Tool Rekeyable Locks

Tool Rekeyable Locks

There are a number of new design lock cylinders in the marketplace today that can be rekeyed with relative ease if you have the rekeying tool and a set of new keys.

All of these cylinders have a mechanism that has multiple component tumblers and typically a sidebar is also involved. The sidebar mechanism almost always makes a lock harder if not impossible to pick. If you lose all of the keys or get locked out, destruction of the cylinder may be the only solution to get you in or to change the keys.

Most of them have a similar method of operation, turn the key 90° or 180°, insert a tool, remove old key insert new key, remove tool turn back and remove new key. Old keys won’t work any more. In most cases you can obtain a new set of keys to change the combination to from your local locksmith. They are typically called precuts and are typically the same price as a code cut key.

Some of these cylinders use restricted keys that can’t be duplicated even by a local locksmith. It is important to know the features of this type of lock before you buy one so investigate before investing. Below is an alphabetical listing of some available today.

Lynx™ from Brinks (The Lynx requires a special key instead of a tool)
Recodable from Master Lock
SmartKey™ from Kwikset/Weiser
U-Change® from Secuirty Solutions

Schlage Lock Co also had a lock in this category that used a special key instead of a tool. Known as Secure-Key, production was halted and the product no longer offered for sale after January 1, 2012.