To become a locksmith, it takes four years of training which includes all aspects of the industry.
There are well over a thousand key blanks with hundreds introduced every year with new types of encryption which makes this trade one of continuous learning.
Our key cutting machines are cleaned daily and maintained and adjusted for accuracy weekly ensuring that you have a perfect cut every time.
DID YOU KNOW?
- you can save precious time by having someone who knows proper blank key selection,
- someone who has training in key machine maintenance and adjustment
- Someone who stocks a full range of key blanks and key accessories
- someone who can correct key problems
- someone who can provide specialty and electronic key and programming
Only through a Professional Locksmith can you access all of these security services
- Residential
- Commercial/ Industrial/Institutional
- Automotive
- Office Furniture
- High Security
- Master Keying
- Electronic Access Control
- Safe and Vault
- Correctional Institution
- Door Hardware
- Forensic Examination
- Security Surveys
Tools of the Trade
CODE MACHINE
Alpine has an ITL 9700 fully automatic code machine; this allows our locksmith to cut keys to code.
Cut keys to code? What does that mean??
Locked yourself out of your vehicle before, with simply your VIN number off of your vehicle you can contact your dealership and retrieve a CODE for your vehicle. With the code cutting machine we can cut an exact duplicate of your vehicles key without the original.
Tool boxes, job boxes, filing cabinets and most of your small cabinet locks all have codes printed on them. With this code a Journeyman Locksmith is able to cut factory replicated keys ensuring that you are never truly “locked out”.
!!!!FULLY AUTOMATIC!!
Fully automatic means that someone’s shaky hand is not operating this machine while it is making those small precious cuts, ensuring factory quality with every cut; making the first key, the right key eliminating frustrating return trips to get the “right key”.
Are all locks the same?
Just because it has the same brand name doesn’t mean that they offer the same quality and performance. There are 3 common grades of residential hardware, grade 1, 2 and 3. Some manufacturers offer the same looking product in the 3 different grades, but don’t be mistaken in the difference they are not all the same.
Grade 3 is a residential handle.
Grade 2 is heavy duty residential and light commercial
Grade 1 Commercial
The products are graded on how many cycles (simulated opening and closing of a door) they can withstand before wearing out or breaking.
A grade 3 must withstand 200,000 cycles, grade 2 must withstand 400,000 cycles and a grade 1 must with stand 800,000 cycles. So the long and short is a lower grade lock/handle the longer it will last and the less susceptible to wear.
Latch installation
There are two ways of installing the latch (the part that holds the door closed). With some manufactures they will send components to install the latch both ways, and others will ask you when they place the order
- Drive in latch- by far the easiest and fastest method, few tools are required and there is less chance of splitting the door. This method is most widely used for the above reasons, as it saves costs.
- Mortise in latch- the more difficult of the two options because you actually need to remove the exact amount of the edge of the door for the small square plate to sit flush with the edge of the door. This method is preferred because if the two screws that hold the handle on the door ever loosens the handle will not wobble on the door causing black rub marks increasing the life of the door and the handle.
Most companies offer the appearing product in the different grades. For instance the Schlage F Series (grade 3 residential) is well suited for a light use door versus a Schlage Grade 2 Light Commercial which can be used on a high traffic residential door or a light usage commercial door.
