Yale antisnap cylinder

[Robert]

Hello,

Has anyone had any experience with the Yale antisnap cylinder?

don't say much about the other cylinders that they sell, so it is hard to compare specification. The Yale appears to cost about five times as much (£30 rather than £6) but that is money well spent if it keeps criminals out.

Screwfix sell some the antisnap but also some Yale cylinders without it for about £15

from not having the antisnap feature, I don't know how they compare in all other regards.

Screwfix also sell other makes but I haven't heard of them.

What do you think is the best (most secure) cylinder lock to buy?

Thanks, Rob.

[A.Lee]

A Yale lock wouldnt keep any but the most incompetent of burglars out of your house. They just force the door with a jemmy. It is far easier done than you would expect. I showed this to a customer once who had a upvc door, with upvc side panel, I was in in around 20 seconds, without leaving any mark on the frame. Wooden doors are not much better, they are quite flexible, so can be bent to force the bolts/locks. I've been to maybe 10 break-ins over the last few years, and all of them had a window smashed, or door forced, none had the lock damaged.

[Brian Gaff]

Maybe you need a strain gauge in the door and it triggers 20000 volts through the handle!

Brian

[PeterC]

Not the least insecure but, unless you're willing to pay a /lot/ of money and have a door, windows and frames to match, this lock is anti-bump, -snap and -pick:

[David]

> Toolstation don't say much about the other cylinders that they sell,

Rob,

I bought those after a viewing a lot of locks.

They only fit into the door one way. and are sturdier than the UAP locks listed by PeterC, one of which I snapped by mistake when installing it, the retaining screw jammed in the thread.

The key doesn't slip into the lock easily, which can be a nuisance in dim light.

They are, IMHO, a better design than the Avocet as the Yale lock can still be unlocked from the outside with the key *after* an attempt to snap the lock, and there are more size varieties than the UAP locks.

The body of the Yale lock is still brass, but there is a steel bar running through the middle into which the retaining screw goes.

A good lock IMHO.

HTH

David

[Ilene Dover]

Have to agree about the Yale. I work in PVCu manufacturing and we fit the Yale as standard. The only other lock we will fit, to order, is the Avocet because of its extra security features.

That said, bumping is rare, picking even more rare and drilling almost as rare as rocking horse droppings. A determined burglar/scroat/scumbag will use brute force or, as previously mentioned, just break some glass.

Anti-snap is the most worthwhile feature IMHO and the Yale and Avocet are some of the best on the market for the price and I won't get into what they cost to the trade :o)

[Robert]

[Robert]

Thank you for the recommendations. I will fit the Yale because if someone ever broke in I would wish I had bought the better lock. It is frightening to hear that modern doors can be forced so easily.

Rob.

[John Williamson]

Doors, locks and alarms are only there to slow the miscreants down, and make it easier for them to break into next door than your place. If they want to get in, they will, which is why there are a few true stories of people breaking into bank vaults by renting next door and coming in through the wall.

For a while, the security on my boat was a Yale cylinder night latch and a bent nail. It never got broken into.

[Ilene Dover]

To be honest the correct term is Pick Resistant or Bump Resistant or Drill Resistant so, given the right tools, you can get in eventually. Avocet cylinders are better for the above as they don't use the normal cylinder design.

I get involved occasionally with locked out customers who seem to think we are the people to open their doors for them when they've lost their keys etc. rather than a locksmith. Knowing how a door is made helps a lot and there are many ways of getting in without too much damage.

I have a tool which will open any normal rim or eurocylinder in a few seconds. Pick resistant cylinders, especially recent ones, are a lot harder and would put off most, if not all, burglars.

Broken locks are another thing as the cylinder is useless when the lock won't turn. To minimise damage we often gain access by breaking a window (small and easily replaced) and take the hinges off on the inside. Most doors can be lifted out of the frame from the inside (or outside in the case of french doors etc. There are other ways to do it but I am not going to give any details.

[PeterC]

It's anti-everything - including locking yourself out! Clever, innit.

[news]

If you decide to get one I understand that sizing is critical. The local sheds only sell a very limited size range but these folks

more sizes than you can shake a very large bunch of keys at.

(I bought from this supplier and was very satisfied with delivery)

[Robert]

I'm not sure whether you are a customer or an employee ;)

But it is true that Screwfix sell a narrower variety of sizes than Toolstation.

What does the panel think about this quote from the wiki:

"Its not best practice to have new locks, cylinders or keys posted to you, the seller usually has your address, either from the delivery address or credit card details, and there are people that copy keys and misuse them. "

Good advice or paranoia?

I don't know either of the two merchants suggested in earlier replies so perhaps I should proceed with caution if buying from them. Would I be ok to order from a known company, such as Screwfix or Toolstation? I suppose it is not the company one has to worry about but rogue employees?

Ta, Rob.

[PeterC]

SF & TS usually have your details even if you go to the counter, but as there's only the order slip and some one else picks the order (but probably has access to your details) the liklihood of noting address is lowered IMO.

I've just fitted some new locks and did think of the chance of the supplier being bent. Also the locks and keys (4 eurolocks) were sent in a padded envelope with the address label showing a uPVC-type company and it was bleeding obvious what was in the bag.

[Robert]

But you must have decided the risk was low because you proceeded with the purchase.

The keys all have a number etched on them but if a crook knows you have key number 1234, how easy is it for him to get key 1234? Presumably only the manufacturer knows the pattern for each code?