Kaba Mas Safe Deposit Box Locks

June 15, 2003

Kaba Mas manufactures access control products for commercial, government and institutional applications. In 2001, the Kaba Group, a market leader in security devices, acquired Ilco Unican Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries, including Mas-Hamilton. Once a part of the Kaba Group, Mas-Hamilton and the Ilco Unican line of mechanical combination and safe deposit locks became part of the Kaba Mas Corporation. Since its inception, Kaba Mas has grown from 5 to 120 employees and is now one of the world's largest manufacturers of safe and safe deposit locks.

Traditionally, safe deposit box locks are dual-key-required lever locks that operate a bolt. The original purpose of the safe deposit box lock was to maintain security of the safe deposit boxes for both the management and the renter. To open a traditional safe deposit box lock, both the correct guard's key and renter's key were required. The guard's key would be used first to clear and permit operation of the lock. Then the renter's key would be inserted and would operate the lock, retracting the bolt. In addition, the safe deposit box lock and boxes themselves were designed to resist surreptitious entry.

The level of key security was quite good. Some of the safe deposit box locks would have more than 1 million possible combinations for the guard and the renter keys. Combinate the two, and there are more than 1 trillion theoretical combinations.

Kaba Mas manufactures three series of key-operated, mechanical safe deposit box locks: the A400 Series, the 54 Series, and the 57 Series. These safe deposit box locks are UL437 Listed. These die-cast body locks use brass noses and levers, and nickel silver keys.

Each safe deposit box lock has a specific footprint, which specifies the number and locations of the mounting screws and the number, size(s), and location(s) of the noses. Once the series of the safe deposit box lock has been determined, the next step is to determine if there are models with different configurations. Some examples are fixed versus changeable levers, the size and functionality of the bolt, and no guard.

A400 SERIES
The Kaba Mas A400 Series safe deposit box locks are handed, and the handing must be specified when ordering. They are handed because their noses are below the centerline of the lock. This makes it impossible for a left- or right-handed A400 lock to operate the other configuration.

Note: Left Hand (LH) safe deposit box locks are installed on a door hinged at the left. Right Hand (RH) safe deposit box locks are installed on a door hinged at the right.

The A400 Series safe deposit box locks are equipped with fixed levers. There are six levers for the renter, and five levers for the guard. The A400 Series levers are the same for the guard and the renter. Eight depths (depths 0-7) of levers are available for the A400 Series. These A400 locks come with flat steel keys. The A400 Series locks are combinated to the standard guard key #4.

The Kaba Mas A400 Series safe deposit box locks are available Double Little Nose (DLN), Single Little Nose (SLN), Big Nose (BN), and Little Nose (LN). The nose size for the A400 Series is 11/16" diameter is a little nose and the 47/64" diameter is a big nose.

The Kaba Mas A400 Series safe deposit box locks have the same footprint as the Sargent & Greenleaf 4440 Series locks. Note: The parts are not interchangeable.

54 SERIES
The Kaba Mas 54 Series safe deposit box locks are non-handed. The 54 Series locks have same sized noses, which are located on the centerline of the lock body, enabling these locks to be installed either Left Handed or Right Handed. These locks come with flat steel keys.

These safe deposit box locks have seven levers for the renter and seven levers for the guard. Depending upon the model, the 54 Series locks can be ordered with changeable or fixed guard and renter levers. The 54 Series levers are the same for the guard and the renter. The 54 Series locks are combinated to the standard guard key P4.

Note: The change tool for the 54 Series locks is used with locks equipped with changeable levers, not the 54 Series fixed levers.
The 54 Series safe deposit box locks come in two basic configurations. The horn plates will accommodate either 3/8" or 1/2" thick doors. The 54 Series locks having a "1" as the fourth digit of the model number will accommodate a 1/2" thick door. The 54 Series locks having a "2" as the fourth digit of the model number will accommodate a 3/8" thick door.

The Kaba Mas 54 series safe deposit box locks have the same footprint as the Sargent & Greenleaf 4500 Series safe deposit box locks. Note: The parts are not interchangeable.

57 SERIES
The Kaba Mas 57 Series safe deposit box locks are non-handed, with their standard double nose located on the centerline. They are easily identifiable by the keyways of the renter and guard noses that are positioned in opposite directions. The renter's keyway points towards the bolt. These locks come with flat keys, with the exception of the paracentric keys for the guard.

The 57 Series safe deposit box locks have seven fixed levers for the renter and seven fixed levers for the guard. The 57 Series levers are different for the guard and the renter. The guard and renter levers have six depths of cut, ranging from 0-5. The 57 Series locks have 0-5 renter levers. The guard levers are 1-5 and 7. The 57 Series locks are combinated to the standard Guard key SM75.

Note: The Kaba Mas 57 Series locks retrofit Mosler 5700 Series locks. The 57 and 5700 Series parts are interchangeable.

Kaba Mas safe deposit box locks are sold through locksmith wholesalers. The double-nose locks are equipped with guard and renter levers. Boxed locks come with one guard key. Small quantities of safe deposit box locks cannot be ordered combinated to a specific guard key from the factory.

REPAIR OR RECOMBINATE
To repair or recombinate a Kaba Mas safe deposit box lock, there are several choices. One choice is to re-use the existing guard and renter's levers in a different configuration. Another choice is to purchase replacement levers. The A400 Series fixed levers are sold by individual depths in packages of 50. The 54 Series changeable levers are sold in packages of 50. The 57 Series safe deposit combination lock levers are only sold by individual depths in packages of 50.

In addition, the A400 Series and the 54 Series levers are available in a Matchwork Kit, Part # A40-048. The Matchwork Kit contains guard/renter levers, guard and renter posts, and spacers for the A400 Series and the 54 Series safe deposit box locks.

Another application of the Kaba Mas Matchwork Kit is to combinate new safe deposit box locks to accommodate an existing guard key that is from a different manufacturer. Different manufacturers use different spaces and depths. To accommodate different space and depth dimension keys, the Matchwork Kit contains 0.050", 0.066" and 0.100" lever spacers.

Replacement keys are available pre-cut or as key blanks. Random pre-cut keys are available from Kaba Mas in quantities of 10 pairs.

Kaba Mas Corporation warrants to the original retail purchaser that the safe deposit box locks shall be free of defects in materials and workmanship for one year from the purchase date.

For more information, contact your local locksmith wholesaler or Kaba Mas at (888) 950-4715.

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