Locksmith glossary
Clear definitions of locks, cylinders, keys, doors, access systems, security and brands.
A device that releases the closure of the door on receiving an electric signal from the handset or the access control system. It is the element that translates the order of the door entry system into the physical opening. There are models with and without memory, and of reverse operation for fire doors, which are unlocked when the power is cut in the event of an emergency.
It is the strike plate of the frame that incorporates the electrically operated release mechanism, so that the latch can come out without turning the key. In practice it is used as a synonym for electric door release, although strictly it designates the piece housed in the frame. It is a wear element: on communal entrances with a lot of traffic it is best to check it before it starts to fail intermittently.
It replaces the mechanical key with an electronic operating system: numeric keypad, card, fingerprint, mobile or remote. Its great asset is access management, since it allows permissions to be given and withdrawn without changing anything physical, something very practical in holiday rentals. It is best to choose models that keep a mechanical cylinder as a backup: a dead battery or a programming fault should not leave anyone locked out of their home.
It is operated by means of a numeric keypad and, depending on the model, accepts several users, an opening record or a time delay. It is faster and more convenient than the mechanical one, and it allows the combination to be changed in seconds. Its dependence on batteries is its delicate point, although practically all models provide for emergency external power. It is best to replace the batteries in advance and not wait for the low-battery warning.
External power that allows an electronic lock to be operated when the internal batteries have run out, applied to some contacts located on the front or by means of a compartment accessible from outside. It avoids being left without access due to a maintenance oversight. It is best to check where that connection is at the moment of installation, and not when the safe no longer responds and there is a rush to open it.
The usual commercial name for cylinders that incorporate the double-clutch function, aimed precisely at allowing access from outside in critical situations. It is often marketed under different names depending on the manufacturer, so it is best to look at the function described rather than the label. Its installation avoids many emergency openings that would otherwise end with the cylinder destroyed, something that in a medical emergency means gaining valuable minutes.
A service oriented to incidents that cannot wait: doors slammed shut, lost keys, jammed or forced locks. It is characterised by immediate availability and rapid call-out. When requesting it, it is best to specify three pieces of information that greatly speed up the intervention: whether the door is slammed shut or locked with turns of the key, what type of door it is and whether there is someone inside the home.
An intervention intended to recover access to a home, premises or vehicle immediately. The non-destructive route is always prioritised, although it is not always viable. Cases with a person trapped inside take precedence over the rest, and it is best to indicate this as soon as you call. If there is also fire, gas or a medical emergency, the first thing is 112: the fire brigade are the ones who should intervene in that scenario.
A mode of attention intended for incidents that cannot wait: jammed doors, lost keys, forced locks or compromised access points. It is distinguished by immediate availability and priority call-out. When requesting it, describing the situation well allows the right material to be brought and a second visit to be avoided, something that saves time and money for both parties.
The standardised cylinder format, with that mushroom or pear silhouette that most doors in Spain and Europe fit today. Its standardisation is precisely what allows a basic cylinder to be swapped for a high-security one without modifying the lock. What does change between models is the size, which must correspond to the thickness of the door. A cylinder that protrudes more than a few millimetres offers just the grip it is best to avoid.
It does not designate a specific mechanism, but the standardised format of the cylinder housing, with that characteristic mushroom or pear silhouette shared by most current locks in Spain and Europe. Its great practical advantage is interchangeability: it allows the cylinder to be replaced with one of higher security without changing the complete lock. That is why a cylinder change in this format is fast and economical, provided the exact size of the door thickness is respected.
An Austrian manufacturer founded in 1919, with headquarters in Vienna, centred on high-security locking systems. It is known for its cylinders with proprietary magnetic and curve coding technologies, as well as for its mechatronic and access control systems. It works with patented profiles and a restricted key, orienting itself to installations where the control of copies and resistance to manipulation are priorities.
View the EVVA pageA button installed on the inside that releases the door without needing a credential, allowing easy exit from a zone with access control. It is an element of people's safety, not of protection against intruders. On evacuation routes it must be accessible and signposted, and it is best to check periodically that it works: as it is used only to exit, its fault can go unnoticed for months.
A mechanical fixing that expands inside the drilled hole when the screw is tightened, pressing against the walls of the hole. It is fast and economical, and it works well in solid materials. Its limit appears in hollow brick and light partitioning, where the pressure breaks the material instead of gripping. On securitand theements it is best to consider the chemical anchor rather than trust expansion plugs.
A tool that removes a piece from its housing by means of traction, used above all to take out cylinders that are going to be replaced anyway. There are also specific extractors for fragments of a snapped key. It is a legitimate tool of the trade, although its principle coincides with that of an attack method, which explains why a cylinder should never protrude from the door.
A Spanish manufacturer of security locks, with origins in the Basque Country and a long history in the sector. Its catalogue focuses on rim locks, high-security deadbolts and cylinders, with a special presence in reinforcement solutions for home doors. Its deadbolts are a common option when the aim is to reinforce an existing wooden door without undertaking a complete security-plating.
View the EZCURRA pageA Spanish security manufacturer founded in 1899, with headquarters in the Basque Country, and one of the most veteran brands of the sector in Spain. It is especially known for its high-security rim deadbolts and for its protective escutcheons, as well as cylinders and locks. Its deadbolts with anti-drill and anti-crowbar protection are a classic of domestic reinforcement in homes with wooden doors.
View the FAC pageA security function that temporarily immobilises the electronic lock after several consecutive wrong combinations, normally for a few minutes. Its aim is to prevent the systematic probing of codes. It is common for an absent-minded user to activate it unintentionally, and in that case it is enough to wait the indicated time: forcing or disconnecting the power during the lockout can complicate the situation considerably.
A French high-end security brand, with origins in the 19th century and a strong specialisation in armoured doors, security locks and safes. It is a reference in high-level protection, both in homes and in banking entities and professional environments. Its doors and locks usually require specialised technical service and original spare parts, something to bear in mind when assessing an intervention.
View the FICHET pageA workshop name for the non-destructive techniques carried out with precision on the mechanism, without marking or forcing the lock. It requires specific tools, knowledge of the model and quite a lot of patience. It is the most valued work of the trade, because it resolves the incident leaving the lock as it was. Against the widespread belief that opening a door is a matter of seconds, a well-done fine opening can take its time, and that time is exactly what avoids the expense of a new cylinder.
It is the specific component that captures and verifies the fingerprint within a biometric system. It can form part of the lock itself or be installed separately, connected to a door release. Its quality determines the reliability of the whole: low-range readers generate false rejections frequently, which ends up discouraging the user and leading them to deactivate the system or leave the door unlocked.
A door designed to contain the passage of fire and smoke for a determined time, expressed in minutes according to its classification. It is compulsory in garages, protected stairwells and premises of public gathering. It must always remain closed, and that is why it carries a door closer. The most serious mistake, still frequent in communities, is to wedge it open for convenience: at that moment it completely stops fulfilling its function.
It is designed to maintain a safe interior temperature during a fire, protecting documents, digital media or cash. Its classification indicates how many minutes it withstands and for what type of content, since paper and electronic devices tolerate very different temperatures. It is best not to confuse fireproof with anti-theft: they are independent features, and there are models with one, with the other or with both certified separately.
A firm valuation of the total cost before starting the work, with a breakdown of call-out, labour and material. It should only vary if on arrival something different from what was described appears, and always with a warning before continuing. It is the customer's best protection against the abusive practices of the sector. If something does not add up, one is fully entitled not to authorise the intervention.
A flat and elongated metal profile, used in locksmithing for reinforcements, frames, crossbars and fixings. On grilles and gates it usually forms the framework that holds the bars. It is also used to reinforce doors and strike plates. It is a very versatile workshop piece, and its thickness directly influences the rigidity of the whole: a flat bar that is too thin allows the structure to give way when levering.
A car key whose metal part folds into the casing by means of a spring, operated with a button. Its advantage is convenience and the protection of the cuts in the pocket. Its weak point is precisely the folding mechanism, which loosens over the years and ends up leaving the key wobbling or without retention. When that happens it is usually enough to replace the casing, transferring the original chip and electronics.
It is installed in the floor and receives a vertical bolt that drops from the metal closure or the door, anchoring it directly to the ground. It is the usual system on the roller shutters of shops and on some gates. Its critical point is maintenance: being at ground level it accumulates dirt, water and sand, and ends up seizing up. In premises in coastal areas it is advisable to check it frequently, because the salt notably accelerates its deterioration.
A mechanism installed in the pavement that receives a vertical bolt from the shutter or the metal closure, anchoring it directly to the ground. It is the main closing point in most commercial premises. Being at ground level it accumulates water, dust and sand, and ends up seizing up. In coastal areas it is advisable to check it frequently, because the salt notably accelerates the corrosion of the mechanism.
It designates any manoeuvre aimed at retracting the latch from outside without operating the lock, whether with a sheet, a fine tool or pressure on the leaf. Modern latches incorporate a small auxiliary bolt, called an anti-crowbar or dead latch, which is blocked when the door is closed and prevents that retraction. If your door does not have it, turning the key when leaving is still the most effective and the most forgotten measure.
A fixed structure anchored to the structural opening on which the door rests and where bolts and bolt pins fit. Its solidity determines the security as much as or more than the leaf itself: an excellent lock on a weak frame protects little, because the attack is diverted towards the point that gives way. On armoured doors it forms an inseparable whole with the leaf. If it appears deformed or with the anchors loose, the entire system loses effectiveness.
A loss of the original geometry of the casing due to settling of the building, humidity or a blow. It causes the door to close with difficulty, the bolts not to find their housing and gaps to appear. An adjustable strike plate resolves the small deviations; the larger ones require intervening on the frame. It is a structural problem, not one of the lock, even though it is the latter that ends up taking the blame.
A zinc coating applied to steel to protect it from corrosion. The zinc sacrifices itself before the iron, delaying the oxidation for years. It is practically essential on grilles, railings and gates exposed to the weather. In homes near the sea it is best to demand hot-dip galvanising and not simple primers: the difference in durability against the salt is considerable.
A metal access door to a plot, a garden or a courtyard, normally integrated into the perimeter railing. It can be pedestrian or for vehicles, hinged or sliding, and it accepts automation. Its lock suffers much more than that of an interior door because it is exposed to the sun, the rain and the salt, so it is best to fit cylinders prepared for the weather and check them periodically.
It is the top level of the hierarchy, the key that opens absolutely all the locks of the system, including those beyond the reach of the sub-master keys. Its issue must be limited to a very small number of copies and be documented. Losing it compromises the entire set, and that is why it is always issued on a restricted profile whose duplicate requires a property card.
A dry powdered lubricant, the most recommended for cylinders because it lubricates without retaining dirt. It is applied in a small quantity through the keyhole, inserting and removing the key several times to distribute it. It is the correct alternative to oil and multi-purpose lubricants, which form a paste with the dust and end up worsening the jamming. An annual application notably prolongs the life of the cylinder.