Key Control

Key Control

When a locksmith talks about key control he doesn’t mean holding the right side up when putting it into a lock. What the locksmith means talking about key control is that you can choose a kind of lock with a key that can’t be made just anywhere or by just anyone.

Most of us can see the business applications of such keys to protect inventory and property or make sure someone can’t come in after hours because they have a key. There are important non-business applications for key control too. Your home for example.

As an example, did you realize that when you go out and have a valet park your car you have just put yourself at great risk? You did! You probably left your house key on the ring with the car keys. Do you have the insurance papers or registration in the glove box? They do have your address on them don’t they?

There are other situations where you may be giving your key to someone who knows your address that put you at just as much or more risk. Be careful out there, there are people who are just waiting for you to make their lives easier.

If you don’t have a key control type key it can be copied in just a few minutes, usually under 5 minutes. A robber only wants to be inside a house for 10 minutes to be safe. If you just had your car parked he can be pretty sure you aren’t going to pick it up for at least an hour. He can drive to your address in the same amount of time it takes you so that means he will have an hour to rifle through your possessions before you might get home.

Yes, a valet and an accomplice can pull a pretty good haul from your home if you don’t have key control. So, how do you get key control? You have to ask for it. Most locksmiths have one or two products that they carry that offer patent protected key control. That patent protected part is important too.

Patent protection means that only the maker of the lock can make keys to enter his lock. Because he has the ability to stop anyone else from making his keys, he also has the ability to limit the number of places that can cut them to your combination and under what conditions they can cut them.

Ask your local locksmith if he carries a key control product. Many will only carry a High Security product that offers key control along with better physical security than what is typically available. Those are mostly demanded by businesses who want a UL437 listed product that can resist picking and drilling attacks as well as offering key control.

Most of the products in the marketplace that offer key control are of a better quality that ensures better pick resistance. The price difference between a key control product that is drill resistant and one that isn’t is significant. The drill resistant product will be 2 to 3 times more expensive and it will require a more upscale grade of hardware to be installed.

Tell your locksmith you want patent protected keys at a reasonable price. Such things are available for Grade 2 commercially aimed locksets that have reasonable pricing for the residential customer. You may want High Security after investigating but patent protected key control can stop the valet with an accomplice.

I’m aware of a few brands that offer key control at a more economical price than a full high security cylinder. Master Lock has a patented system they call EDGE™ , there is an Australian company called BiLock, Kaba Lori has a couple of different cylinders options called Peaks and L10 and ASSA Abloy has a KeyMark cylinder that is reasonably priced.. Ask about them at your local locksmith because you can’t get them anywhere else.

If you have a business there is another part of Key Control that is important and that is knowing where all the keys are, when they were given out and when they will be brought back. We found a software package online that can help with all those things and many more, check it out at http://www.Locksoft.com