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Keys and locks come in many types and after reading this post you’ll know more about them than most! Hardware of this type is often taken for granted but we’d be hard pressed to protect our valuables without them. Even as far back as ancient Egypt and Sumer keys and locks were used to secure buildings, temples, palaces, and treasure stashes. That’s how the famous archaeologist Howard Carter knew that he had discovered the find of the century – King Tut’s tomb; it’s royal seal/lock was still in place, guaranteeing that the tomb was intact! The ancient Romans used to keep sealed boxes at home filled with gold or coins and the keys were part of their jewelry, worn as rings. These made having their keys handy as well as allowed them to show off their affluence in the form of fancy jewelry.
Commonly Used Keys
Pin tumbler lock key – do a Google images search for “key” and you will most often find these. You’ve seen and used these keys all your life. One end is larger for holding while the blade of the key has a series of grooves on it that when slid into the lock allows entry into the cylinder. This opens the lock after the pointed teeth and notches on the blade allow the pins to move up and down until they align.
Tubular keys – these are used to open tubular pin tumbler locks. These keys are easily recognized as they look so different from “regular” keys. They are cylindrical, hollow and shorter. You see them often in laundromats, bike locks, laptop security cables and portable lock boxes. These keys come in 4 and 8 pin models and are harder to duplicate due as they are less common and need different equipment.
Car keys – you obviously know what a car key is but did you know that there are different types? The typical car key can open the door, trunk, glove box and of course, start the ignition. These keys are usually symmetrical with grooves on both sides. Some models of cars come with valet keys which open the driver’s side door and start the ignition but do not open the trunk or glove compartment where important papers like registration and insurance documents are kept.
Keyless entry systems – just like the name says; there’s no key needed. Instead, access gained by using a keypad mounted on the car door or from a remote control (remote keys). Keyless entry is both loved and hated by drivers. Many won’t have it and others won’t do without it. In its favor, it does dispense with the actual “key” and is convenient. It also cuts down on theft as only the person who knows the actual code can access the vehicle and drive it. If someone was to enter numerous codes into the keypad in the hopes of striking the right one; the car would not open and additionally an alarm would sound and thieves know this.
Transponder chip keys – these are the most common automotive keys in modern cars. Each key has an embedded chip contained within that transmits a signal to the car’s computer system. When you turn the key a coded signal is sent to the circuit telling it to turn on. If the wrong key is used, no signal is sent and the car won’t start. These are also known as chip keys or transponder keys. Their big advantages are that theft prevention and also their difficulty in duplicating. Keys are easy to make and you certainly don’t need a locksmith in Maple Grove, MN to duplicate a regular pin tumbler key. Transponder keys on the other hand are much harder to make and the usual method is to work with your car dealership and pay large fees for chip key duplication and/or programming.
Here at Maple Grove Master Locksmith our service includes transponder key service. Using our technicians can save you money and time as we come directly to your location and program or duplicate your transponder key on site. Our service includes any key mentioned in this post and many others so don’t hesitate to call us for additional details.
Master Keys – these useful keys operate a set of several locks. The key itself is nothing special but they allow you to access several locks at the same time. This is so useful in schools, apartment buildings, stores and office locations as management or custodial staff only needs one key to open multiple doors or units. Before master keys it was common to see the janitor with a huge key ring that had to carried around everywhere. On the downside, losing the master key or having a copy fall into the wrong hands can cause problems as whoever has that key now can access every door or unit that it opens. Also every lock involved will have to be replaced or at least rekeyed and that task is both expensive and time consuming.
Magnetic key cards – these handy keys look much like credit cards in both their size and material. Modern hotels and high rise apartments use these with greater frequency as they are convenient, easy to program, and light weight. Each card contains a magnetic strip on the backside that is encoded with a long string of numbers and characters. These are compared with the lock’s interior reader and if the code matches, the door opens.
