10 Years Ago
An article on marketing for commercial lockshops addressed signage, referrals and promotional materials, along with website and social-media tips. Tim O’Leary installed a DoorKing 1601 swinging barrier gate to restrict traffic in and out of a busy commercial facility. Steve Kaufman interviewed locksmith Tony Demino, an early adopter of electronic access control and video surveillance. In 2010, Ford reintroduced Tibbe locks on some models, and Gale Johnson described the specialized key-cutting process they required. Gale also took a look at STI’s new wireless alarm products. A school security article detailed the addition of electronic access control, cameras and digital video recorders to a Utah school system. Our July 2011 cover focus was new products, and we introduced the Ilco 057 HS key machine, Arrow Lock’s SD Series SFIC sliding door core, the SARGENT Passport with iClass, Schlage’s WPR400 Wireless Portable Reader, Kwikset’s original SmartCode deadbolt, the NAPCO iBridge alarm system, the Mas Intercom Color Villa Doorphone Kit, the SD-962AR-36G push bar exit device and others.
20 Years Ago
The ALOA convention was held in Baltimore in 2001. Gale Johnson showed how to service key-change Lefebure bank teller locks. Gale Johnson also described how CCL wafer locks could be masterkeyed. Jerry Levine installed Locknetics 993 electronic components into a Von Duprin 99 exit device. Mike Ferrill interviewed the institutional locksmith staff at Notre Dame University. Billy Edwards reported on the changes at Master Lock as tolerances were tightened on its keyway. Dale Bowman introduced the Medeco classroom lockset that has the intruder function. Locksmith Ledger printed the top 20 products for 2000 as chosen by subscribers. Wade Landrum interviewed Accurate Security Professionals, a successful locksmith business in San Diego. Tom Gillespie offered tips on running a locksmith business. Tony Vigil, High Tech Tools, provided pictures on opening a Mitsubishi Montero Sport. Richard Formica worked on a Cadillac Escalade that had lost keys, while Tiny took on a Mazda 626. Jerry Levine installed a SARGENT T-Zone lever lock and installed a Detex Value Series exit alarm. Dick Zunkel showed the tools and know-how necessary to troubleshoot electronic hardware. LAB showed formulas for determining control key cuts for BEST A2, A3 and A4 systems.
Aftermarket Bike Kit Leads to Custom Key
Herman Manzanares III, RL
Most locksmiths live by a motto or two. One of ours is “Just when you think you have every possible key somebody might need, something comes in you have never seen before.”
This motto applies with the electric-bike conversion system made by a company called E-BikeKit. (Image 1)
The unit is a lithium iron phosphate rechargeable battery that has a listed voltage of 48 V.
A customer had lost one of the two original keys that came with the unit and wanted a replacement. The lock on the unit is a simple four-way switch that extends out a retaining rod a bit farther for each position the key is turned. (Image 2)
The original key (Image 3) was manufactured by the NANHAO Group, which is a company in Beijing. The replacement key (Image 4) is a Jet HD118 originally intended for a Honda motorcycle.
Herman Manzanares III, RL, is co-owner of Los Alamos Lock & Key in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He has 25 years of locksmith experience. He can be reached via the web at www.losalamoslock.com.
