Author: ACME Locksmith

Where to Get Car Keys Made

ACME Locksmith Auto Locksmithing - Keys, Remotes, Ignitions, Locks
Where to Get Car Keys Made
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Where to Get Car Keys Made

Depending on the car you have, the options available to you will be different as there are many different types of car keys. Car key copies are generally the easiest to get, but car key origination (when you’ve lost all of your car keys) can also be done. Read more

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8 Things to Try When Your Key Won’t Turn in Ignition

ACME Locksmith Auto Locksmithing - Keys, Remotes, Ignitions, Locks, How to...
8 Things to Try When Your Key Won’t Turn in Ignition
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My Car Key Won’t Turn in Ignition or My Ignition Sticks

Key stuck in ignition
Key Won’t Turn in Ignition
It’s the worse possible scenario and it always seems to happen at the wrong time. You head out to your car, put your key in, and it won’t turn the ignition. What do you do? Ignition cylinders are made out of wafers and those wafers bend, crack and break over time. There are usually some warning signs, but like most people, you’ve probably ignored them until it was too late.

If you’ve found this article and the ignition is only sticking, you’ve saved yourself some time and money. Here are the 8 things to try, from the simplest to the hardest.

Read more

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What Types of Locks are There (With Photos)

ACME Locksmith Safety & Security Blog
What Types of Locks are There (With Photos)
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What Type of Locks and Door Locks are Available?

Lock Types
Common Lock Types & Functions

Locks can be broken down by function (how they lock), by application (what they lock), by style (lever vs knob vs handle), and by grade (how well they are built). This article explains and compares all of those.

Jump to:
Types of locks by locking function
Types of locks by application
Types of home locks by style
Pro Tip: How to Fix Your Home Latches
Lock Grades 1 2 3 Explained Read more

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Basic Equipment & Tools Needed to be a Locksmith

ACME Locksmith ACME Locksmith Franchise, Safety & Security Blog
Basic Equipment & Tools Needed to be a Locksmith
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What Tools & Equipment are Required to Run a Locksmith Business

Fully outfitted locksmith service vehicle.

The tools you will need to become a locksmith are key cutting machines (for key origination and duplication), software for code retrieval, lock picks, and a variety of small tools. This list talks about the basic tools and equipment necessary to get started and perform the most common locksmith services. As you grow your skill set, and start offering additional services, additional tools will be needed. Read more

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What is the Best Safe – 5 Things to Look for When Buying a Safe

ACME Locksmith Safes and Safe Information, Safety & Security Blog
What is the Best Safe – 5 Things to Look for When Buying a Safe
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What is the Best Safe to Buy?

Is the cheapest safe the best safe? Big-box stores like Costco carry large safes for under $700. But what do you get for that money? No. Cheap safes are built cheap to be sold cheap. They do not protect their content.

Check out this quick video clip that shows what you get when you buy a discount safe. Is this what you want protecting your money and collections? I took this video at my local Costco.

Finding the Best Safe Brand for You

The 5 Most Important Factors that Make the Best Safe Are. Read more

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How Do Locksmiths …

ACME Locksmith Auto Locksmithing - Keys, Remotes, Ignitions, Locks, Local Locksmith & Lock Shop, Safety & Security Blog
How Do Locksmiths …
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How’d He do That? How Locksmiths Make Keys and Other Interesting Tidbits.

Ever wonder how your locksmith did what he did? How he made a key appear out of thin air or how he opened that lock so easily? Here’s how it’s done. Read more

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Access Control System Overview – The Basics of Access Control

ACME Locksmith Commercial Door Hardware & Security, Keyless Entry / Access Control, Safety & Security Blog
Access Control System Overview – The Basics of Access Control
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Access Control System Basics – Components of Access Control

Want to install access control on a door of your business? What components do you need to buy for access control?

All access control systems can be broken down into the following components: Read more

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Locksmith Tricks to Save Money on Lock & Door Repairs

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, How to..., Safety & Security Blog
Locksmith Tricks to Save Money on Lock & Door Repairs
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How’d They Do That – 9 Locksmith Tips and Tricks

Lock Tip #1 – Door Not Closing Correctly – Locks Work Better with Lipstick

Is your door not closing? Do you find you have to pull the door harder for it to latch? Or maybe lift up on the door so it latches? The problem is a misaligned strike.

When a door is closed, the bolts Read more

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Types of Safe Locking Mechanisms – Which Safe Lock is Best

ACME Locksmith Safes and Safe Information
Types of Safe Locking Mechanisms – Which Safe Lock is Best
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Which Safe Lock is Right for You?

Jump to:
Traditional Mechanical Safe Dials
Electronic Safe Locks
Dual Safe Locks with Dial and Electronic Opening

Quick Answers to Common Questions

Safe dials rely solely on mechanical mechanisms to open a safe. If they are regularly serviced, they will last a lifetime. When they do fail it is either because they have not been regularly serviced or they have been somehow forcibly damaged.
Ease of use and functionality. If you need to get in quick, the electronic is the way to go. They also give you the ability to add time delays, multiple codes, audit trail and other features that mechanical locks can’t provide? This article explains all of your options.
Ease of use and functionality. If you need to get in quick, the electronic is the way to go. They also give you the ability to add time delays, multiple codes, audit trail and other features that mechanical locks can’t provide? This article explains all of your options.
The very first thing to try is to replace the batteries with a good set of high-end batteries. We’ve been to hundreds of “failed” electronic locks only to find the batteries were dead. If this doesn’t work, call your local locksmith.
Biometric Safe Lock

When we sell a safe online (check out our safes for sale) of the choices given to customers is what type of lock they want on the safe. Interestingly, I was born in 1967 and home computers starting making their debut while I was in high school. People older than prefer electronic locks while people younger Read more

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7 DIY Home Security Products You Need

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, Safety & Security Blog
7 DIY Home Security Products You Need
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DIY Home Security Products You Didn’t Know Existed but Will Love.

Padlock Keyed to House Key

As a locksmith I see new home security products frequently, most of them don’t stand the test of time and fade away, but there are a few that I really like because home owners can realize their value immediately to help protect their homes and families. These DIY security products are of the do-it-yourself variety and easy for most homeowners to take care of. If you do need help, your local locksmith should be more than willing to assist.

Read more

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How Much Does Access Control Cost Per Door?

ACME Locksmith Commercial Door Hardware & Security, Keyless Entry / Access Control, Safety & Security Blog
How Much Does Access Control Cost Per Door?
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Are you considering access control for your business? There are many advantages to these systems. I am often asked, “What will it cost to install access control?” The answer usually starts with, “What do you want in a system?” but there are some general guidelines.

What Does Access Control Cost?

Cost per Door Graph

Access control price varies Read more

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What Are the Best Home Deadbolts

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, Safety & Security Blog
What Are the Best Home Deadbolts
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We’ve published several blog posts in the past about why we like the locksmith versions of deadbolts over the big-box store locks. We are sticking by that article and maintain that the deadbolts sold by locksmiths are better in security and safety. Manufactures are just cutting too many corners to keep the big-box store prices down. But, we recognize some people want the most affordable lock solution, as opposed to the most secure. There is such a thing as “secure enough” for many, and lets face it, residential locks are easily available while the lock versions carried by locksmiths are not.

What are the best home deadbolts?

ACME Locksmith recommends the following, generally available deadbolts: Read more

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Our 3 Best Electronic Deadbolts for Your Home

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, Keyless Entry / Access Control
Our 3 Best Electronic Deadbolts for Your Home
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As a professional locksmith company serving the Arizona market for over 20 years, we’ve seen product come and go. But we do really like the new home electronic, keyless deadbolts. Let’s cut to the chase. Which are the best electronic deadbolts?

Our recommended best home electronic deadbolts are:

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Yale and August products have combined to make their new Smart Lock our favorite Smart Lock for remote monitoring. Read this article first and then jump over to the aforementioned link.

What are must-have smart lock features:

Read more

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Need a Key Made? ACME Locksmith Makes Them All.

ACME Locksmith Safety & Security Blog
Need a Key Made? ACME Locksmith Makes Them All.

ACME Locksmith Can Make Keys to Nearly Everything

People lose keys. It happens. Having a locksmith out to your location can be a very expensive way to replace those keys. The service call can often make the key origination more expensive than simply replacing the object.

If it has a lock, takes a key, or open and closes a door; ACME locksmith can repair it, replace it, or install it. Our technicians must pass yearly certifications to demonstrate their knowledge of the latest lock and security products. Read more

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Discount Safes Can’t Take the Heat

ACME Locksmith American Made Safes, American Security Safes, Safes and Safe Information
Discount Safes Can’t Take the Heat

When You Want to Protect Something Important, You Want an American Security / AMSEC Safe

Unfortunately, this home was recently lost to the Carr Fire in Redding, Ca. Upon returning the owners discovered complete devastation. The house had burned HOT and was still smoldering several days later.

But then…there was this safe…still standing… Read more

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The Most Secure, Small Burglary Safe You Can Buy

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, Safes and Safe Information
The Most Secure, Small Burglary Safe You Can Buy

There has always been a big hole in product offerings in the safe industry–small yet secure safes. So customers with small spaces have always had to choose between size or security. It’s just plain hard to build security into a small safe and keep the price point down. Anytime someone walked into our shop and said, “I want a small safe, but it has to be fire rated and burglary rated,” I knew I was in for trouble. We didn’t have any, no one did. But there is a big demand for a small yet secure safe, especially for jewelry.

Now, we have an solution we can be proud of. The first affordable, small home safe we carry that has a 3/8 inch solid steel plate in the door, inner locking bolts, anti-punch bolt work, and more.   Though small, this safe is burglary rated and is built as tough as the larger safes. The security features are incredible! Read more

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App KeyMe Copies Your Key from a Photo…for Anyone!

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, Safety & Security Blog
App KeyMe Copies Your Key from a Photo…for Anyone!

KeyMe Will Copy Your Key from a Photo for Anybody.

The new app KeyMe will send anyone your key to anyone that has a picture of it. In the screenshots shown, I tell KeyMe that I am copying my girlfriends key from a photo to break in to her home when she’s not there, and they’re eager to help me out!

Anyone can simply snap a picture of your home or business key and have it mailed directly to them. Voila! They are in your Read more

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Why You Want an Electronic Home Deadbolt

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks, Keyless Entry / Access Control
Why You Want an Electronic Home Deadbolt

Keyless entry has made it’s why to the residential market. There are a number of good home electronic locks out there, our favorite is from Yale (shown below). The Yale lock is sleek, has a beautiful look, secure, and Read more

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Car Lock / Ignition Repair

ACME Locksmith Auto Locksmithing - Keys, Remotes, Ignitions, Locks
Car Lock / Ignition Repair

Is Your Car’s Ignition Sticking – Time to Fix It

You wake up late. Quickly get yourself together and head to your car, desperately trying to get to work on time. But when you stick the key in the ignition, it won’t turn. Panic sets in.


It happens, and ACME Locksmith spends a lot of time repairing ignitions and other door locks that have been damaged over time. If you’re lucky. Your ignition starts to stick when you turn the key months before it fails. If you bring this car into our Mesa Lock Shop before you can no longer drive it, we can pull the ignition and repin it. Though inconvenient, this is a good thing since we will not have to perform the ignition repair at your location, which can be considerably more expensive.


Rekey & Repair Ignitions
Rekey & Repair Ignitions
Ignitions are a little different than residential and commercial locks. They’re composed of wafers that slide into position instead of pins. When one of these wafers is damaged (bent or broken) the key will no longer work the lock. That’s where we can help. ACME Locksmith removes and repairs the exiting locks to get you back on your way.


The picture below shows the wafers from a door lock our Shop Manager, repaired last week. This lock was in really bad shape and had completely stopped turning.



The benefits of using ACME Locksmith’s auto locksmith service?
  • We can repair what you have to save you money!
  • We charge much less than the dealer.
  • We do the work at your location, no need to tow your vehicle.

When your ignition or door locks start to stick, call ACME Locksmith before they stop working.

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Verifying Ownership – What Some Locksmiths Won’t Do for You

ACME Locksmith ACME Locksmith's Unique Value, Home Security & Locks, Safety & Security Blog
Verifying Ownership – What Some Locksmiths Won’t Do for You
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Verifying Ownership Before Opening Your Property

I’m the first to admit it, our company can be a pain. It’s true. But this, my friends, is a good thing.

When you call us for a car unlock or a house unlock, we WILL ask you to prove that you have rights to be in the property. Is the title available and in your name? Does the registration match your drivers license? Does your drivers license show the home’s address? Etc…

If you don’t have something that confirms you have rights to the property you’re asking us to open, we’ll ask Read more

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Great New Hollon Gun Safe

ACME Locksmith Safes and Safe Information
Great New Hollon Gun Safe

This great safe by Hollon has just been updated to provide even more fire protection! Amazing value for the price point with light kit, power, and door organizer. From 16 to 45 “comfort fit” long gun capacity. At this price point, it is the easy winner of similar brands like the Champion and Liberty safes. Read more

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Home Security Takes Another Hit

ACME Locksmith Home Security & Locks
Home Security Takes Another Hit

This is an update of a previously posted article. We are continuing to see newest versions of locks bought at the big box stores coming with plastic parts. Remember, to be sold cheap, cheap locks need to be made cheap.

A few months back ACME Locksmith discovered that the new Schlage SecureKey lock contained plastic parts. Being a Phoenix Locksmith service, this disturbed us greatly. This lock is no longer manufactured, but that hasn’t stopped Schlage from putting plastic arts in their newer models. The locks we buy and the locks the big box stores sell have the same part number, but as you can see, they’re not made the same. Read more

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Securing File Cabinets

ACME Locksmith Commercial Door Hardware & Security, Safety & Security Blog
Securing File Cabinets

Many file cabinets come with pre-installed locks. If you lose those keys, no problem. We can make a key for the cabinet at your location or ours. Even if the lock is missing, we can simply replace it and get you one your way with new keys.

We Make File Cabinet Keys

But what about when the mechanical linkage is broken within the file cabinet? The lock is present, and the key turns it, but the cabinet can’t be locked. In this case, finding and repairing file cabinet linkage is very difficult if at all possible. If it is an inexpensive file cabinet, it’s not worth it. But if they are expensive file cabinets, their is a more affordable way to secure them.

The simpliest and most secure solution is to install an external file cabinet lock. These locks have three major advantages over the lock that was pre-installed.

  • File cabinet locking bars are more secure than the factory installed lock
  • They are locked in place by a padlock, which can be keyed up to your business key (no need for an extra key). Alternatively, a coded padlock can be used.
  • It is easily retrofitted to the file cabinet.

    • File Cabinet Locking Bar

    The bars are easily opened and spring loaded to be held open until relocked. So when you want a filing cabinet without a lock secured or one where the linkage has broken, we have an affordable solution for that as well.

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A Great Sliding Door Lock

ACME Locksmith Child Proof Locks, Home Security & Locks
A Great Sliding Door Lock

When your arcadia, sliding glass door gets old one of the things that often fails in the door lock. While you could simply replace what you have with the identical item, this is the time to upgrade your door and strengthen the security of your slider by installing a Cal Double Bolt Lock. Why?

  • This sliding door lock easily retrofits above the existing lock and is often less expensive.
  • Its double bolt locking mechanism prevents the door from being open by lifting it off its tracks.
  • It has the added benefit of child protection. Because it requires both bolts to be open and can be mounted higher than the existing lock, little ones struggle to reach the lock and open the mechanism. For even more protection, a small key will lock the double bolt into place preventing it from being open at all.
  • It supports two sliding glass door that come together in the middle (instead of the frame).
  • You can Buy the Cal Lock on our website for quick delivery.
Cal Lock Double Bolt Lock
Sliding Glass Door Locks
Cal Lock Installed
Child Safety Mechanism

We started installing these locks when they first arrived on the market about 5 years ago. Up until that time, we were installing charlie bars on arcadia doors. Charlie bars were a great step above throwing a wood dowel in the window track. The secured to the slider and then folded down and locked into place on the frame of the sliding glass door so the slider could not be opened. But, they were not ideal. While the door was firmly held shut by a charlie bar, the door could still be lifted out of its tracks with a screw driver. This lock prevents that by securing the door with two bolts. One from the top of the latch and one from the bottom. This is one of the best ways to secure that sliding glass door.

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Medeco XT Easy Access Control

ACME Locksmith Commercial Door Hardware & Security, Keyless Entry / Access Control
Medeco XT Easy Access Control

We’re big fans of access control and even bigger fans of access control that doesn’t require wiring. No wire runs to distant doors/gates and no power supplies required make for more affordable keyless entry solutions.

That’s why we love the Medeco XT solution. With this system the power required to track access and audit locks is maintained within the key. So no power is necessary at the lock.

Who needs the Medeco XT system? When you have doors, padlocks, or other locks across multiple sites or spaced far apart, but not a large number of users, this is the ideal, cost-effective solution.

Product Highlights Include:

  • Controlled Access – Keys are programmed to allow access to a given lock during a designated timeframe.
  • Audit Information – Audit trails are recorded at both the lock and the key. Locks record which keys have opened them and when, and the key records which locks they have opened.
  • Physically Strong – Attack resistant design and temper-proof features protect against forced entry.
  • Cloud-Based Convenience – Online access to all programming, analytics and reports.
  • Flexible – Medeco XT cylinders are available for all of the most common locks. There are even padlocks and cam locks.
  • Eliminate Re-keying – Easily remove keys that are currently authorized.
  • Key Control – Medeco XT Intelligent Keys cannot be copied like traditional keys.

Lock Highlights:

  • Hundreds of cylinder formats available
  • Quick and easy installation
  • No power or wiring
  • Stores up to 2000 audit events
  • -40 to 140 degrees
  • Break-away stainless steel plug means lock will fail-secure
  • Drill resistant

Key Highlights:

  • Lightweight and rechargeable keys
  • Water-resistant
  • Opens up to 16000 locks
  • Customizable activation and expiration periods
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