Beach Locksmith

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High Security Keys
With the vast amount of information on the internet about 'picking' and 'bumping' locks, many homes and businesses are installing high security key systems. High security and restricted key systems are also used in places where the owners need to know how many keys have been issued and who has them. Traditional keys can easily be duplicated. Almost every hardware store has a key duplicator and a selection of the common key blanks.

Types of Restricted Keys

• Do Not Duplicate
  Do Not Be Fooled! These 'Do Not Duplicate' keys you see are worthless for a restricted key system. There are very few jurisdictions that have any sort of restriction on the copying of these keys. Key duplication restrictions are only enforcable when backed by patents that the manufacturer holds on their key design. The blanks are easily available and are only obscured versions of commonly available keys.
• Semi-Restricted
  With this type of restriction, the supply of the key blanks is controlled by a locksmith distributor. There is usually no patent on the key design and if the blank is available, then it can usually be duplicated with regular equipment. This type of key restriction is only good for low security applications as the blanks are only usually available to locksmiths. The imported systems for example from China and Taiwan are of this type. Some of these blanks are now being manufactured by after market companies, thus reducing the usefulness of the system even further.
• Controlled and Patent Restricted
  With this type of system, key blanks are restricted to registered locksmiths. Typically, every key is inscribed with the name and phone number of the locksmith that has that key registered to them. These keys are restricted by utility patents and unauthorized duplication is legally punishable. These key systems are the most prevelant. Although the 'keyway' used by each locksmith is not unique in the country, only the manufacturer knows where another locksmith with the same keyway is. Since each key is inscribed with the name of the locksmith, illicit duplication is not very likely.

Beach Locksmith is registered with several companies providing restricted key systems, including Mul-T-Lock®, Medeco® and Winkhaus® .