Specialty Tools: The Locksmith’s Best Friend

I went on a wonderful tour of the Wasatch Mountain range near Salt Lake City back in 1989. A friend and I discovered a spectacular secluded spot down a winding mountain road where we watched a magnificent sunset. As the evening settled in and the temperature began to drop, we realized that the keys were accidently locked inside the car. It was at about this point that I began to appreciate how little you can actually do in this business without tools!

We all need tools. Some of us make do with as few tools as possible out of a sense of economy. Some of us buy every tool they see and then wonder why they can’t seem to make any money. I hope most of us have the wisdom to buy the tools that we really need and to take a pass on the ones we don’t need. Personally, I seem to err on the side of too many tools. How about you?

Gator Mortise Wrench

Sometimes you just have to get a grip! Sure, you can usually turn a mortise cylinder with a key blank, but what about a dummy cylinder, or those times when it’s been in there for 40 years? Or when you’re dealing with some oddball finish that you know you would have to special order if you scratched it? The Gator Mortise Wrench is made especially for those times when you just can’t use pliers on a mortise cylinder. The low profile construction will allow you to grip the smallest edge on a cylinder. As long as it’s not deeply recessed into the door, you should be able to use the Gator Mortise Wrench (P/N MW053) to quickly remove even the most stubborn mortise cylinder without damage.

The Gator Mortise Wrench is made out of space-age ABS plastic that should last a lifetime without scratching doors or cylinders. One side of the tool has a milled channel specifically made for gripping mortise cylinders that are protected by a tamper-resistant collar. The tool fits between the cylinder and the collar to give you a good grip on the cylinder to loosen or tighten it. The other side of the tool is designed to grip cylinders where the face of the cylinder protrudes from the door. Regardless of which side you use, the grip is controlled by how tightly you squeeze the tool. Using the tool is a process of squeezing, turning and then releasing, so it’s very easy to use.

The Gator Mortise Wrench was designed by a working locksmith, Barry Meyer, from Castle Rock Colo. Meyer based his design on a wrench that was used to remove delicate camera lenses. He also added a couple of the other locksmith friendly features in the design of the tool. There is a lanyard on one handle, and a powerful magnet in the other handle so you can store the tool by either hanging it on a hook or by using the magnet to stick it to your tool box or the inside of your truck.

More Info: www.gatortools.com.

Bullseye Installation Tool

In my youth, it seemed like all I did was install deadbolts, and I did the majority of them freehand. My boss at the time finally got an installation tool, but that one was almost too complicated to use, and it required special sized drills and hole-saws. It also cost my boss a bundle! If I had only had one of these back then, I would have been much more productive for my employer.

The inner surfaces of the Bullseye Installation Tool for Cylindrical Locksets (P/N BUL-2) are lined with a non-marring high-grip material that locks the tool securely in place, without damaging the door. The oversized wing-nut lets you securely attach the tool to the door in seconds without using any tools. A simple toggle lets you quickly choose between residential (2 1/8”) and commercial (2 ¾”) backsets. In addition, easily removable drill guides let you use standard hole-saws or drills for either 1 ½” or 2 1/8” cross bores. The alignment guide makes sure that your latch hole is dead-center in the width of the door, regardless of door thickness.

If you need to install interconnecting locksets, the tool has built in straps that allow you to connect a second BUL-2 for a perfect installation every time. All in all, this is a high-quality, versatile, well designed tool, which is also very economical to own and to use.