Cylinder Keys

Cylinder Keys

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Cylinder keys are arguably the most popular and widely used keys out of any type of key. This is certainly true at least for front doors - with cylinder keys being the choice of most locksmiths for the security to the main house at the front. There are many reasons for the popularity of cylinder keys among locksmiths and if you understand their mechanism and the way they work then you can understand just why they are so commonly used.

A cylinder lock is so named because it uses a cylinder as a crucial part of its mechanism. Here the lock is made of one small cylinder which is housed inside another slightly larger cylinder. The smaller cylinder's role is to turn inside the larger one, and as it does to turn the mechanism and unlock your door. However in the closed position the smaller part is held in place by many small pins that hold it in place by poking into it. This is what gives the lock its other name the 'pin tumbler lock' (so you know what your locksmith is referring to if they mention that).

In order to open a cylinder lock then, the cylinder key designed for the specific
lock needs to be inserted. This has a serrated edge, the 'teeth' of the key and hat will e perfectly designed to interact with the pins by pushing them individually out of the cylinder so that it is free to move. Once the key is inserted, it can then be turned to operate the mechanism and let you in. To identify a cylinder key, look for keys that have a circular handle and a short blade sticking right out of it. The easiest way to know what a cylinder key looks like is to look at your own font door key - in 90% of cases that will be a cylinder key itself.

There are many reasons that this is often chosen as the key for front doors. The first of these is that it has the greatest number of potential pin combinations which is to say that it has more pins that need to be pushed out of the barrel in order for it to turn than say a lever lock. This makes it harder to pick, and also means that you will be less likely to use a different key and get away with it.

Another benefit of the cylinder key for your front door, is that it can be easily changed. The part of the lock that is unique is the smaller cylinder, so if your key gets stolen, this is the only part you need to replace which a locksmith can do quickly and easily - rather than having to take apart the whole door in order to change your locks.


About the Author:
A locksmith can install a cylinder key for you. To use a good locksmith san Francisco visit the link or for a locksmith San Jose.



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