Category: Security Articles
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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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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…
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Best Combination Padlock in 2026: A Locksmith’s Picks
The best combination padlock is the Abus 190CS/60. Most combination locks are easy to bypass, but the Abus 190CS fixes the usual weak points with a tough body, a protected dial, and a hardened shackle, making it the rare combination padlock that holds up for more than short-term use. For a gym locker or luggage…
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How to Reset a Kwikset Smart Lock (With or Without Code)
To reset a Kwikset smart lock, slide off the interior cover, pull out the battery pack, then press and hold the Program button while you reinsert the battery. Keep holding about 30 seconds until the lock beeps and the LED turns red, then press Program once more. That factory reset wipes every user code, Wi-Fi…