Locksmith glossary
Clear definitions of locks, cylinders, keys, doors, access systems, security and brands.
A Swiss brand of locking systems, founded in Zurich at the end of the 19th century and today part of a large international security group. It is known for its high-security cylinders with a reversible key and for its access control systems for hotels, airports and large installations. Its patented profiles with a restricted key place it among the reference options when the control of copies is a priority.
View the KABA pageA piece that operates the lock when inserted into the cylinder and aligns its internal mechanism. It consists of three parts: the head or bow by which it is held, the body or blade and the cuts that contain the coding. Its wear is progressive and inevitable with use. A key that starts to need a knack to turn, or that bends, is not a problem with the key: it almost always warns that the cylinder is fatigued.
An uncut key, in the raw, with the manufacturer's profile already defined but without the coding cut in. It is the raw material of the duplicate: the locksmith selects the blank whose profile matches the cylinder and machines it according to the original or the code. Its availability is decisive in a restricted system: as the blanks of a patented profile are not sold freely, nobody outside the system can make copies even if they have the machine.
A procedure that renders a particular key ineffective while keeping the rest of the system's keys operative. It can be achieved by recoding the cylinder, by means of single-use keys or, in electronic systems, by deactivating the device. It is the appropriate response when a key is lost or when someone ceases to have the right of access, and it avoids the expense of a complete lock change.
The set of depths and positions of the cuts that define that particular key and no other. It is normally expressed as a numeric sequence. The number of possible combinations of a system is a direct indicator of its security: the more there are, the lower the probability that two locks share a key by chance. In high-security profiles these figures reach magnitudes that make chance a practically negligible possibility.
It is used equivalently to duplication in common language, although in the trade the copy designates the result and the duplication the operation. On security keys the copy is not obtained by reproducing the contour, but by ordering from the manufacturer while presenting the property card. It is exactly that difference of procedure that makes a key restricted and gives control over how many exist.
The operation of cutting into the key the combination that corresponds to the cylinder, whether from a code or from the measurements of the mechanism. It is also used to designate the reverse process: coding a cylinder to respond to a particular key. It is what allows several cylinders to be keyed alike under the same key or a new lock to be integrated into an existing master-keyed system without replacing it entirely.
The manufacture of a new key from an original, by means of a duplicating machine that follows the contour of the model. It is fast and economical for conventional keys. It is worth bearing in mind a detail that causes many problems: duplicating from a copy carries over and enlarges the deviations, until the resulting key forces the cylinder. It should always start from the original, and if this is already worn, it is better to resort to the code.
Here all the cylinders of the set share exactly the same combination, so that a single key opens all the doors equally, without hierarchies. It is what is requested to have the same key for home, storeroom and garage. It differs from the master-keyed one in that there is no superior key or distinctions between users. It has an obvious downside: losing that key means losing access to everything, so it is best to set it up on a restricted system.
Here there is no hierarchy: all the cylinders share the same combination and a single key opens them all equally. It is what is requested to carry a single key for home, storeroom and garage. It differs from master-keying in that there is no superior key or distinction between users. Its downside is direct: losing that key means losing access to everything, so it is best to set it up on a restricted profile.
A scheme that defines which key opens which lock within a master-keyed system, with all its levels. It is drawn up before manufacturing the cylinders and determines the complete structure of access. A well-planned chart anticipates future growth and leaves free combinations for new doors. It is the key document of the system and must be kept safe, together with the register of keys handed over.
The popular name for the keyway, still very much used in common speech. Historically it designated the opening of old bit-key locks, large enough to look through, which is where the expression comes from. In professional terminology the term keyway is preferred, being more precise. Both refer to the same point of the door, although the popular form usually appears in customers' descriptions and the technical one in quotes and data sheets.
More advanced equipment, generalland theectronic, that machines the key from a code instead of copying an original. It allows dimple, security and automotive keys to be made with very tight tolerances. Its great advantage is that it does not carry over the wear of the model: the resulting key fits the manufacturer's original measurements, not those of a key already punished by use.
It is opened by entering a numeric code, without a physical key. It is very practical in holiday rental homes, where it allows access to be handed over remotely without travelling or duplicating keys. Two important precautions: change the code periodically, because the wear of the most-used keys ends up giving it away, and choose models that keep a mechanical cylinder as a backup so as not to depend exclusively on the battery.
It is the silhouette of the cross-section of the key, those longitudinal grooves that run along its body and that must match the internal channels of the cylinder. It works as a first filter: a key of a different profile does not even manage to enter. Each manufacturer develops its own, and some are protected by patent. It is precisely the profile, more than the cuts, that determines whether a key can be freely duplicated or not.
The most frequent incident in any door opening service. Before calling it is best to check accessible windows or terraces and whether someone trustworthy has a copy. What should not be done is to try to open with cards or wires, because the usual thing is to end up damaging the cylinder and making the repair more expensive. When calling, indicate whether the door is slammed shut or locked with a key, and whether there is someone inside.
It is the opening through which the key is inserted, with the cut-out profile that only accepts the corresponding type of key. It is in view from outside the door and is usually protected by an escutcheon or trim. It is worth keeping an eye on it: fine scratches around it, metal residue or marks from a blow are among the few visible signs of a previous manipulation attempt, and merit a check of the cylinder.
A spherical or cylindrical pull that is operated by turning it. Common on interior doors and in American-style construction. As a home access system it has two serious limitations: it demands gripping force, which makes it difficult for elderly people or those with arthritis to use, and in the models that integrate the lock in the knob itself it is vulnerable to forced turning and breakage.
It integrates the mechanism inside the round knob itself, with the keyhole in the centre. It is very common on interior doors, offices and in American-style construction. Its main limitation is structural: by concentrating the whole system in a piece that protrudes, it is vulnerable to forced turning and breakage. For a home entrance door it is not considered suitable, although it performs perfectly in bedrooms, offices and bathrooms.