Author: Robert Vallelunga
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Are All RV Keys the Same?
No, not all RV keys are the same, but the compartment keys usually are. One universal key, the CH751, opens the storage compartments on up to 90 percent of RVs. Ignition and entry-door keys are different from rig to rig: RV doors typically use TriMark keys with about 1,000 cut combinations, and ignitions match common…
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Step-by-Step Arizona Eviction Process
Notify tenant in writing | File an Eviction Complaint Notice and Summons | Serve an Eviction Information Sheet | Get a Writ of Restitution | Serve the Tenant | Rekey the Property For the eviction process in Arizona, there are a set of procedures that must be followed to legally evict someone from your property.…
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Can a Locksmith Open a Safe? How Locksmiths Crack Safes
Yes, a locksmith can open almost any safe, and usually without damage. For a dead keypad or a combination that stopped working, they diagnose and recover it. For a lost combination, they manipulate the dial or look up the code. Drilling is the last resort, done at precise points and then repaired so the safe…
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How Locksmiths Make Keys for Locks Without the Original Key
A locksmith can make a key for a lock with no working key, a service called key origination. They do it one of four ways: cutting a key from the lock’s code, scoping the cylinder to read the cut depths with a camera, disassembling and decoding the cylinder, or impressioning a blank in the lock.…
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How Do Locksmiths Open Car Doors? The Tools and Process
Locksmiths open a locked car by wedging the door open a crack and using a long-reach tool to press the unlock button or pull the handle, the safest method on modern cars. Other options are a slim jim or multi-car opening tool that works the door linkage inside the door, picking the door lock, or…
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Why Your Schlage Electronic Deadbolt Unlocks When Pushing the Schlage Button (and How to Fix It)
If your Schlage BE365 deadbolt unlocks the moment you press the Schlage button, or your code locks the door instead of unlocking it, the drive cam was installed 180 degrees backwards. It is the most-missed step in the manual. Pressing Schlage is supposed to let you lock with the thumbturn, not unlock. The fix: take…
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BHMA Lock Grades: AAA Rating Explained vs ANSI
BHMA lock grades rate a residential lock in three areas: Security, Durability, and Finish. Each gets an A, B, or C, where A is best, so AAA is the top BHMA grade. Unlike ANSI, which gives one number to the whole lock or a single component, BHMA grades the entire finished product. For a home,…
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Why is Your Ignition Hard to Turn? Causes and Fixes
If your ignition is hard to turn, it is an early warning, that something is failing and one day your key won’t turn at all. There are three causes: a worn key (most common), a worn or dirty ignition cylinder, or a binding steering-wheel lock. Try a spare key first, if it turns easily your…
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How to Unlock a Bedroom or Bathroom Door (5 Ways)
To unlock a bedroom or bathroom door from the outside, use the small hole or slot in the center of the knob. A privacy lock has no keyhole, just that hole, which reaches the inner turn-piece. Push a privacy key, a small flathead screwdriver, a thick paper clip, or a flattened clothes-hanger tip straight into…
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Best Lock Lubricant: What Locksmiths Use (and What to Avoid)
The best lock lubricant is a Teflon (PTFE) dry lube such as Tri-Flow. It frees the lock without attracting dust, so the cylinder keeps turning smoothly for years. Powdered graphite works on a clean lock but builds up and jams over time, and oil sprays like WD-40 are the worst choice for a lock because…