Problem Preventers
These are, as advertised, the tidbits most basic to
the day to day use of your keys and locks.
UPDATE:11/3/98
UPDATE:11/3/98
Have you ever recieved a Fax or Photocopy suffering from a severe case of "copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy..." disorder?
After a few generations, they start to get blurry and indistinct.
This phenomenon also occurs when duplicating keys, we'll call it "Duplication Error".
If the duplication process is reasonably accurate (say, your locksmith's key machine), the first
few generations should show no sign of trouble, but as the minute errors are compounded
generation upon generation, you will eventually wind up with an unusable copy.
Another factor to take into consideration is plain old Wear. A copy is just that,
not a remanufactured version of the original. If the original supplied is not operating properly
due to being worn out, chances are that any duplicate of it will operate no better. Wear is most
extreme in "high-use" keys, especially car keys.
By keeping a "Master Copy" of a key and using it to make any needed duplicates from neither of these
factors should ever be a concern.
Just like a car's engine, locks benefit from regular lubrication. This is not to say that an oil change
is necessary every 3,000 openings or 3 months, merely that they should get a quick shot of lube "every so often"
or when they begin getting a little stiff or sticky.
For many years the general wisdom was to use graphite to lubricate all locks. This opinion is held by many
still, but I can attest from 11 years experience that a light machine oil like WD-40 ® is quite suitable
for use on your locks. Our can of spray is the first thing I grab before heading out to the shop parking lot
to have a look at someone's car locks that are being difficult.
How to lubricate you locks:
That's all there is to it. If this doesn't help a sticky or difficult lock, more attention is needed, either
the interior mechanism needs to be lubricated, which requires the lock be removed from the door (not recommended
unless you have experience), or there is another fault, time to consult your locksmith.
There are two cautions to this advice:
Occasionally, you will run across a door which remains locked all the time, in order to open it you must turn the key and
keep it turned as the door is opened, locksmiths refer to this as "Storeroom Function". It is not uncommon for these doors
to open outward as well, but is is particularly bad for the lock to pull the door open with the key. This is due
to the mechanics of the lock. There are small pins which "read" your key to determine if it is the proper one, if you look
at a key you will notice the flat spots that these pins fit into. When the key is pulled as it is being turned, the pins
will be forced into the wall of the cylindar and over time, wear down the pins and a groove into the cylindar, which can
cause the lock to be difficult to operate.
Try to avoid having too many keys on your ring. You might have noticed that a big bunch of brass keys can wind up weighing pounds.
This much weight is no good for the ignition in your car. Every little bump and jolt can act like a hammer banging away on the inside
of the ignition switch. This is pretty evidently bad for any auto ignition, but is particularly detrimental to most Datsun/Nissan vehicles. All locks
have a 'stop', that's exactly what it does, stops the key from sliding in any farther, effectively lining it up in the right place to be
'read' by the lock. In a Datsun/Nissan ignition, this stop is an unsupported strip of metal which is easily broken off, causing
key use difficulties.
Occasionally a deadbolt or doorknob will need a "strike adjustment". Houses can shift and move with changes in weather and temperature, and we must not
forget the unstable ground out here in California--- earthquakes can really cause a change in a house's alignment. The strike is the hole into
which the lock throws it's latch or bolt. Open the door, and look on the jamb side, you should see a hole in line with both the knob and the deadbolt (assuming
both are on the door...) The latch on a modern knoblock
is composed of two pieces, the main latch tongue and a smaller tongue, the deadlatch. This is a security item, the deadlatch is not supposed to go into
the strike, it should be held outside the hole. This deadlocks the latch and prevents the door from being jimmied open with a knife or credit-card.
The deadbolt is a whole lot simpler, it just throws the bolt into the hole.
If the door has changed alignment since the locks were installed, your locks may not work properly. Many doors have enough gap between them and the jamb
that you can see whether or not the deadlatch is staying outside the hole, and the deadbolt is easy to test, just open the door and turn the deadbolt to
the locked position. If it is easier to operate with the door open than when it is closed, the strike needs to be adjusted.
Adjusting a strike can be as simple as filing the hole to accomodate the bolt, or in some cases moving the strikeplate.
