Locksmith Service in Jonesboro, AR
Strike Plate & Bitting of Key
The strike plate and the bitting of a key are two essential parts of any lock. The strike plate is what the key pushes against when turning, while the bitting interacts with pins to open or close locks. However, many people don’t know how these two pieces work together and end up damaging their door hardware in the process. Locksmith Boro Arkansas offers this locking mechanism service guide to help you understand both the strike plate and bitting of keys, what they do, and most importantly, why they work.
A strike plate (or plate striker) is something your key pushes against when you turn it in the lock. These come in two varieties; rectangular boxes or “old work” plates, usually metal or plastic covers for pre-existing holes in doors or brick walls, and standard door bolt plates, which are meant to be set directly into the door jamb. A deadbolt has typically an extended door bolt that protrudes through the door jamb when locked so that someone cannot reach in between the edge of the door and the door jamb and push the deadbolt in. This door bolt hits the strike plate when you turn your key and lock or unlock the door.
The bitting of a key interacts with the pins inside the lock to open it (or keep it locked). The profile (shape) of this cutting edge determines whether or not keys match each other if they will only go into certain locks and whether or not they can be duplicated. Every standard manufacturer has its own system for numbering their profiles so that locksmiths worldwide can communicate with each other, but many people may have never seen these numbers before. Locksmith Boro Arkansas offers some beneficial complete locking assembly information about understanding these numbers.
A key profile is how the bitting of a key is represented in numbers and lines, usually on the bow (the wide part) of a standard key. The image to the right shows an example of a typical profile for Schlage keys – note that there are two holes rather than three because this was designed for home locks while commercial door hardware usually has 3 side pins). There may be letters or dots between some profiles, but if you removed any further information from it, it would just be a blank rectangle with no milled edges.
These numbering systems have been created so that people worldwide identify which parts will work on which locks. This is very important for lockouts or duplications so that the correct nose or side pins are used to open a door. There are many different numbering systems throughout the world, but most of them follow this basic formula:
Side pins on key – X Side pins on lock – Y Top pins on key – A Top pins on lock – B Not all locks have every number, and some numbers may be combined into one code. This means over 1 million possible key profiles for Kwikset, Yale, Schlage, Dexter, Union and most other manufacturers worldwide.
Mostly these letters indicate which side of the key is solid (cut) or has what cutters (usually small pins) in it. These letters are not necessary to read for lockouts or duplications, but they can help you narrow down which keys will work on specific locks. Letters commonly found are:
K – Knob (deadbolt)
R – Residential (round keyhole)
V – Very short (mortise keyway/vertical keyway)
J – Reversible (mortise cylinder or cam lock applications where the thumb turn is on the interior of the door instead of the edge).
The letter K always indicates a twist knob rather than a lever handle, while R is only used with round keyholes. Locksmith Boro Arkansas also offers some helpful information about how these letters impact your ability to duplicate keys.
These two tools indicate the amount of security a door has against unauthorized entry. Locksmith Boro Arkansas uses its own team of locksmiths to help solve complex problems related to these two things – strike plates and keys – for any home or business owner in need.
There are times when locksmiths have to change the type of lock used just for professional purposes. There are various reasons why they need to do so, but there are benefits and disadvantages if a person does it.
It becomes challenging to substitute or undo a door bolt from its old position and put a new one in place. This issue happens with doors because of the thickness and size of their frame. Suppose you don’t have fixed this type of the door before. In that case, you should look into why you should hire an experienced professional locksmith who can ensure successful completion of this replacement process without causing any damage or finishing issues along the way.
In case if someone needs to convert their doorknob into a deadbolt, then it’s essential to find out why they’re making this change. A lock change can be expensive, and if the original homeowner no longer owns the home or does not have a reason that justifies changing the locks, you should proceed with caution. Another factor is to ensure what workmanship will be done on your home since all doorknobs are not treated equally.
If the holes on your door for your locks are not clean or sharp enough, then you have been having issues with your keys getting stuck in the door. These problems consist of a lock that won’t turn and a key that’s stuck inside, resulting in a lot of frustration among homeowners since it leads to inconvenience.
Chances of this happening can be reduced if you have a garage door opener installed onto one of the doors. If you don’t know what type of strike plate is being used on any particular door, then it’s time for you to start looking carefully at each exterior door and every interior one for signs that they’re not sturdy. You should also see visible bumps or damage around where the lock bolt goes into your door frame.
When it comes to the doors, they are usually mounted so that they can be deadbolted from inside of each room in your home. This means if you don’t have lock bolt locks on your exterior doors, then you’re still susceptible to lockpicking and forced entry. Every place with a knob or keyhole installed needs to have locks so that people cannot get access unless they have permission. Every exterior door is solid wood, metal or reinforced so they can resist effective crowbar prying attacks.
A new type of strike plate will allow for screws that are keyed into the bottom plates of doors so that they don’t have to be drilled in, making them a lot stronger and more durable. Having a professional come in to replace your strike plate at the same time as changing your locks is a good idea if you want to keep people out of your home while saving money at the same time.
Having a strong strike plate installed with a specific type of integral lock is very helpful, but it doesn’t guarantee your safety from burglars. For that, you need to have at least one solid lock bolt on each exterior door that cannot be picked by lockpicks or manipulated if they’re not set correctly. Note that this means doors through which you can enter your house from outside and doors between rooms inside the house since those are still considered exterior doors.
Keys are the primary way you will have access to your home, so more than one person in your house must know how to pick locks or duplicate key copies if necessary. It’s also a good idea to keep an extra key hidden outside of your home for emergencies. If you plan on duplicating the keys yourself, make sure you stick with reputable dealers who are capable of digging up old profiles for discontinued brands and models.
Locksmith Boro Arkansas can help its readers understand these two tools better since they are very valuable for residential security. When used together, strike plates and locks can ensure your safety from burglars and keep unauthorized people out of areas where they don’t belong. Most people think that if their lock bolt is on and the door is locked, then they’re safe, but, in reality, it’s just not that simple!