Author Archives: Mara Rossi

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How do you recognise a high-security European profile cylinder?

At first glance, Security european profile cylinders are all very similar. The outer shape of the body is in fact practically the same for them all.

The details which distinguish a good quality cylinder, that is able to provide security and reliability over time, from a mediocre one are hidden inside.

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This is the right electric lock for a heavy door or gate

One of the typical uses of electric locks is closing main entrance doors. The problem is that a main entrance door can also be very heavy, especially if it is a large wooden door. But a large metal gate is also very heavy. In situations of this type a common electric lock can break frequently as it is excessively stressed at every opening and closing. Continue reading

5 features to consider when buying a chain to protect your motorbike or bicycle

As the saying goes, a chain is as strong as its weakest link. This is the case for chains by themselves, but it also applies in general for all security systems which consist of several elements. The entire system is as strong as its weakest component. If you lock up your bicycle or motorbike with a system consisting of a lock and a chain, it is therefore important to evaluate not only the quality of the padlock but also that of the chain. If the chain is the weak point, any thief will attack this instead of padlock.
But how can you recognise a good quality chain, which is able to effectively resist any attacks? There are 5 main features to take into consideration: Continue reading

Safes: only with a combination or also with an emergency key?

It may happen that an electronic safe can no longer be opened. It seems unlikely, but the most common reason is simply that the combination has been forgotten. Another possible reason is that the batteries are flat. When purchasing an electronic safe for the first time one generally also has the fear of not being able to open it due to an electronic faults, but, in the case of good quality products and workmanship, that is an extremely remote event.

In all these situations it is very useful to be able to open the safe with an emergency key. However, the key poses a major security issue. Continue reading

How do you open a door if there is a key inside?

The quality of a lock is judged by how easy it is to prevent unwanted access. However, there are situations where the presence of a lock can represent a problem even for those who are authorised to gain access. This is especially the case where you need to quickly gain access to a house or a room to rescue a person closed inside who is unwell and unable to open the door. Indeed, with common double cylinder locks, if the key has been left inserted in the keyhole inside the house one is often unable to open the door from the outside, even having another correct key. To avoid this situation, which can result in the loss of valuable time in the event of an emergency, there are cylinders designed specifically to be opened (with the key!) from the outside even if a key has been left inside. Continue reading

universal security escutcheon

How to install a security escutcheon on locks which are not set up for it (i.e. without DIN holes)

The security escutcheon, or defender, is a powerful shield that protects European profile cylinders against the most common attacks. In order for it to be fitted the lock must normally have special 2 holes for inserting the fastening screws, but if these are not present (either because the lock is simply not provided with them or because it is a version for metal sections where there is not the actual space to make them) the cylinder can still be protected with a universal security escutcheon. Continue reading

How to recognize a good quality safe at a glance

In the previous blog we have seen which locks exist for safes: mechanical, electronic, biometric. But let us now imagine that we are in a hardware store and that we have in front of us different models of safes: some expensive and others cheaper, of known and lesser known brands, simple and complicated. How do you understand which ones to take into consideration and which ones to discard because they are less secure? Some aspects, such as the quality of the materials, are not easily visible, but there are several clues which can help us understand if the safe we are looking at is designed and manufactured well or not. Let’s have a look at some. Continue reading

Which is the most effective lock for your safe? Key, electronic combination, mechanical combination or biometric?

When choosing a locking system for a safe it is worth remembering that a lock must not only be able to withstand any attacks, but also allow easy and secure management during daily use. Even the best lock is useless if its keys are easily accessible by a thief.
Ease of use and security in the day-to-day management of keys are factors which substantially differentiate different types of locks; let’s see why.

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Shutter fastening units, such as Viro Nuovo Condor shown in the photo, have the advantage of having an armoured body that effectively protects the floor fixing point.

The best way to protect a shutter

A shutter of a shop or garage can be closed in several ways: with one or more locks per shutter, with one padlock per shutter or with a fastening unit.
The locks fitted originally on shutters, such as those for garages, are normally quite weak from the mechanical point of view and are therefore very vulnerable to attack. If valuable goods are kept inside, for example the goods for sale in a shop, they should be replaced with more resistant products.
What is the best solution?
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