Gonzales
Locksmith Service
Locksmith Service
GONZALES LOCKSMITH SERVICE, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA 505-920-5004 * info@gonzaleslock.com |
PRODUCTS: Products have certainly changed in recent history. Manufacturers have
merged, consolidated and left the scene for whatever reason. Once, there were
hundreds of independent lock manufacturers, now, there are very few. Most of them
are part of large industrial companies such as Ingersoll-Rand and Stanley Works.
Old names such as Yale, Corbin and Russwin are not what they once were. I've also
had problems with Sargent and Schlage . Schlage, unfortunately, has become a
bunch of JUNK and I have no confidence in their products anymore. This is after
years of thinking Schlage was the greatest. Kwikset is still OK and certainly better
than Schlage if you are going to buy your own at Home-Depot or Lowes. Many of the
decorator lines of hardware are also not well made even though they are often
expensive .Pella Doors and others come with poorly made lock cylinders. In my
opinon, anything from Schlage, Yale, Corbin-Russwin, Ashley-Norton and several
others are over-priced junk.
People often ask what brand of locks I recommend. There are no easy answers, the
only brands that I can unconditionally endorse are MEDECO AND ABLOY. I would
like to add ASSA to that short list but their deadbolt needs help. These products are
made and tested to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) UL437 standard. While far from
perfect, UL437 rated cylinders are far superior to non listed ones. This is usually true,
but sometimes products fall short as seen on ASSA DEADBOLT DOWNGRADE.
Most people can't justify the cost of these products, they are built for extreme security,
endurance and key control and their prices reflect it. Products such as Schlage are
built to maximize profits for Ingersoll-Rand, Home-Depot and Lowes.
Brand names aren't what they were once were, many are just marketing tools.
Names such as Weiser Lock are just ghosts of the companies they once were, with
manufacturing shipped off-shore. Carefully scrutinize any product, don't just settle for
a name unless it's one of the top two in the industry.
merged, consolidated and left the scene for whatever reason. Once, there were
hundreds of independent lock manufacturers, now, there are very few. Most of them
are part of large industrial companies such as Ingersoll-Rand and Stanley Works.
Old names such as Yale, Corbin and Russwin are not what they once were. I've also
had problems with Sargent and Schlage . Schlage, unfortunately, has become a
bunch of JUNK and I have no confidence in their products anymore. This is after
years of thinking Schlage was the greatest. Kwikset is still OK and certainly better
than Schlage if you are going to buy your own at Home-Depot or Lowes. Many of the
decorator lines of hardware are also not well made even though they are often
expensive .Pella Doors and others come with poorly made lock cylinders. In my
opinon, anything from Schlage, Yale, Corbin-Russwin, Ashley-Norton and several
others are over-priced junk.
People often ask what brand of locks I recommend. There are no easy answers, the
only brands that I can unconditionally endorse are MEDECO AND ABLOY. I would
like to add ASSA to that short list but their deadbolt needs help. These products are
made and tested to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) UL437 standard. While far from
perfect, UL437 rated cylinders are far superior to non listed ones. This is usually true,
but sometimes products fall short as seen on ASSA DEADBOLT DOWNGRADE.
Most people can't justify the cost of these products, they are built for extreme security,
endurance and key control and their prices reflect it. Products such as Schlage are
built to maximize profits for Ingersoll-Rand, Home-Depot and Lowes.
Brand names aren't what they were once were, many are just marketing tools.
Names such as Weiser Lock are just ghosts of the companies they once were, with
manufacturing shipped off-shore. Carefully scrutinize any product, don't just settle for
a name unless it's one of the top two in the industry.
Products in the mid-range have to be picked carefully. Here, no single
manufacturer can possibly be all things to everyone. I hand-pick from
brand-names and no-names. I can usually find a suitable product that I don't have
to worry about, depending upon the application and budget.
manufacturer can possibly be all things to everyone. I hand-pick from
brand-names and no-names. I can usually find a suitable product that I don't have
to worry about, depending upon the application and budget.
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In a cost-cutting measure, Schlage switched to a
"collapsible" cylinder, it saves a few steps in the
manufacturing and assembly process. The problem is
that it's not very stable and is vulnerable to fall apart or
jam-up. They use it in a majority of Schlage entry locks
from Home Depot and Lowes including the "Accents"
line. These poorly performing cylinders can be found
in other locks under other names like Yale and Harloc.
"collapsible" cylinder, it saves a few steps in the
manufacturing and assembly process. The problem is
that it's not very stable and is vulnerable to fall apart or
jam-up. They use it in a majority of Schlage entry locks
from Home Depot and Lowes including the "Accents"
line. These poorly performing cylinders can be found
in other locks under other names like Yale and Harloc.
This cylinder was on a Pella door on a brand new house. I
was called to re-key the house for the new owner,
something I do regularly. I got a message Friday night that
the lock "fell apart" so I went back on Saturday to have a
look. The cap that holds the thing together split in two and it
fell apart the first time she tried the key. I replaced it with
another cylinder and explained what happened. I was upset
at the manufacturer for that. I have seen many poorly made
cylinders in Pella and other doors, some of them won't stay
together at all.
was called to re-key the house for the new owner,
something I do regularly. I got a message Friday night that
the lock "fell apart" so I went back on Saturday to have a
look. The cap that holds the thing together split in two and it
fell apart the first time she tried the key. I replaced it with
another cylinder and explained what happened. I was upset
at the manufacturer for that. I have seen many poorly made
cylinders in Pella and other doors, some of them won't stay
together at all.
When I re-key locks, there's a one-year warranty on the work if
the lock is one of reasonable quality and is not worn out or
abused. However, there is NO WARRANTY on these cylinders.
the lock is one of reasonable quality and is not worn out or
abused. However, there is NO WARRANTY on these cylinders.
Recently, I dropped Arrow deadbolts from our product offering. This, after
dropping the M series locks last summer after many problems. After shipping
production to Mexico to reduce costs, quality also got reduced and I don't see it
coming back anytime soon. Arrow shot themselves in the foot.
Schlage, on the other hand, now makes a great mid-range (under $100)
deadbolt. This lock is well-made and packed with features. I'm stocking up on
them as I can. After all the bad things I have said about Schlage, this deadbolt is
really nice! I like Schlage again, but just a little.
dropping the M series locks last summer after many problems. After shipping
production to Mexico to reduce costs, quality also got reduced and I don't see it
coming back anytime soon. Arrow shot themselves in the foot.
Schlage, on the other hand, now makes a great mid-range (under $100)
deadbolt. This lock is well-made and packed with features. I'm stocking up on
them as I can. After all the bad things I have said about Schlage, this deadbolt is
really nice! I like Schlage again, but just a little.
Check out my BLOG!