Locksmithing Etc. October 2011

Check and Question Every Bill

In tough times, every penny counts. A great way to control those little expenses which in good times you seem to forget, is to check and question every bill. Checking and questioning every bill will help remind you of why you are paying for the service or products, and any discounts or arrangements made with other companies.

Looking closely at a bill can save you money. For example, a friend started to “check and question” every bill and discovered that he was paying $23 every month to a telephone company to have a telephone number appear in the White Pages. Regrettably, he stopped using that telephone number more than a decade ago.

Sliced Bread

Growing up I would often heard the phrase “the greatest thing since sliced bread” and never really understood the comparison. Now I know. On July 7, 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company of Chillicothe, Missouri, produced their pre-sliced and packaged white bread. Prior to this, bread had to be sliced before each meal and if you were part of a large family, it would be a lot of slicing.

Market Coverage With 70 Percent Fewer Key Styles

According to Axxess, premium quality nickel-plated Axxess+ key blanks for autos, homes, padlocks and many other applications give you the greatest coverage with the fewest key styles. Through a patented design, many Axxess+ key blanks are universally engineered so that one blank can be used in as many as 10 different applications. Axxess' revolutionary key concept covers up to 97 percent of your market's needs with just 76 key styles resulting in up to 70 percent fewer SKUs when compared to conventional key programs.” Quoted from the http://www.hillmangroup.com/axxess-keys.html

The basic meaning for locksmiths is that the Axxess+ key blanks in order to accommodate multiple keyways (greatest coverage), have been modified, which can include less thickness, modified lands and grooves, a longer shoulder that can be cut back and a longer distance between the shoulder and the head.

Chart 1 contains a list of Axxess rubber head non-transponder automotive key blank numbers. The “R” indicates a rubber head key blank. Axxess key blanks are not available to locksmiths.

Since most locksmiths sell standard dimension key blanks, to avoid selling a key that will not enter the lock, you must ask the customer what the Axxess+ key operates. If it is a vehicle, you need to know the year, make and model. If it is a utility lock, and the lock manufacturer is unknown, find a comparable grooved key blank of a similar or thinner thickness.

For more information, contact these keys suppliers at their web sites:

Bianchi               Web Site:www.bianchi1770usa.com

HATA                Web Site: www.hatainc.com

Kaba Ilco           Web Site: www.kaba-ilco.com/key_systems

Jet Hardware    Web Site: www.jetkeys.com

JMA                    Web Site: www.jmausa.com

STRATTEC       Web Site: HTTP://aftermarket.strattec.com

HG1 Carbide Cutter

A1 Security Manufacturing has a new carbide cutter for HG1 Tubular Key Cutting Machine, the hand crank, HG1 portable tubular key originating machine for 137, 137A & 137S tubular key blanks. This new cutter can cut brass, plated brass or plated steel tubular key blanks. The A1 part number for the carbide cutter is #HG1-605C.

According to A1 Security, the HG1 is designed to cut keys leaving a wall thickness of .004”-.008”. If your machine is leaving more than .008 or the cutter feels like it is rubbing, this could be a sign of a dull cutter.

For more information contact your local locksmith wholesaler or A1 Security Mfg. at 877-725-2121. Web Site: www.demandA1.com.

FYI

When you order a HATA vehicle remote, the complete remote with emergency key part number will begin with “HAT-“. When you order an emergency key, the part number will begin with “HAT-“. When you order a remote without an emergency key, part number will begin with “FOB-“.

Door Closer Warranties

Door closer manufacturers will replace leaking door closers that are within their warranty period. Warranties vary by manufacturer and model. If you do commercial lock work, contact your customers to determine if any of their door closers are leaking. Offer a service to check as sometimes the cover must be removed to determine if there is leaking. If you are an institutional locksmith, setup a schedule using the date of manufacture as a reference to check for leaking door closers.

An out of warranty door closer will almost always not be replaced by the manufacturer for no charge.

Car-Opening Techniques: Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon

This month we will offer recommended car-opening techniques for the 2004- up Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, two- and four-door models. The door locking mechanism in these vehicles are bicycle style cables. No linkage rods, which basically eliminates in the door tools. As a suggestion, it is a good idea to cover the tip of the open tool using duct tape. This way the unlocking point will be protected from damage.

The following opening methods can be used to unlock the 2004- up Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon:

Use the High Tech Tools Inside Access 35 Tool to unlock the front passenger door locking mechanism. Insert a wedge directly above the inside lock unlock button in the front passenger door. Insert the 35 tool through the opening created along the forward portion of the weather stripping. Slide the tool into the door cavity with the tip facing the front of the vehicle. Reposition the wedge to allow lowering the tool further into the door cavity. Continue to lower the car-opening tool until the shaped portion of the tool is beneath the bottom of the window glass. Rotate the tool until the shaped portion is on the interior side of the window glass. Carefully raise the tool until the tip on in the passenger compartment. Manipulate the tool carefully until the tip is positioned in front of the door lock button. Pull out on the button to unlock the door locking mechanism.

Use the Pro-Lok AO-34 “MCOT-Narrow” tool and an inflatable wedge to unlock the passenger door locking mechanism. Begin by inserting the inflatable wedge 12 inches from the front edge of the front passenger door window. Inflate the wedge according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Insert the AO-34 into the door eight inches from the front edge of the window with the tip facing forward. Lower the tool into the door cavity until the arch is beneath the bottom of the window glass. Rotate the tool until the arch is on the passenger compartment side of the window glass. Deflate the wedge. Carefully lift the tool until the tip is in the passenger compartment. Rotate the tool 95 degrees counterclockwise and manipulate the tip of the tool onto the manual lock-unlock button. Carefully rotate the button outward, unlocking the locking mechanism. Follow the manufacturers instructions for removing the car-opening tool.

Use the Slide Lock Frameless Window Tool™ to unlock the passenger’s door locking mechanism. Begin by inserting an inflatable wedge along the upper rear corner of the door frame to relieve gasket pressure. Slide the Frameless Window Tool into the passenger compartment above the wedge. Slide the tool in carefully to avoid the coupler damaging the car’s finish. Manipulate the tool over the inside lock-unlock rocker. Pull back on the rocker to unlock the door locking mechanism.

Use the Steck Manufacturing BigEasy “Glo” and a wedge to unlock the passenger door locking mechanism. Begin by inserting the wedge or inflatable wedge into the top corner of the door. Once the door has been wedged out, insert the BigEasy tool into the passenger compartment. Manipulate the tool to position the 90 degree bend tip contacts the passenger door manual lock-unlock button. Seat the tip of the tool along the edge of the button and pull gently to unlock the door locking mechanism.

Use the Tech-Train Productions TT-1032 car-opening tool and two wedges to unlock the front passenger door locking mechanism. Begin by inserting two wedges on both sides of the inside door handle. Carefully insert the TT-1032 into the door cavity with the hooked end facing rearward. Carefully lower the tool until the bend of the tool is beneath the bottom of the window glass. Rotate the tool inboard slightly and raise the tool slowly and carefully. The moment the tool bend can be seen within the passenger compartment, stop and remove the wedges. After the wedges have been removed, raise the tool until the tip is within the passenger compartment. Manipulate the tool until the tip is just in front of the inside lock control rocker. Carefully use the tip of the tool to swing the rocker outward in order to unlock the door locking mechanism. Carefully remove the tool according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

The direction to rotate the 2004- up Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon driver’s door lock plug to the unlocked position is counterclockwise. There is no key lock on the front passenger door.

For more information, contact your local locksmith distributor or the following manufacturers.

High Tech Tools, 1628 NW 28^th St., Miami, FL 33142. Telephone: 1-800-323-8324. Fax: 305-635-1015. Website: www.hightechtools.com.

Pro-Lok, 655 North Hariton Street, Orange, CA 92868. Telephone: 714-633-0681. Fax: 714-633-0470. Website: www.pro-lok.com.

Slide Lock Tool Co. Inc., 1166 Topside Rd., Louisville, TN 37777. Telephone: 800-336-8812. Website: www.z-tool.com.

Steck Manufacturing Company, Inc., 1115 S. Broadway, Dayton, OH 45408. Telephone: 800-227-8325. Web Site: www.steckmfg.com.

Lockmasters Inc. (Tech-Train), 2101 John C. Watts Drive, Nicholasville, KY 40356. Telephone: 800-654-0637. Fax: 859-885-7093. Website: www.lockmasters.com.

We are interested in printing opening methods from other car-opening tool manufacturers. Contact Jerry Levine, C/O Locksmith Ledger 3030 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 200, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Fax: 847-454-2759. E-mail: [email protected]