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ABUS
A German security manufacturer, founded in 1924 and with headquarters in Wetter (North Rhine-Westphalia). Its catalogue is very broad: cylinders, locks, padlocks, bicycle security, video surveillance and alarms. In domestic locksmithing it stands out for its cylinders with anti-bumping and anti-drill protection, and for its range of protected-shackle padlocks. It is one of the reference brands in the European market, with good availability of spare parts and master-keyed systems.
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Access control
A system that replaces keys with electronic credentials (card, code, fingerprint or mobile) and that records who enters, where and when. Its decisive advantage is management: if someone leaves the company, their credential is deactivated instantly without changing any lock. It pays off from a certain number of users or with staff turnover; in a small premises, a good mechanical lock is usually enough.
Adjustable strike plate
A variant that allows the position of the recess to be adjusted by means of screws, correcting small deviations between the door and the frame. It is very useful when the leaf has dropped over time, when the wood has moved due to humidity or when the frame has settled. Instead of forcing the closure every day, the original adjustment is recovered with a minimal intervention. It is one of the simplest and most rewarding door repairs there is.
AMIG
A Spanish company specialising in hardware and metal accessories for joinery and construction, with headquarters in the Basque Country. Its catalogue covers hinges, bolts, deadbolts, pulls, brackets and fixing elements, rather than high-security cylinders. In locksmithing it appears above all in the part of complementary hardware: the small elements that hold, reinforce and finish off a door, and whose quality quite conditions the final result of the assembly.
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Anchoring point
Each place where the door is held to the frame when closing. A three-point lock anchors in three positions; a multi-point one can reach seven or eight. The figure alone says little: the depth of penetration and the solidity of the strike plate matter as much or more. A frequent mistake when buying is to look only at the number of points, when what is decisive is how they are distributed and on what material they anchor.
Angle grinder
An angle grinder with a rotary disc, used to cut, grind and polish metal. In locksmithing it is essential in the manufacture of grilles, railings and gates, and also in destructive openings when no other route is viable. It generates considerable heat, sparks and noise, so its use on a door must be the last resort and always with protection of the surroundings so as not to damage frame or pavement.
Anti-break cylinder
It is manufactured with a controlled fracture line, so that if someone tries to break it, only the outer part gives way while the core that operates the lock remains intact and functional. It is an intelligent defence: it turns a destructive attack into a failed attempt, since breaking the cylinder no longer opens the door. After the incident it has to be replaced, but the home has not been compromised, which is what it is about.
Anti-bumping certification
A recognition that accredits that a cylinder has passed the specific tests of resistance against bumping, granted by an independent laboratory. It is what distinguishes a certified anti-bumping cylinder from another that simply advertises it on the packaging. When buying it is best to ask for the reference of the test or the classification in accordance with a standard, because the commercial label on its own guarantees nothing.
Anti-bumping cylinder
A cylinder designed to resist bumping, an opening technique that takes advantage of the inertia of the pins by means of sharp taps. It incorporates specially shaped counter-pins and elements that prevent that forced alignment. It is the most cost-effective security improvement that can be made to a domestic door: moderate cost and a considerable leap in protection against a method that is fast, silent and leaves hardly any trace. It is usually combined with anti-drill protection and a protective escutcheon.
Anti-corrosion treatment
A set of measures to protect the metal from oxidation: galvanising, primers, specific paints, oven lacquering or stainless steels. Its effectiveness depends on the prior preparation of the surface, a step that is often neglected. Applying paint over rust does not stop the process, it only hides it. On the seafront it is best to plan periodic checks and touch up the damaged points before the corrosion advances.
Anti-crowbar hinge
A reinforced hinge that incorporates a pin or projection that lodges in the frame when the door is closed, preventing the leaf from being extracted from the hinge side even if the pivots are cut. It is an essential complement on security doors, since without it the side opposite the lock is left as an obvious weak point. There are also independent pins to add this protection to already installed doors.
Anti-drill cylinder
It incorporates inserts of hardened steel or carbide at the points a drill would attack to destroy the shear line. Those pieces spin freely against the bit instead of letting themselves be perforated. It is an almost essential protection on home entrance doors, because drilling is a direct method that requires no skill. It is best to combine it with a protective escutcheon: if the cylinder is exposed, the attacker does not even need to aim carefully.
Anti-drill plate
A sheet of hardened steel or ceramic material located behind the door of the safe, in front of the mechanism, to prevent its perforation. The bits slip or wear out on it instead of going through it. It usually works together with the relocker: if the plate ends up giving way, the secondary block activates. It is the reason why a drilling attack on a certified safe turns out to be long and noisy.
Anti-pick cylinder
A cylinder prepared to make manipulation with a pick more difficult, the technique that consists of probing the pins one by one until aligning them. Its usual defences are irregular-profile pins, hardened counter-pins and internal channels that confuse the probing. It does not make the lock invulnerable, but it multiplies the time and skill needed, and that is enough: whoever forces a door seeks speed and discretion, and a cylinder that resists usually makes them give up and leave.
Anti-snapping cylinder
Snapping is the technique that consists of breaking the cylinder at its most fragile point to access the mechanism. An anti-snapping cylinder combines the controlled fracture of the anti-break one with reinforcements that make it difficult to generate the necessary torque. It is one of the most common attacks on homes with basic-range cylinders and no escutcheon. The most effective protection combines three elements: a reinforced cylinder, an escutcheon with rotating trim and an exact size, without protruding.
Anti-squatting lock
The commercial name for the high-resistance locks and the provisional steel doors intended to secure empty homes. They usually combine protected cylinders, reinforced anchors and, in some cases, plates screwed over the opening. Its function is purely deterrent and preventive: to hinder access to an unoccupied property. It has no effect on a situation that has already occurred, which is resolved exclusively by the legal route.
Anti-vandalism alarm
A system oriented to detecting and deterring deliberate damage to doors, closures or locks, rather than the intrusion itself. It usually combines vibration or impact sensors with a local acoustic signal. It is common in commercial premises and in exposed communal entrances. Its advantage is that it acts before the damage is consummated, while the attacker is still in the probing phase.
ARCU
A Spanish manufacturer of locks and cylinders, very present in the national market for decades. Its production focuses on rim locks, mortice locks and euro-profile cylinders, with a range that covers everything from the conventional home to higher-security solutions. It is common to find it on doors of communities and homes built in recent decades, which makes it easy to obtain compatible replacements without replacing the complete lock.
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Armoured door
A complete steel structure, frame included, with perimeter bolt pins that anchor the leaf on several sides. It is conceived as a whole, not as an added reinforcement, and its resistance to forcing and levering is far higher than that of a security door. It requires building work for its installation. It pays off especially in new homes and in those that stand empty for long periods, a very common situation among the second homes of Cabo Roig and Campoamor.
Attempted forcing
An action aimed at overcoming a door or lock that is not consummated. It leaves signs it is worth knowing how to read: scratches around the keyhole, lever marks on the edge, a bent faceplate or a turn of the key that has suddenly become irregular. Even if everything seems to work, the cylinder is usually damaged inside and ends up failing weeks later, almost always at the worst moment.
Authorised locksmith
A professional recognised by a manufacturer to install its systems and process duplicates of restricted keys by means of the property card. That authorisation is what makes the copy control of a security system effective. When hiring it is best to ask which brands they work with under authorisation, especially if a patented-profile cylinder is to be installed.
Automation
A set of elements that allow a door to be opened and closed without manual effort: motor, control unit, safety devices and operating system. It is installed on garage doors, gates and shop closures. Its reliability depends as much on the motor as on the door being well balanced: an automation fitted on a door that already drags or is stiff ends up burning out the motor in a few months.
AZBE
A Spanish locksmithing brand with a long history, known above all for its locks and cylinders for domestic and industrial use. It is one of the classic references of the national market and appears frequently on doors of old homes and secondary access points. Its euro-profile format makes it easy to replace with higher-protection cylinders when the aim is to raise the level of security without modifying the existing lock.
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