Category Archives: Locks and Cylinders

Perceived security and real security: sometimes the appearance is deceiving – the example of rim door locks

Leave a reply

They have a long and massive dead-bolt. As many as 6 throws may be needed to close and open them. When you use them they make a noise very similar to that of bank vaults in action films. Yet, in spite of all this, they don’t provide high security. We are talking about certain types of rim door locks, which are known in Italian as “ferroglietti”. Let’s have a look at them. Continue reading →

Locks for shutters: the first security barrier for shops, warehouses and garages

Leave a reply

We are in Marcellina, a town in the province of Rome, during the night between the 17th and 18th September. 3 people with their faces hidden by balaclavas quickly get out of a car. Within seconds they manage to force the shutter of a jeweller’s, entering and stealing jewels worth 50 thousand euros.
The peculiar aspect of this theft is that surveillance cameras filmed all the action and the video was put on the Internet, but such actions are repeated every night throughout Italy. Shutters are in fact the most commonly used system to close shops, warehouses and garages. These are all places particularly attractive for thieves, as they contain valuable items and are typically unattended for long periods of time, particularly at night.
Can something be done to prevent it? Continue reading →

There are videos on the Internet showing locks and padlocks being opened with great ease… is that really the case?

1 Reply

Opening a lock without breaking it is possible, and many videos on the Internet demonstrate this. And it would appear to be very simple. But, to avoid getting the wrong impression, one should bear in mind that in reality things are much more complicated. Continue reading →

The new Viro Electronic Locking Bar

The new Viro Electronic Locking Bar: double protection, security lock and real-time alarm

2 Replies

The daily newspapers are always writing about how thieves are increasingly skilled in opening the doors to apartments, basements and garages. Faced with these increased skills, the defence strategy must be twofold. On the one hand, it is worth keeping one’s defence systems updated with the latest technological solutions, such as replacing the old double bit lock with new European security cylinders. On the other hand, however, it is also important to combine different technologies and solutions, such as mechanical and electronic, without entrusting the entire system to a single type of defence. Different solutions and technologies require different tools and skills in order to be attacked, and it is much more unlikely that a burglar possesses them all. A burglar who specialises in opening doors by brute force (still the most commonly used method) is unlikely to be equipped to overcome an electronic alarm. Conversely, a burglar who specialises in overcoming alarm systems may not be able to open a good security lock, which requires specific expertise and tools. Continue reading →

How does one recognise a good quality rim door lock?

Leave a reply

Rim door locks are mainly used to secure gates, garage doors, industrial doors, cellar doors etc. They are relatively simple locks, but by no means are they all the same. Several features can make the difference between a lock that does its duty and one that exposes us to considerable risks, which are completely avoidable. Continue reading →

Can you distinguish a double bit lock from a European cylinder?

Leave a reply

Seaside or mountains? Dog or cat? Double bit or European cylinder? Life is full of choices and when you have to choose a lock for your front door the first decision you are facing is between a double bit lock and a European cylinder. It is a decision that can intimidate laymen, because the two types have various strengths and weaknesses. Let’s start to understand how to distinguish one from the other. It is very simple, let’s see how. Continue reading →

How many different keys exist for a lock?

2 Replies

A rather widespread rumour tells of how the owners of a famous car, produced by a well known Italian car manufacturer in the 1980s, which was very often white in colour, often opened by mistake someone else’s car with their own key, when confusing it with their own car in a parking lot, maybe when leaving the cinema or a concert.
Maybe it is just an urban myth, but it does make one reflect on an important security issue: how many different keys exist for a given lock? In other words, what is the probability that a person in possession of a key can open another lock of the same type, as well as their own? This is not just a mere curiosity. There are situations in which this can actually happen. For example, there are dozens of mailboxes with the same lock in a large condominium: is it possible that a key can open more than one? Continue reading →