We're having a new door installed, but reusing an old lockset that was replaced under warranty. (Finish failed).
At first the key for the replacement lock also worked in the new door/old lock. But now it does not of course.
I took the pins out of the cylinder and no combo of pins seems to give me a nice flush set of pins. I did notice that the pins seem to have some coating on some of the ends. So I'm wondering if the lock had some sort of spacing compound to rekey the lock?
You can get pins and stuff, even a whole re-key kit, on Ebay.
Thanks for the replies. I'm not so concerned about the fixing as to why the key worked when the door was first installed and not now.
Assuming the contractor did not change the pins (unlikely). Do the locksmiths have some kind of leveling paste that they can use to cheat when re-keying a lock?
Sounds like a badly cut key.
Huh? paste?
A locksmith would use the right pins. Pins cost pennies. The cost of labor for any paste would be far higher. And paste would cause a reliability issue which damages the reputation of the locksmith.
Was the warranty replacement rekeyed?
If you don't get an answer here you could try alt.locksmithing - active group with quite a few locksmiths.
Yes the same key originally did work on the new and old locks.
I had the cylinder apart and the pins don't look even close now. I bought some spare pins for now, as it's about $100 to get a lock rekeyed here.
?????
Where are you, that it costs a hundred bucks to get a lock rekeyed?
LOL, Toronto, but that includes the service call.
Although we did get quoted 12K to redo a (150 sf) flagstone walkway last year. Also quoted 8K to install a 24K BTU mini split AC. Neither job got done at those rates.
Just had 14 rekeyed at Ace day before yesterday. $5 each. But they DO have to have the key that goes to the lock, and the lock has to be working. Took all the knobs and deadbolts off myself, took them to Ace, and reinstalled rekeyed mechanisms. I know a locksmith would have charged a bit more than that to come out and do same.
The downside is that I spent about $200 at Ace on other "stuff".
Steve
Steve
Home depot also does lock rekeying..
Make sure you get the Ace card, the coupons they send are worth it if you are always in there.
Poorly. I've saved their posteriors a couple times. One time the cylinder popped apart on the guy and he gave up and went to get another set to start with, by the time he got back to the desk with it I had the original one back together, keyed properly and working perfectly.
Better off asking a kid who is riding by on a bicycle. My neighbor needed a replacement lock. Their locks are keyed alike and he has all of the information necessary for anyone who knows about locks to replicate without even needing a key or measuring anything. He picks out a lockset and asks for it to be keyed to his pattern. They tell him that they only know how to rekey to a random pattern. He happened to call me about something else and mentioned this. I suggested going to a real locksmith and there was one almost across the street from his office. The real locksmith took less than 5 minutes and he charged less than the big box place wanted to do it randomly.
"Better off asking a kid riding by on a bicycle." ......
LMAO....
I was in Home Depot tonight buying some other crap, so I thought I would pick up a rekey kit to change that lock, given that it mysteriously changed. So I wondered around the 'key department' for about 10 minutes looking for an associate. Then I went and stood in front of the lock desk for another 5 minutes waiting for something in Orange to show up. While awaiting, I noticed a sign that said BOTH key cutting machines were broken. Finally I spotted the rekey kits behind the counter and stepped behind the counter to look at them. Gee, a helper was there in less than 15 seconds. Although they did not have my brand and he was not willing to explain if any others were compatible.
So I wouldn't waste your time going to HD for keys.
I'd suggest take the new lock, and the key you want to work. Open the phone book and start calling locksmiths. See if you can find one nearby, who makes sense on the phone. Ask for a price, and if he can do it while you wait. Probably five minutes, and five to ten bucks.
Just curious... How compatible are rekey kits between brands.
Local store here has a boatload of nice, solid external knobs at a great price. Unfortunately, the keys have no identifying marks, so there is no way to grab three that share the same key.
The company name escapes me at the moment though. :( .... Forge?
Most of the brands of residential lock use .115 diameter pins. However, different lengths of pin. If you're doing something important like locking your house, I'd suggest a known brand like Kwikset. Rather than a Taiwan off brand that has little track record.
Schlage changed their design of residential lock a couple years ago. I think the new design is awful. I hate working on them. The door knobs are miserable, and I don't think their 300 series deadbolts have much strength.
Most locksmiths can rekey the knob locks for you. Change two locks to match the third one.
I had some rekeying done at HD a couple of years ago. I actually had '2' guys waiting on me. We shot the shit while they figured it out. They don't get much call for it I guess. But I realize I was lucky everyone (that day) was in a good mood, myself included.
I 'usually' can never get anyone to help me either. Must have been a star alignment thing THAT day..
Charles
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