for "Remote Keyless System," you're right.

Unfortunately, employee theft is a growing problem in the United States. You can guard inventory and warehouse areas with card access entry systems that keep a log of who entered or left the warehouse and the precise times.

If you have a home safe, don’t force it to try and get it open when it’s locked. This can dislodge the pins and make it harder to open the safe with a key.

Make a habit of having car keys available to avoid lockouts. Don’t exit the car without them and carry them in the same place every day.

While tubular locks offer superior protection to pin and tumbler locks and wafer tumbler locks, they are also more expensive. However, they are much harder to pick and require much study on the part of the locksmith to master.

As complicated as your car is, if the key doesn't fit your ignition, the ignition won't turn. And if the ignition doesn't turn, then the car doesn't run. Auto locksmiths can help with a large variety of auto key difficulties, including key and ignition interface failures.

The "throw" of a deadbolt is the length that it extends out of the door edge when engaged. A longer throw makes it more difficult for burglars to gain entry by spreading the doorframe. Most locksmiths recommend a minimum throw of one inch.

When it comes to car locks, different types of locks require different tools, depending on the make and model of the car. Common auto locksmithing tools include electric pick guns, auto picks, decoders, and manipulating tools.

When changing locks, locksmiths can also provide a new electronic key fob. Depending on how new the car is and how the fob operates, cost on the electronic parts can vary.

Locksmiths used to be a bit like clock makers. They participated in a custom trade where no two locking mechanisms were exactly alike and all were made painstakingly by hand. Care to guess what changed the nature of this classic trade? If you guessed the industrial revolution and mass production, you're right.

You've been out late with friends and are on the way home when you stop for a bite to eat and lock the car keys inside the vehicle. If you feel uncomfortable waiting for our technician to arrive, call the police and ask for someone to make sure you're safe until we arrive.

Employee thefts costs companies up to $40 billion a year and it's been estimated that up to 3 out of 4 of your employees will steal from your company this year, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Surveillance systems, card-access systems and high security locks can all make a difference.

When you have to carry in an armful of items, it can be easy to set your keys on the seat after locking the door and forget about them. Since breaking a window can be a costly way to get back in, a locksmith is the much more affordable option.

Ever wondered what the difference is between a deadbolt lock and a spring bolt lock? A deadbolt can only be disengaged by rotating the locking assembly. This is a more secure option than a conventional spring bolt lock that can be manipulated by putting pressure on the bolt.

Locksmiths should have the equipment on-site that can recut keys, so usually all parts of the lock replacement process can be done at once.

Don’t leave notes for service people or family members on the outside of your front door. These act as a welcome mat for a home burglar. Also make sure that your doors are always locked and your locks work properly!

If you've lost your car keys, this can lead to a costly complete system replacement. But that can be a lot cheaper and faster if you have your key code. It's usually on the bill of sale from the dealer, and can be used with the manufacturer's records to quickly make a new one.

In ancient Egyptian society, having keys signified wealth. This was because locksmithing services cost an arm and a leg back then, and only the rich could afford to install safes or locks in their homes.