From the locksmith on duty
Lock and key notes from Williamsburg
Plain answers on lockouts, rekeys, key copies, smart locks, and door hardware, written for apartments, houses, and shops across New York City.
Latest Articles
What Rekeying Changes Inside a Lock Cylinder, and What It Leaves Alone
A look at the pins inside a lock cylinder, what a rekey does to them, and why copying a key leaves the old key working.
Read article →What to Do With a Rental's Locks Between One Tenant and the Next
Keys can be copied, so a full return proves little. Settle a rental's locks by what is unaccounted for before the new tenant moves in.
Read article →Keeping a Lock You Like: When a Rekey Is Enough and When It Isn't
If you like how your lock looks and feels, new keys rarely mean new hardware. What decides it is whether the lock itself still works.
Read article →Why a Deadbolt Drags in Humid Weather, and How to Tell Lock From Door
When a bolt turns freely with the door open but drags once it's shut, the strike is a likelier suspect than the lock.
Read article →Staff Turnover and Keys: A Changeover List You Reuse at Each Departure
Collecting keys from a departing employee does not prove no copies exist. A standing door-and-holder list shows what to check and when to rekey.
Read article →Storeroom, Office, and Classroom Lock Functions Compared Door by Door
A storeroom lock relocks itself, an office lock answers to the person inside, and a classroom lock answers to whoever holds the key in the hall.
Read article →Your Key Slides In but Won't Turn: Reading the Clues Before You Call
A spare key, the feel of the stall, and how the door sits can tell you a lot before anyone touches the lock.
Read article →Changing One Office Lock Without Losing Track of the Building's Keys
Swapping one lock in a multi-door office is simple. Keeping the key-to-door picture accurate afterward is the part that needs a plan.
Read article →How do you know if your problem is the key, the lock, or the door itself?
Sorting out whether your problem is a worn key, a faulty lock cylinder, or a misaligned door frame saves time and helps you explain exactly what you need.
Read article →Locked Out in Williamsburg at Night? What to Do First
Before you call anyone, a two-minute check can save the visit. Here is the order to do things in, and what the locksmith asks for at the door.
Read article →Rekey or Replace the Locks After Moving In?
You do not know who has a key to your new place. Here is how to decide between a rekey and a full lock change, and what each one involves.
Read article →Need it handled?
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