Door Locks - Keyless Entry

Keyless adds a level of complexity, not necessarily strength.

Automobile keys and bicycle lock keys are or have gone away from the bladed key with teeth on one side which are still the primary form factor of most U.S. door locks.

Are you looking for strength against illegal entry, or strength against forced entry? Sort of different yet sound similar.

This appears interesting:
http://www.bosisystems.com/

Lock tumbler and key details:
http://www.bosisystems.com/Cylinders.html

Like cyclist said. A lot of keyless entry systems focus so much on being keyless they don't bother being locks (or at least, reasonable locks). The general rule for locks is you get what you pay for. Take a moment to realize that the majority of secured areas still use physical keys (or in some cases, key/keyless combinations).

When I get around to it, I intend to hunt around on ebay for a couple Medeco locks. Medeco are absolutely some of THE best locks you can get, and some places sell them used for way less than they're worth. I have one of them here and now and again try picking it. The best I've done is opening it when it has two (out of 6) tumblers and the sidebar, or three tumblers with no side bar. It's very hard to do, almost impossible (but not quite!) Plus, if power goes out it won't die on you. Just be aware, if you lock yourself out, 9 locksmiths out of 10 won't be picking the lock. If the rest of your house is as secure, they'll be drilling it.

Also do not do not do NOT go to a standard hardware store for locks. They have no idea what they're talking about. They'll sell you a mid-grade commercial lock and say it's completely unpickable (which is a load of hogwash) or the cheapest kwik-set and say it's adequate (also hogwash). IF you are not spending the time to really learn locks, you want to go to a locksmith. I have as of yet to meet a non-locksmith (and even some actual locksmiths) who know anything useful about locks.


But overall, unless you have a load of money to spend, or you're expecting you'll need to regularly change who has access to your house, I would stay away from keyless locks. The cheap ones are easy to bypass, even if they're a little more intimidating, the expensive ones are way more expensive than an equivalent keyed lock.

Definately see a locksmith - make sure you get a keyway thats not available at every big box store. Multi-point locking is great - just make sure that you also upgrade the door AND frame. Almost every residential door, steel or wood can be opened in a matter of seconds by a good swift quick with some force behind it. The door jamb will usually bust right out. When I finally build my house, I'll be using commercial steel jambs and doors, with a commercial mortised lockset. Probably add a security grille at the front entry to maintain a secure but nicer-looking door.

If you want a keyless lock for convenience then go for it, but, recognize the limitations. If you are looking to increase the security of your home, that involves more than locks. Longer screws for hinges and strike plates, window locks and security films, alarm system, are just some considerations. Locks only keep honest folks and the laziest burglars out. You need to increase the security of everything if that is your concern.

Good advices above.
Also reverse door, so it will open to outside.
Kicking it will be MUCH harder, also with steel frame/door impossible and pointless.

if you reverse it get the hinges that you can't pull pins on

If you can't upgrade to a steel door frame, make sure and sink longer screws into your hinges, strike plate and so forth. The ones that are there are like 1 1/2". Making them longer gives them more holding strength.

several of the hack/electronics projects sites have instructions for building your own keyless entry.

here's one http://www.hackaday.com/2007/05/12/keyless-entry-for-your-apartment/

some are prettier than others, but most use standard, off the shelf dead bold locks (so you don't have to sacrifice security). Many work off of keychain remotes.


Seems to me the best reason to have a keyless lock is so you can instantly unlock the door with minimal fuss (so keypad type locks actually seem worse to me from a "watch your back while you open the door" or "open the door while being chased" scenario).

Did anybody see the "glassgaurd" info in the links above? how cool is that stuff....

beyond that, a lock is only as good as the door frame...
Usually "theives" arent picking your lock.... they kick the door down ( you need steel frames ) or, they go through a window.

Personally, I believe that the best defense is an alarm system and carefully thought out "valuble" hiding spots and a game plan in case of a home invasion while your still there.

If you go with the outswing doors, ask for non-removable pin. Just remember - an outswing door is next to impossible to kick in, but makes the possibility of being barricaded in a concern. Not just by people, but even things like snow, fallen tree limbs, etc..

I have a friend who is in a fairly dangerous business, where he has made some pretty vile enemies along the way.

He has a house which is his "office". There is one entry door, steel, and it has two deadbolts ... opposite each other. One is above the doorknob and the other secures the hinge side of the door.

Try kicking that one in.... Oh btw, reinforced doorframe, etc.

keyless

I have matching keyless deadbolts for house, carriage house and office. I like the speed and efficiency - no fumbling for keys, hands free, etc. I can't remember the brand, but they are all locksmith installed heavy units.

Medeco are absolutely some of THE best locks you can get

Click to expand...

I have heard this same thing in a variety of LE and security circles.

Forget keyless. reinforce the doorframes and buy Medeco deadbolts.

go look up the term "bump key" and read as much as you can... 80% of home door locks can be defeated by a 2 dollar blank key... the studies done show that the more expensive the lock, the more likely it was to work... the cheaper locks use cheap metal in the mechanism which is more likely to break when bumped" than the hardened steel in the expensive locks...

for true security, you need a lock that has either two sets of tumblers, or one that reads not only the vertical surface of the key but also uses the flat surface for indentation of additional tumblers... most commercial grade locks are in this class, but they can all still be beat with a $10 can of freon if the person knows what they are doing...

in almost every case where a lock was tested against a bump key, the lock could be opened within 3 minutes...

http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/24/the-lockdown-locked-but-not-secure-part-i/

check that our for further reading... and keep in mind that almost every lock that you go get at home depot/walmart/lowes will easily be defeated by this method...