What is IB?
If you have always heard these strange acronyms, IB, TOK, CAS, IA, EE, never knew what they meant and want to know, we are hosting an IB information session for parents on Monday, October 16 at 8:30 am in the MPR.
RESIDE is an exclusive collection of one, two and three bedroom homes with a coveted Westside Vancouver address. With some of Vancouver’s best parks and amenities close by, this is a well-established neighbourhood. RESIDE will be home to 33 concrete homes and 2 floors of parking. RESIDE is situated near shopping, parks, top-ranked schools, entertainment and dining. Langara Golf Course and Winona Park are within walking distance for you to enjoy Vancouver’s great outdoors. Vancouver International Airport is less than 10 minutes away when you board the Canada Line at Marine Drive Station.
Marcon Developments began as a construction company and gave them the experience to deliver homes not only of high standards, but also of high value. Since inception, they have given the keys to homeowners to more than 10,000 new homes and helped dreams become reality. Marcon has developed some notable residences over the years, such as the first high-rise in Canada to achieve LEED certification. Building to these standards helps to future-proof your home, as well as allowing you to breathe easy from the first day you move in.
The post Reside by Marcon at Cambie Village appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
September 30: OPEN
October 1 to 4: CLOSED
October 5 to 9: OPEN 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Contact: 80462822
|
8:15 – 9:35 |
Block D |
|
9:35 – 9:45 |
Break |
|
9:45 – 11:05 |
Block A |
|
11:10 – 12:30 |
Block B |
|
12:30 – 13:05 |
Lunch |
|
13:05 – 14:20 |
Block C Students move to the stadium at 14:20 for Terry Fox Run |
The front door is extremely important to a building’s security, so it would follow that you need some form of front door reinforcement. According to some very shocking burglary statistics, approximately 34% of all burglaries in the USA had the front door determined as the primary point of entry. Doors play a tremendous role in security overall, but your front door is most likely to be the first barrier a criminal will encounter.
A higher security door jamb is a great place to start. And after dealing with door jamb reinforcement, we can move onto the other ways to reinforce a front door. All of which a locksmith can provide what you need to achieve the peace of mind you are hoping for with your front door reinforcement.
The most popular way to improve the security of a front door is with a higher security door jamb. There are many products that you can get online that specialize in door jamb replacement. The Door Devil is a good example of these higher security door jamb products.
The price of many of these door jamb reinforcement products hover somewhere around eighty dollars, but whatever you are paying, you want to make sure the kit comes with several things. If you go through a locksmith for this type of purchasing, you can cut down some of the homework, but it is still important to ask your locksmith some questions to know if they are the right locksmith for your needs.
One of the most important parts of door jamb reinforcement is on the locking side of the door jam. This should be an extended piece of steel with a decent gauge that will provide strength without being thick enough to cause the door to stick. There should be some form of hinge protection as well that will provide door jamb reinforcement for the opposite side of the jamb.
The set screws provided for installation should be somewhere around three inches in length so that all of these items can secure into the stud. The real reason a higher security door jamb is so crucial is that the set screws provided for most residential locksets are only long enough to bite into the door trim.
Some people choose to handle door jamb reinforcement with nothing but 3-inch screws. This is a much cheaper solution, but in the world of security cost often goes hand in hand with protection. You are sacrificing quite a bit by not doing everything possible for your door jamb reinforcement.
It is important to know that this type of front door reinforcement is the most foundational to your door’s security. Most criminals will try to open a door with kicking or other similar bludgeoning and ramming attacks. For that reason, it is important to start your security with this type of front door reinforcement. Locksmiths are a great resource for having this important type of work done right. You will not know if your door jamb is properly reinforced until it is too late to have a professional’s insight.
Key Takeaways:
With good higher security door jamb taken care of, the next step is to secure your lock hardware. This is important to do as a second step because it is more important to undergo door jamb reinforcement, as that is the weakest part of the front door by default. But you cannot just invest in door jamb reinforcement and call it a day. With the strengthened door jam, the next step in front door reinforcement is to utilize a quality high-security lock.
This is recommended along with metal slipcovers that will reinforce the door around the holes that have been cut out and cross bored to fit the door locks. Both the covers and these types of locks add metal content, but strong lock really fill up the gaps with solid metal, whereas cheaper poor-quality locks will have lock hardware that is mainly hollow.
A high-security lockset is going to add even more strength to the door than a simple metal slipcover, and also offer much more to overall front door reinforcement. If you are choosing one of the best front door locks, the lock will also offer anti-drill protection. Drilling is a very popular type of forced entry method. And with hardened steel pins and other hardened steel inserts placed at the most common drill points, even the strongest drill bits will struggle to penetrate the lock to the necessary degree.
The bolts of the deadbolt should also be resistant to cutting, which is another likely go to form of destructive entry. Though kicking attacks can be significantly prevented from opening a front door with door jamb reinforcement, you still need front door reinforcement that deals with other forms of destructive entry.
A locksmith will be able to install these types of high-security locks properly. If these locks are not installed properly, it will greatly diminish the security they were meant to impart. More handy individuals will not have an issue with installation on standard doors. But much like door jamb reinforcement, in cases of non-standard door setups, a locksmith will be invaluable to handle installation in a way that will not compromise the intended protection of the device.
How a lock is installed can even affect their resistance to covert entry. A high-security will resist or even eliminate the concern of some forms of covert entry such as bump keys, lock picking, unauthorized key duplication, etc.
Key Takeaways:
Certain security vulnerabilities may be more pressing than others, and budgets can vary quite a bit from person to person. And similar to door jamb reinforcement, there is a cheaper way of handling the issue, though it is likely to not be as secure. At times where the clearest present threat to your door is some form of covert entry, getting a locksmith to re-pin the lock can be a fast and economical solution. What is happening when a lock is re-pinned is not necessarily the same as rekeying a lock.
Re-pinning is a process that can still have your current key work with your existing lock while still elevating the security. The standard pins in your lock can be replaced with security pins of the same size. Security pins are one of the several ways to prevent lock bumping. And based on the complexity of the security pins and the quality of the installation, this type of front door reinforcement can also do wonders to prevent lock picking.
The type of security pins that you can take advantage of will depend greatly on your locksmith. You might not be able to get something as complicated as a pin in pin set up for your lock, but there is a chance that you could request threading or counter milling in the pin chambers of the lock. This will make the security pins more effective.
You can also get some level of anti-drill protection out of re-pinning. Not because security pins are drill resistant, but the front pins in the keyway can be replaced with hardened steel pins. Hardened steel pins will effectively deter anyone trying to drill through the keyway of the lock. It will not protect all the drill points on a lock, but it will provide an increased level of protection from the pre-existing security.
Key Takeaways:
There are many different types of door security products on the market. Some of these products seem to have a good reputation simply because they are popular. This can muddle the reality of a security product’s effectiveness. Whether it is door jamb reinforcement or general front door reinforcement, the selection of available products can be quite overwhelming.
And with security devices, it is rather difficult to receive a recommendation from friends or family. Very rarely is there a person in your life who has the market knowledge or even real-world experience with device failure or success.
A locksmith is ideal for helping you to select the perfect type of front door reinforcement. A locksmith is often requested to replace or fix security products that have failed. By dealing with the failure of these products, locksmiths have developed a very practical knowledge about the types of stresses certain items can withstand.
Locksmiths not only know the reputations of brands from first-hand accounts, but they also interact frequently with people in similar lines of work within the security industry. This insight also allows you to get recommendations that you would not have been aware of. You will be made aware of all of the possibilities and be given the information of what will be best for you.
Even if the locksmith does not sell a product, they are still likely to tell you about things such as window security film that may appropriately fulfill your security needs. Front door reinforcement can be rather difficult if there is a pane of glass on it, but even this can be secured. Security film made for glass is made by several different companies, and some do not provide the same level of security as others.
Similarly, locksmiths will likely be able to recommend a good strong door. If you have already invested in door jamb reinforcement and protected your door against all the other threats, it is likely that your front door security will be compromised by the door itself breaking. That is unless you use a high-security door.
Key Takeaways:
A great way to go about front door reinforcement is to reinforce all your efforts with consistent maintenance. It is important that you do not do something like door jamb reinforcement and then wash your hands of ever worrying about the security of your front door ever again. You need to plan to check back on the devices you have installed and the security measures you have invested in.
Without proper maintenance, things will fall into a state of disarray. The nature of things is to fall apart and stop working, but checking up on these things is a simple way to make sure you still have adequate front door reinforcement.
So how do you know what type of maintenance is going to assist with your front door reinforcement? That is where a locksmith can really help you out. It is true that a locksmith can also perform the maintenance tasks you will need, but their expertise is also ideal for finding the troublesome areas that need attention. And at the same time of recognizing a potential issue, they can also diagnose the best cure to prevent it from becoming a catastrophic failure in your security.
For example, even if you know that your door jamb reinforcement device has come loose, you might not be able to fix it in a way that keeps the problem from recurring. There are ways to assess your home security like a professional, but sometimes even a DIY assessment can lead to the realization that more seasoned eyes are required.
Key Takeaways:
Everything’s better with a locksmith. It isn’t said enough, but there are many times where having the work done by a professional ensures the work is done right. And when it comes to properly installing higher security door jambs, and generally handling the many aspects front door reinforcement, a locksmith is the proper professional to call. Don’t wait to handle your door jamb reinforcement, and after that is done, take on the other tasks that will provide even better front door reinforcement. Call a locksmith today to reinforce your front door.
The post 5 Ways A Locksmith Can Help You Reinforce Your Front Doors appeared first on United Locksmith.
Living in a smart house may sound luxurious but the benefits are definitely worth the investment. Get to know how home automation can positively affect your daily routine by checking out the following:
Image Source: Flickr
It’s Energy Efficient
Having precise control over the power used as well as the temperature can ensure that your home is more energy efficient. This is why smart homes are a part of the appliances that you can use to be more environmentally conscious in your home. Depending on the system that you have in your home, it can suggest energy efficient settings. Source: Property24
Increases Peace of Mind
Perhaps this benefit will not apply to everyone, but for those who habitually worry about whether or not they have taken care of everything at home before leaving for the day, a home automation system is a perfect investment. In short, it offers peace of mind. This is quite beneficial for those individuals who leave each day, obsessively worrying if everything is in order. With so many stresses in daily life, it is nice to take at least one off the list by being able to see what is going on at home without physically being there. Source: Freshome
Convenient
Convenience is one of the biggest reasons that people build and purchase smart homes. These homes give users remote access to systems including heating and cooling systems, intercoms, music and multimedia devices throughout the home. Integrated hard drives allow homeowners to watch video or listen to audio in any room; video intercoms make it easy to communicate with others in the home or visitors at the door. All of these smart home technologies streamline common tasks. Source: HomeGuides.SFGate
Can you imagine how convenient it would be to have automated window treatments? It’s entirely possible! For more information, call us today!
Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988
The post 3 Benefits of Home Automation appeared first on Universal Blinds, Shades & Shutters.
Am I the only one who automatically thinks of spy movies as soon as I see file cabinet locks anywhere? No? Years ago it used to be that every spy had to break into some file cabinet and use high-tech gadgetry to bypass file cabinet locks. In this day and age, it seems as if spy movies have become a lot more convoluted and over the top, but I digress. We are here today to explore the world of file cabinet locks, and try and understand the level of security that they provide. Before we dive too deep into the mystery behind the security of file cabinet locks, we should take some time to understand what they are, and how they are used, which is what the next section will talk about.
File cabinet locks are widely used to secure file cabinets or filing cabinets. These cabinets are used as a means for storing important documents, files, and folders, and they are extensively used by commercial properties. There are some homeowners who use them, but not many that I at least know of. File cabinets make organization easy and even though much of the world is beginning to move into the digital age, file cabinets are still holding on and helping to keep organizations grounded.
There are a few different types of file cabinets that commercial businesses can choose from when they are looking to acquire storage options. File cabinet locks are somewhat similar to other locks except when it comes to their level of security, but we will explore that in the coming paragraphs. File cabinets make use of keyed locking mechanisms (most commonly single sided wafer locks), push button locks, locking bars, and even some keypad options.
However, the most common type of file cabinet lock is still the keyed locking mechanism and this can be attributed to how long it has been available on the market. It is a similar scenario to the current state of traditional locks and smart locks. Due to the fact that one has been in use for much longer, it is still the most prevalent lock that residential properties gravitate towards.
The question about the security of file cabinet locks is not an easy one to answer, but it it is one which I will attempt regardless. One of the best ways to gauge the inherent security of file cabinet locks is to compare them to other locks and see the way they hold up. Another method simply involves taking a deeper look at the way file cabinet locks work, and today I am going to try to do both, so that I can give you an adequate answer about the security level of file cabinet locks.
I will start off by saying that if you think file cabinet locks are going to be as strong as the Sargent & Greenleaf 951C that you might recognize from our list of the best padlocks of all time, you are wrong. If you take standard file cabinet locks at face value, they are not very secure. Many of the locks that furniture manufacturers place on their file cabinets are simple and standard locks, which serve the simple purpose of keeping the cabinet locked.
Simply keeping something locked, when there is no force being applied to it, is not a very good metric for security. If a lock is not capable of keeping the contents of the file cabinet secure, then it is not a secure mechanism. In order for a lock to be considered secure, it has to be able to withstand some amount of force, as well as keep its contents secure from a myriad of threats.
The use of relatively simple locks on these filing cabinets is not the only security flaw that filing cabinet locks have. If you know anything about locks by now, you will know that every lock has a key and said key plays a vital role in the overall security of the lock it is paired with. Most file cabinet locks are paired with keys that have specific key codes printed on them. This makes it very easy for someone to make a duplicate of your file cabinet key if they so desire. There are no measures in place to prevent this eventuality except an individual’s moral compass, which is not necessarily something we can rely on.
If you look at a lock and are able to conjure up multiple easy ways to break into it, then it should be a clear sign that the particular lock is not a reliable security option. As far as security goes, the file cabinet locks that most manufacturers place on their cabinets are hardware props and nothing more. Aside from the fact that the keys have their own vulnerabilities, there is the added vulnerability that these locks can be easily picked or forced open with a little application of force.
The lockpicking methods that would be used on file cabinet locks are very similar to the lockpicking methods you would use on any residential lock. The only difference in this process is the fact that residential locks have been built to withstand many of these bypass measures. A lot of this is done by implementing anti-pick, anti-drill, and anti-snap measures. When it comes to a file cabinet lock (even in some of the higher end models), the security can easily be threatened by something as simple as a hammer that is applied with enough force.
Manufacturer installed file cabinet locks are difficult to trust, and for good reason. Some of these locks can be opened in under 30 seconds by an object as accessible as a nail clipper. Now, do not take this to mean that every file cabinet lock that you come across has subpar security. Many lock companies have realized the need for better file cabinet lock security, and they have made locks that are meant to offer up much more security. I believe that if you still want to utilize file cabinets within your office or your home, then you should make it a point to contact a locksmith to install new locks, rather than settling with those that are given by the manufacturer.
Key Takeaways
Since there is a lot of information to digest in the section above, I want to highlight the important aspects of file cabinet locks before we moved on:
This section will be brief, but I simply wanted to take the time to compare the security of standard file cabinet locks with some of the other locking mechanisms that have been discussed on this blog. Comparing the effective natures of these different security mechanisms helps put the security of file cabinet locks in perspective.
If you make the assumption that most residential and commercial locks are far stronger than file cabinet locks, you would be right (for the most part). You might be tempted to think that the reason behind this is a simple matter of size. I mean, if it is a much smaller lock, it should be easier to bypass and damage, no? This is why vaults are much more secure than your average commercial door lock. The truth is, the size of the lock does not always reflect its level of security.
The main reason why most residential and commercial locks are more secure than file cabinet locks is not due to their size. Rather, it is due to the materials that are used to construct them, as well as the layout of their internal locking mechanism. Many residential and commercial locks are constructed out of steel alloys and other robust metals that make them harder to cut through and tamper with. If you compare these locks to a simple file cabinet lock, there is no way you would choose the latter as the more secure option.
There are several measures that you can take advantage of to help increase the security of your file cabinet locks and really set them far above their standard counterparts. Here are some of the security measures that you can utilize with your file cabinet locks:
I hope that you do not walk away from this thinking that you should dismiss all the file cabinet locks that you come across. However, I do think that you should be wary of them and that you never rely on just file cabinet locks to keep your important company records, or personal records, secure. Take the time to understand the flaws that your file cabinet locks might have, and then work to build layers of security around them. Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into the level of security of file cabinet locks, and has helped show you the ways you can help make them more secure.
The post How Secure Are File Cabinet Locks? appeared first on United Locksmith.
Learn how to help your child succeed in the 21st Century. The Art of Learning - The Importance of Failing Well
Lance G. King
Wednesday, October 11
8:45 am to 11:00 am
MPR
Friday, September 29th
ES Run - 8:25 am, in the Stadium
MS/HS Run - 2:20 pm, in the Stadium
Parents welcome!
Click here to download the full schedule
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
WellCo Activities for Grade 9-10 in Glass Box, Gym 2, 1108 and MPR Knowledge Bowl for Grade 11-12 in the Theater
|
Mentoring for Grade 10, 11, 12, selected Grade 9s will have Mentoring/Mindfulness Mentoring/Study Hall
|
No Flex |
Climate Survey Assembly in the Theater for all Grade 9 - 12
|
Terry Fox Run - No Flex
|
This week's fifth block for grade 12s has been allocated to Math HL. See your teacher for locations, times and expectations.
The Cambie Collection by Pennyfarthing Homes continues its legacy on Vancouver’s West Side with Basalt, with 51 contemporary residences, located on 35th Avenue and Cambie Street right by Queen Elizabeth Park. Marked by refinement, this fourth chapter of the Cambie Story exemplifies Pennyfarthing’s continued commitment to design excellence and quality craftsmanship. Basalt is at the center of Vancouver and will flourish with the dividends provided by the amenities that the Cambie corridor provides.
Defined by a modernist exterior, these one to three bedroom homes are set within a premier parkside location. The interiors focus on uniting style with functionality, resulting in bright, open floor plans that highlight panoramic views of Q.E. Park and Vancover’s city skyline.
Since 1980, Pennyfarthing Homes focuses on 3 pillars: integrity, reliability and professionalism. They have swiftly fulfilled the home ownership dreams of nearly 3,000 home buyers throughout the Lower Mainland, Washington State, and California. Following on Bennington House, Grayson, and Hawthorne, this is Pennyfarthing’s fourth Cambie Corridor development.
The post Basalt by Pennyfarthing Development Group at QE Park appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
Exquisitely located on the slopes of Mount Pleasant, Elenore is a boutique collection of 58 modern one, two and three bedroom homes on Fifth and Main. Perfectly situated among the talked-about restaurants, cool galleries, buzz-worthy cafes, curated shops and within walking distance of the Olympic Village, Elenore offers sophisticated living in one of the city’s most dynamic and neighbourhoods.
Townhomes will have a private ground floor patio, while seven second level units will include private decks. There will also be private roof terraces.
The post Elenore on Fifth by Chard in Mount Pleasant appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
In the heart of Metro Vancouver, in UniverCity’s established West Highlands neighbourhood, Terraces at The Peak is well-connected to Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, and Coquitlam. Walk or bike the 28 kilometers of trails on Burnaby Mountain, nearby shopping, schools, community centers, and restaurants. This 13-storey concrete structure will have 117 homes from studios to 3-bedroom condos and townhomes. Locate at the top of Burnaby Mountain, residences will have spectacular views of the lower mainland.
The collection of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom condos and townhomes exemplify Intergulf’s commitment to intelligent design. Every facet of the homes is meticulously configured to emphasize space, light, and functionality. An open-concept layout in conjunction with expansive windows invite natural light to flow generously throughout the home, and illustrate the dramatic views stretching across the horizon. A limited selection of homes feature lock-off suites to provide you with flexibility or secondary income.
The post Terraces at the Peak at SFU by Intergulf appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
I have always been somewhat fascinated by retail security and all that it entails. This is not a knock on any of the other aspects of security and security plans that we have covered in the past, but retail security is like an intricate little puzzle that takes patience to understand, patience to solve and patience to build. There are many factors that have to be considered when you set out to build the best security, but there are a lot more factors to contend with when it comes to retail security. None of these factors can be overlooked, or else you risk having vulnerabilities crop up in your retail security plan.
Retail security can be fickle at times, and it requires the utmost attention to detail and proper shop security management to build it in a way that makes it effective. In today’s article, we are going to embark on a journey that will explore the necessary measures that you need to follow if you want to build the best retail security for your shop. In doing so, I will discuss some things which you are familiar with, as well as discussing some things with which you are not. As I just mentioned, retail security requires attention to detail and patience, so if you think you have what it takes, allow me to show you how to build the best retail security for your shop.
In order to know how to properly build anything, you have to have an adequate knowledge of the elements that bring it to life. Earlier I stated that retail security has many different factors that come into play, and many of them will be introduced in this section and further explored in the sections that follow. Retail security is put in place to deter theft, vandalism, and other means that people might use to take advantage of your shop security and harm your business. Unlike other forms of security, retail security is potentially vulnerable on multiple ends of the spectrum. This is one of the main reasons why it is necessary to properly assess all the ways in which your retail security can be compromised before you build it.
To answer this question, and the question about what retail security entails, you have to take a close look at the way your shop is run. Keep in mind that these security measures and methods for building your retail security will differ from shop owner to shop owner, since every business is different in some way. The retail security spectrum should take into account all your employees, customers, vendors, suppliers, etc. It should also cover all the processes that are involved in interacting with all the aforementioned parts. Many shop owners make the mistake of thinking that retail security is limited to the shop, and the shop alone. However, your retail security can sometimes be compromised externally or away from the shop or retail establishment. I will explain this further as we continue to delve into retail security.
Security assessment is a task that many homeowners undertake, and it is a task that retailers can learn from. In assessing the vulnerabilities that might be present in retail security, you have to take the time to sift through all the possible access points that you could be potentially be attacked from. This is no easy task, as I said, but it can be accomplished. You simply have to take the time to get it done. I will do my best to explore all the possible vulnerabilities that might be inherent with your retail security. It is necessary to understand your vulnerabilities, so that when you begin building your retail security, you cover all your bases. The last thing you want is to jump head first into building your retail security, only to discover later down the line that you have some issues that you did not cover, which could come back to hurt your business. Here are the vulnerabilities you need to assess before you start building your retail security:
In many ways, customers are the greatest asset and also one of their greatest threats. Many customers know that when it comes down to it, retailers desire their business, so retailers are bound to place the needs of the customer far above their own. At times, this becomes a detriment to business. As far as business models go, it is not a really smart one to follow, but I can see the reason why so many retailers place the customer first. There would be no retailers without the customer.
Customers present unique security vulnerabilities because there is always the possibility that they can harm your business through theft, vandalism and other related actions. On the other hand, however, there is also the possibility that they will do nothing at all. In choosing the right security measures to account for the actions of customers, you have to make sure that you are not alienating them or altering their shopping experience.
However, you also have to ensure that you are not pleasing them at the expense of your business. Anyone that works in loss prevention will tell you that customers have always been a security hazard to retailers, but these days those numbers are gradually dwindling down. This is mostly due to changes in retail security technology that was being targeted and exploited. Essentially, you always want to make sure that a customer is not stealing from you, damaging your property and your security measures, or doing anything to affect the value of some of your other goods and products.
If anyone has ever worked in retail at some point in their lives (which many of us have), you will know that during most employee training sessions, there is always a discussion that centers around employee theft. It is a difficult topic to cover because no business wants to make its employees feel like they cannot be trusted, but at the same time you do not want your employees to have the leeway to take advantage of your retail security. In many ways, employees are better positioned than customers to cause a great deal of damage to your retail security if they so desired.
For instance, most employees have unfettered access to merchandise throughout the various processes it has to go through before it is put out for display. Many of them (mostly cahiers) also have access to cash tills and POS systems, as well as the safes and vaults that house money before it is delivered to the bank or picked up by a security courier. Aside from having direct access to products and goods, employees are often hard to plan for security-wise because many of them are privy to the security measures that are being used. This is one of the reasons why many major retailers have separate loss prevention departments to cater to these needs and services.
There is also the issue of under-ringing, which is a practice that many cashiers have engaged in over the years. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, under-ringing refers to the action that occurs when a cashier rings up a product/service at a price lower than the list price while charging the customer the list price. In most cases, this is done so that the cashier can hold on to the rest of the money for themselves. An action like this harms your business and places your retail security at risk, by threatening the trust that your customers have in you while also depleting your revenue. The flipside of under-ringing is when employees ring up products for less than the list price as a favor to specific customers. This does no damage to the customer, but it is a loss that hits your business over time.
Retail security used to be much easier than it is today. This is not to say that it was not difficult back in the day, but it is becoming increasingly difficult now, which is somewhat ironic if you take the time to think about it. The technological advancements, which have been so beneficial to the growth of retail, and the way people can access and purchase products, has also presented some new challenges. It has given people a plethora of new ways, which they can use to exploit the system.
POS terminals have become a major liability for many retailers, and they have also become a popular target for the modern day criminal. A good deal of these criminals hijack POS terminals and use these to steal customers financial information and card data. In the past, POS systems were hijacked for the cash that might have been stored in the accompanying cash drawer. This is a more direct tactic that many have been using, but some prefer to take a more subtle and less direct approach, which usually involves messing with a retailer’s cybersecurity protocols. In the days of old, robust physical security made up a majority of retail security, but in this age it is important to have retail security measures that are a hybrid and amalgamation of both.
Suppliers and vendors do not pose a high security risk as compared to some of their other counterparts, but it is still a factor that has to be taken into consideration whenever you begin talking about retail security. Suppliers and vendors are usually responsible for selling goods to retailers which they then place in their stores for customers to purchase. If anything, the retailer serves as middleman between the customer and the vendor, but that is a rather narrow way of looking at things. The vulnerability that is present here is in the transference of goods from the vendor to the retailer.
There is always a possibility that the product you pay for and acquire might not be fully delivered upon. This usually happens when vendors or supplies choose to hold back some of the goods which they have sold, which is very similar to under-ringing but on a much larger scale. This is a retailer security flaw that is not often explored, and is usually chalked up to mistakes in inventory management. It is important to make sure that you are not losing money and goods at any point during the time that you conduct your business.
Inventory management was alluded to above, but not explained in any impactful way. It seems somewhat self-explanatory, but there is a lot that goes into it. In order to properly manage inventory, retailers have to be able to keep stock of things and accurately track data as products move in and out of the store. Without a proper inventory management system in place, it becomes much easier for customers and employees to take advantage of your business and leave you vulnerable.
It is important to keep stock of what you have in the store and this extends to products as well as money. Due to the fact that there are so many moving parts in retail, it gets hard to keep solid track of everything in an effective manner, and this is where criminals and burglars know they can get you. Do not give them the opportunity to take advantage of you in any way possible.
Cash handling can easily be lumped in with inventory management, but there are a few more factors that have to be considered when you take cash handling into account. As I mentioned earlier, retail security is not always confined to the limits of a physical shop, and nothing bolsters this more than cash handling. In order to understand the vulnerabilities that cash handling possesses, you have to take a look at the various stages that it goes through during a business day.
Once you take a look at all these processes, it is easy to see that there are so many different parties that have access, in some way or form to cash during the day. Each of these elements should be taken into account and viewed through a perspective of security. The reason being that there is a possibility that you can be attacked from any one of the elements that are involved in handling your cash process. Think about it for a second, if there are so many entry points into your process, doesn’t that increase your level of risk?
These days, many retailers take advantage of wireless networks to conduct business, and there is no surprise as to why they do this. Wireless communication has helped retailers accomplish complex tasks in more efficient ways. However, there are some negatives that come along with the benefits of wireless networks. The main disadvantage is that criminals now have a different means of access that they can exploit, and cyber criminals have been hitting retailers hard. It is important to realize that your wireless network has some vulnerabilities that cannot be overlooked. The act of doing so is extremely detrimental to your retail security.
I would like to start out by saying that building the best security is all about placing the right security layers on top of one another. This means that you start from one point and you work to make it better as you go along. Essentially, this means that if you forget to secure something, there will be another measure in place to keep it safe and secure. This ensures that your retail security always has a fighting chance no matter what might be thrown its way.
Taking the time to start with the layout of your building will help set the groundwork for many of the other measures that will follow. It allows you to determine which security solutions can be utilized to increase your retail security. This is a crucial aspect that should not be overlooked because doing so can jeopardize some of the other security measures you employ.
Retailers and business owners should pay close attention to the access points of their retail shop as well as where all elements of value are stored. This should cover cash, products, etc. Taking all these elements into account allows you to implement security measures that cater to high valued items as well as important processes like cash handling etc.
Ideally, you want to structure your retail security in a way that works for the type of business you have, and also in a way that does not present any additional vulnerabilities. This requires a good amount of planning and forethought, as well as the likely possibility of contacting a commercial locksmith, or security professional, who is better equipped to help you implement some of your retail security solutions.
The main access points that most retailers take into consideration are the central entrance and exits. This is a good start, but in order to give your retail shop the best security available, you have to do much better than good. In fortifying your access points, you have to pay attention to several key elements. It always helps to start with the doors, their respective door locks, and then to build around these as you go along. In choosing a door and its accompanying door lock, you need to consider longevity and security.
Longevity will account for the way it is going to be used, and how long it will last while it’s being used, whereas security will account for how well it is going to hold up against attacks. The starting point for access point fortification should be investing in high-grade commercial door locks that cater to both longevity and security. The mistake that most shop owners make is thinking that a strong lock and a strong door are enough to keep criminals at bay, but these are only the starting points for fortification. If you already have locks installed on your commercial doors that do not meet your retail security requirements, you should change your locks as soon as possible. Mortise locks are very popular in commercial settings because of their strength and reliability.
Access points include doors and windows, so it is important that each of these areas is covered. Retailers can make use of door and window security grilles on their retail property to enhance the security that their locks provide. Pairing these security grilles with the best high-security padlocks are a great security choice. Another great tool that can be used is window security film, which will guard against any burglars that attempt to break through your windows.
The use of surveillance cameras as a retail security measure cannot be overstated. They allow you to monitor customers and employees, and they also help you spot dangers before they can fully manifest. Anyone who has ever worked in loss prevention can attest to the benefits that surveillance cameras bring to the table. However, understanding that using surveillance cameras can benefit you is only part of the solution. If surveillance cameras are used in the wrong way, they can end up harming your retail security rather than bolstering it.
Surveillance cameras should be installed on your main entrance and exit points, near your POS systems and cash drawers, as well as in rooms where your product is displayed and stored. The idea is to make sure that you cover all areas where anything could go wrong. It is also important to install surveillance cameras at an appropriate height so that no one is able to tamper with it. However, you should make sure that they are not installed too far away in a way that will affect the footage that is meant to be captured.
Alarms and sensors can be used in several different ways in commercial spaces. In building the best retail security, you should strive to use alarms and sensors in and around your shop to maximize your security measures. As I pointed out earlier, security is all about layering. Alarms and sensors should be installed at all access points. This will help spot any attempts that are made to gain unauthorized access. These measures can be integrated with surveillance in order to achieve the best possible results.
In addition to the more common door/window sensors and monitored alarm systems, retailers can use individual alarms that are tacked onto their products. A good example of these kinds of alarms are the RFID alarm tags. These RFID tags are usually used in conjunction with a sensor that triggers an alarm when RFID tags are left on products. This simple measure makes it much more difficult for people to grab any of your products and walk right out the door. It is also a good example of layering since it is in place to catch any wrongdoing that might not be picked up by surveillance cameras. Ideally, you should have sensors placed around all points of entry and points of egress. It also helps if you make your sensors hard to spot, as this will prevent the likelihood of someone tampering with them.
The use of proper lighting is integral to the interior security and exterior security of your shop. It also helps some of your other security measures function much better. For instance, proper lighting can increase the scope of what your surveillance camera is able to capture, which ultimately makes security much easier to deal with. Retailers should ensure that all potential access points, and points of egress, are well lit. Also, make sure that the area surrounding your products are given an adequate amount of lighting.
There are no universal lighting solutions that cover commercial retail properties, so make sure that you choose something that works best for you. Some commercial properties utilize motion sensor lights as a part of their exterior security or even interior security. These measures are a lot more effective when they are paired with devices that signal when someone has entered or left the establishment. This works especially well for smaller retailers who might be busy working with another customer or handling some other administrative duty. It helps serve as an audiovisual signal which comes in handy. Also, make sure that your lighting is not positioned in a way that renders your surveillance ineffective.
POS systems are used in almost every retail location, and they make it much easier for transactions to be processed and handled. However, due to the fact that they are a central feature of most retail locations, they are also a central target. POS systems are used to process transactions for good and services, and they are also used to hold a limited amount of cash for when the need arises. In this day and age, your POS systems have to be secured by physical security measures as well as cyber security measures. It is always best to make sure that your POS systems are physically bolted down so that their various parts cannot be carried away.
Additionally, always ensure that the POS systems you install have locks on their accompanying cash drawers. These locks do not normally provide a high level of security on their own, but they do reduce the chance of anyone reaching over and prying a cash drawer open. These systems should always be locked, and access should be given to only the designated employees.
Access control is a crucial part of your retail security, and it is one of the best solutions to ensuring that your customers and employees do not overstep their boundaries. Retailers have to take several factors into account before they choose an access control system that fits their needs. Some of these factors include the type of establishment you have, the number of employees you have and the type of restrictions you would like to enforce. For smaller businesses, it might be beneficial to simply monitor your key control and implement a security hierarchy.
However, for retailers that have lots of employees, you can make use of access control systems that give you a better grasp on things. Not only does this help you restrict access to certain parts of your business, but it helps you track any action that might be out of the ordinary. This essentially makes your security more efficient because a limited number of people will have access to certain things. For instance, anyone who is not a cashier should not have a code that allows them to log into a POS terminal and handle transactions unless it is a manager or supervisor.
Building the best retail security for your shop will not be complete if you do not have a way to properly track your inventory throughout the business day. Inventory management helps retailers keep their shop secure on two fronts. The use of an inventory management system helps you keep track of the product that you have out on the sales floor, as well as products that are kept in the stockroom. Furthermore, they also help retailers keep an accurate record of the transactions that they carry out with vendors and suppliers. This ensures that there are no gaps in the process of acquiring and selling goods, and this helps you keep your products more secure which bolster your overall retail security.
Outlining a proper cash handling process will help ensure that your revenue is not vulnerable at any given time. In a typical retail environment, there is always a set amount of cash that is used to start the day. Ideally, this amount should be spread throughout the various registers and POS terminals that are available. This process should be handled by a select group of people, and it should be as streamlined as possible. As the saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. In layman’s terms, if there are too many individuals involved in the cash handling process, there is a higher chance of risk.
These same individuals should also be responsible for collecting cash from POS terminals to tally it up and then eventually ready it for deposit or transfer. This process usually happens on two occasions. The first is when there is a rush of transactions and there is simply too much money in the cash drawer. The second instance is usually at the end of the business day, when all the registers are simply being emptied, and the day’s earnings are being tallied.
As I mentioned earlier, the face of retail security has changed a great deal, and it has become apparent that physical security is no longer the only solution. This is not to say that you should neglect to use door locks, monitored alarm systems and some of the other building blocks outlined here. It is merely pointing out the simple truth that physical security measures have to be used in conjunction with some cyber security measures. This is done to protect you on both fronts and also to give you a truly layered security.
One of the first steps of setting up robust cyber security measures in your shop involves making sure that your network is protected by a commercial firewall. Commercial firewalls make security policy management easy. Policy management helps determine the way different devices can interact with your network, and this comes in handy when you have a plethora of devices to account for in retail spaces.
Defending your network is only the first step in cyber security, from then on you have to instill some good habits that will help keep your network secure. Retailers should strive to use strong passwords on every point of their network and systematically change these over a period of time. In addition to this, retailers need to analyze every potential breach point on their network and set up effective security protocols to manage them.
One of the best ways to accomplish better cyber security is to utilize a separate network. Doing so makes it much harder for cybercriminals to gain access to everything at once. For instance, if you have a public network that you allow your customers to access, you should not use that same network to store company information or conduct company business. This is an example of compartmentalizing your network in order to make it harder to access.
As I stated earlier, retail security requires a lot of attention to detail because there are a lot of vulnerabilities to cover. You should always be aware of the fact that there is no ultimate solution that caters to retail security, but instead a combination of each of the solutions mentioned above. The key to building the best retail security for your shop is building it in layers. This makes your security measures stronger because they are all interwoven and dependent on one another to keep your business safe and secure.
The post How To Build The Best Retail Security For Your Shop appeared first on United Locksmith.
ISB believes that consistent attendance in class supports student success. We also believe that co-curricular opportunities are an enriching part of student’s high school experience. We want to assist students in pursuing opportunities whilst still finding a healthy balance.
Students attending excused school-sponsored activities such as Sport, Performing Arts, or MUN are not required to complete a Planned absence form. However, students bear the responsibility to meet with their teachers, at least four school days prior to departure beforehand to clarify expectations for make-up work.
During the student-initiated discussion deadlines and/or assessment make-up days should be agreed upon. Students who have missed school due to a school-sponsored activity should not be expected to take a test or hand in an assignment in the first class back or first day back.
Failure to have this discussion may result in the student being held to the same expectations as the rest of the class
Can you feel the air getting chillier by the day? Autumn is just around the corner and soon enough it’s going to be a winter wonderland. Make your home feel comfy despite the cold weather by following these tips:
Image Source: Flickr
Position your furniture in the warm
How warm you feel in a room depends on where you are, even though air temperature is the same throughout. You will feel warmer if you position yourself closer to the inside of the house because the cold external walls are further away. So try and place your furniture next to an internal wall.
If your desk is up against an external wall so you can look out of the window your legs will tend to get cold, though you can reduce this effect by leaning a cardboard sheet against the wall. If the head of your bed is next to a cold external wall you will be prone to getting a stiff neck, though you can counter this somewhat by using a solid headboard. The best solution, of course, is a four-poster bed, but most bedrooms just aren’t big enough. Source: TheConversation
Clear outside walls by day, and reinforce them at night
During the day, you want as much sun as possible hitting your dwelling. The sun provides plenty of natural warmth to the walls. On the other hand, at night, you should lean things against your walls to add extra barriers between you and the cold. Source: Lifehack
Cover your windows
Stop the heat from escaping by investing in lined curtains that will help insulate your windows, trapping heat inside. If you already have curtains, you can simply add your own lining to the inside. For maximum effectiveness, make sure your curtains reach the floor and consider a pelmet to cover the space between the window and the curtain. Blinds and shutters will also work, especially if they sit close to the windows. Source: InsideOut
Want a cool energy-saving tip? Use the best window treatments that can help retain the warmth in your home longer. Find out more by calling us today!
Contact:
Universal Blinds
601 – 1550 W. 10th Ave
Vancouver, V6J 1Z9
Canada
Phone: (604) 559-1988
The post Keep Your House Warm Using These Simple Tips appeared first on Universal Blinds, Shades & Shutters.
The First Principal's List of the Year!
MS Homerooms – Please read and celebrate the Principal’s List! Just focus on your own grade. Students get a button if they are on the list!
Attention Drama/Design/Dance Team Members
Wednesday Field Trip Reminders
Drama Team
The workshop today (Tuesday) with visiting artist, Mark Hill, is at 12:30-5:50 PM at the THEATER
Bring a snack and water bottle
MS STUCO Elections
Thank you to all those who have held their elections. Please send Mr Fidler the names of the successful candidates by Thursday after mentoring.
Girl Badminton Team Players - Dulwich on Thursday
Please remember to go to the Swimming Pool at 3:30 sharp on Thursday.
Coach Iles
Jazz Band
Jazz Band begins this week. Come to room 1717 on Tuesday after school at 3:30. See Mr. Long for details.
Build Project
JOIN THE INCREDIBLE SUPER BUILD PROJECT! The purpose of the incredible super build project is to inspire the ISB community in building a super incredible thing. Swedish Video Game Computer Scientist and MIT Mechanical Engineer will help students design and create something awesome for our ISB community.
We’re calling all musicians, athletes, roboticists, tinkerers, and artists, bring your crazy super ideas to the information session on Tuesday, September 19th at 3:45PM in the MSHS Design Lab (3116). If you can’t attend the informational session, email jaguar@alum.mit.edu.
Found item
Found cap from G6 trip, please check at MS office.
This article is designed to set you up for success with lock picking. No matter if you are brand new to lock picking, a seasoned pro looking to brush up, or anywhere else in your lock picking journey, this is a resource for you. It will teach you everything you need to know about how to pick locks.
Even though you might not be able to find all the information you need here, you can still use this piece to discover what it is you still need to learn. That is because you will have the tools to find out more.
The flow of the article is purposeful, so you might miss some things by skipping around. But if you are so inclined, here is an easy way to navigate through this very detailed post on how to pick locks:
Almost any lock that you encounter in the real world is going to be a basic pin tumbler lock. Whether it is a deadbolt, door knob, or padlock, the most common type of lock uses this type of mechanical setup.
If you already know how a pin tumbler lock works from the various articles I have written (or for some other resource), then feel free to move on to the next section. But without any knowledge of how a lock functions, it is unlikely that you will be able to manipulate the lock effectively. For effective lock picking, know how the lock works.
Sometimes referred to as the lock housing or the book, the bible of a lock remains stationary during the use of a key. The reason it will be referred to as the bible is mainly due to preference, and because it is a term that is difficult to confuse or conflate with other parts of the lock.
When the proper key is inserted into the lock (or lock picking is successful), the springs and driver pins will pass the shear line and be in the bible exclusively.
This part of the lock is at times called the “core” or “cylinder”, however, both of those terms are also sometimes used to refer to the plug and the bible together. So for clarity, this part of the lock will be known as the plug for the purposes of this article.
The plug is solely the cylindrical length of metal that rotates within the bible of the lock, once the key is inserted.
You can easily distinguish the plug of the lock because it has the keyway. You insert your key, or lock pick, into the plug to interact with the pins. When the plug can rotate, the lock can open. This rotation means that the key pins are in the plug (below the shear line).
Milled into the bible and plug are long, interconnecting, holes. These holes are filled with pins (we will talk about the pins more down below). The pins are stacked with a spring resting in the bible, exerting pressure on the stack of pins.
The pin chambers of the bible line up with those in the plug. This allows the bible to be connected to the plug. As long as the pins remain overlapping in the plug and the bible through the pin chambers, the plug cannot rotate, and the lock cannot open.
In order for the plug to be able to rotate within the bible of the lock, there needs to be space between the two parts. This gap is referred to as the shear line.
If anything blocks the shear line, then the lock will not open. For the lock to open, the pin stacks need to divide at the shear line. Nothing can extend past the shear line from the plug into the bible.
Make sure that pins are above and below the shear line, and that nothing is getting hung up there. Lock picking when there are security pins will get more complicated because pins will bind at the shear line and not above or below.
When you are inserting a key or lock picking, the pins that your tools will interact with are the key pins. The key pins will have different heights. They are visually identifiable because they come to a rounded point on the end that will touch the key/lock pick.
After the lock picking is successful, or the proper key is inserted, the key pins will remain in the plug.
Driver pins are bookended by the springs on one side and the key pins on the other. Unlike the key pins, driver pins do not have a pointed end. They are commonly flat on both ends and will have a uniform height for each lock manufacturer.
While lock picking, the driver pins will not come into direct contact with the picks. The driver pins are manipulated by lifting the key pins. When the lock is picked, the driver pins will be in the bible along with the springs.
Every pin stack needs spring tension in order to keep the pins from being free moving. The pressure (downward or upward, depending on lock orientation) exerted by the springs can differ, even within the same lock.
You can tell a pin has set on the right side of the shear line when you no longer feel spring tension on the pin of that chamber. The spring must compress and rest in the bible for the plug to rotate and the lock to open.
All of the components of a lock work together so that they only open with the right key. The idea is that one key opens one lock, but not another. Even if you and your neighbor have the average Kwikset deadbolt or Master Lock #3, you will not have keys that open each other’s locks (or that is the hope anyway).
This is because of how the key works. You insert the proper key for a lock into the keyhole. The key pins (which are different sizes) are raised by the grooves on the key. Both the key grooves and the key pins correspond so that even with the pin stacks having different sizes, they are all elevated to the shear line.
When the wrong key is inserted, a low cut on a key might not elevate the pin stack high enough for the driver pin to clear the shear line. A key groove that is too high, might elevate the pin stack so that the key pin is moved to block the shear line.
Once the pins are on their respective sides of the shear line, there is a gap that allows the plug to turn. You can then turn the key, and the plug will rotate. The rotation of the plug moves a cam or tail piece that retracts a bolt or locking pawl. The lock is then open.
I like to say that lock picking works a little like a key in slow motion, and with the sequence of events jumbled up. For example, you start with adding a bit of turning pressure to the plug. This puts tension on the pin stacks, which you will feel released as the lock is picked.
You need to move each pin stack so that the driver pin gets stuck on the bible side of the shear line. This is the slow motion part of the lock picking process. Where one insert of the proper key would align the pin stacks, now you need several inserts and some deft movement of the lock pick.
We will get more into this later, but it is important that you understand that lock picking works by tensioning and manipulating the pin stacks similar to how a key would open the door. This is the essential premise of lock picking.
Lock chambers have to be milled into the metal and rarely end up in a perfectly straight line or with the exact diameter as each other. This means that some of the chambers lean more toward the right or left.
When you apply rotational tension to the plug, you can find the binding order of the pin stacks, by feeling for resistance. That resistance is the pin stack grinding against the metal of the pin chamber, meaning it is ready to set.
The springy pin stacks do not have resistance because their pin chambers align farther off from the direction of rotational pressure. And once the binding pin is moved above the shear line, that pin chamber’s less than perfect alignment allows the plug to turn a bit.
As the plug turns, the driver pin is given a ledge to rest on, so that the spring tension will not send it back into the plug.
Although you should not worry about picking security pins right out of the gate, it is important to know what they are, in case you do encounter them.
Security pins are driver pins, and even key pins, that are cut into shapes that have them catch at the shear line. This effectively jams the lock, as something is stuck between the boundary of the bible and the plug.
However, there will be no spring tension, as the ledge meant to keep the driver pin on one side of the shear line is keeping the security stuck in place. This still makes the pin stack feel as though it is not under spring tension, leading to confusion as to why the lock is not picked.
Lock picking requires particular tools for the job. As you already know, the basics of lock manipulation are that the plug must be tensioned and that the pins must be moved within the keyway.
For more particular guidance as to what items you need in your first lock pick set, you can take a look at one of our past articles. But here are the basic tools you need in order to start lock picking.
Tension tools come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and profiles. The two most common tension wrenches are the pry par (used mostly for “top of the keyway tension”) and the L Bend (used mainly for “bottom of the keyway”).
It is important to have a tension wrench you can insert into the keyway without blocking the pins. You also need the tension tool not to slip in the keyway. If you lose tension, you undo all of the lock picking you had done.
This will be the choice tool for how to pick locks the simple way. A rake works on the idea of moving all of the pins randomly and moving them fast.
They are designed to give the best odds for opening a lock by chance. The most popular rake profiles are the L Rake (aka City Rake) and the Bogata.
Hooks can be standard, offset, and come in many different sizes and thicknesses. They can be used to try and open the lock the simple way, but are more often used for the method of how to pick locks the hard way.
With a hook, you are looking to find something that can move well in the keyway. It needs to be able to access the pins in a way that allows each stack to be leveraged. With hooks, you are looking to get the greatest range of motion while lock picking.
There are many ways of getting lock picking tools. Each has their upsides and pitfalls. But no matter if money, supplies, machining resources, etc., are an issue, there is a solution for you.
If you are willing to spend the money, you can save time and effort. But beyond those considerations, you will also take away some of the guesswork as to the quality you may receive.
As long as you buy your lock picks from the right company, you can know what to expect. Though you might need to polish the tools or do some cleanup work, there are brands that can give you what you need to start lock picking straight out of the package.
Lock picks are just pieces of thin metal that are cut to a particular shape. You can get the most popular lock pick profiles, and use those templates to fabricate your own lock picks.
It will take the most amount of time, but you have the chance of getting something of higher-quality, greater uniqueness, and for less money than if you bought lock picks online.
In a tight spot, you can use bobby pins or paper clips to fashion improvised lock picks. These types of lock pick tools have the greatest chance of not being effective. Where you might get dimensions wrong when making your own picks, improvised picks settle for what you can get.
Often improvised picks are for people just looking to test out the lock picking hobby. They are not ready to make a serious time or monetary commitment. This is something you can do quickly and easily, but with mixed qualitative results.
How to pick locks begins with proper tension. No matter how you are looking to go about lock picking, it all begins with how you tension the plug. There are different approaches to even something as simple as inserting the tension wrench into the keyway.
Top of the Keyway – Many lock pickers have a preference for top of the keyway (TOK) tensioning because certain keyways can be obstructed with bottom of the keyway tension.
Other practical reasons for preference toward TOK include the fact that they are double-ended, so each tool has two uses.
Bottom of the Keyway – Most lock pickers start with bottom of the keyway (BOK) tension for the simple reason that most beginner kits only come with these types of tools. They can also be made easily out of windshield wiper inserts.
With BOK you need to be very aware of keeping the tool from getting jammed up between the plug and the bible. Tensioning from the bottom of the keyway can quickly slip into preventing the lock from opening.
Although you might be tempted to use bottom of the keyway tools, it may lead to many stumbling first steps when you begin lock picking. For that reason, TOK might offer a better initial success. Be aware of the types of problems you are potentially opening yourself up to.
Besides the tools you are using, the biggest concern for tension is the amount you of pressure you are exerting on the lock. How you tension the lock decides your success with picking. From the Basics of Manipulation section, you already know that tension is the reason lock picking works.
You can make many mistakes while tensioning. The pressure can be too strong so that all of all the pin stacks are binding. Or tension can be too weak so that there is not enough rotation for the driver pins to catch on the ledge of the shear line.
Another classic mistake with tensioning is going the wrong way. If you tension the plug to the right when it should be to the left, you might be able to get the pins to the right heights, but the lock itself will not open.
Always apply tension in the direction you would turn the key (if you were using one). When you pick a lock the wrong way. You will either need to start over or use a plug spinner to take advantage of the pins being at the shear line.
To find out which way you need to apply tension, feel both ways with your tension wrench. Feel for the direction that has the most give. It is often the case that the way to turn the plug is the direction with the most give. Lock picking should be done with your tension turning towards the side with the most play.
The simplest way of lock picking is a method called “raking”. As we have discussed in the Lock Picking Tools section, this method uses a rake tool.
Raking is about moving all of the pins at once. The method does not depend on a deep understanding of what is happening in the lock. That is not the same as not needing any understanding of how a lock works.
This means that you do not need to understand what is happening precisely in the lock as you manipulate it. But you need to know the different steps in the process. And if this is not working, what you need to do differently.
Step 1 – Insert the tension wrench and apply tension. (Making sure it is rotating in the right direction).
Step 2 – Insert rake into the keyway.
Step 3 – Pull the rake in and out of the keyway.
Step 4 – Move the rake up and down in the keyway.
Step 5 – Repeat steps 3 and 4 for no longer than a minute or two.
Step 6 – Turn the tension wrench to see if the lock is open.
Step 7 – If the lock does not open, remove tension, change the amount of tension, and start again.
The process is pretty simple, with not much skill involved. However, there are mistakes you can make.
Mistake number one is the amount of tension you are using. And the second mistake is that the lock will not open with this type of simple lock picking. You might need to use the hard way of lock picking.
Single pin picking (SPP) is the hard way of lock picking. This means you have to use something like a hook, as described in the Lock Picking Tools section.
When you are single pin picking, it is exactly what it sounds like. You are moving each pin individually. You need to understand the innermost workings of the lock. This means knowing more than how a basic lock works.
You need to know how your lock is working as you pick it. A big part of single pin picking is feeling for the feedback that the lock is giving you.
The lock is communicating to you. You have to feel for resistance, spring tension, and everything happening in the lock. And you need to feel this pin by pin throughout all of the pin stacks.
You are trying to go pin by pin to feel for the type of resistance that telegraphs the binding order. Because of the Basics of Lock Manipulation section, you know that the order you have to pick the lock is randomly determined. Find that order.
Step 1 – Insert the tension wrench and apply tension. (Making sure it is rotating in the right direction).
Step 2 – Insert hook into the keyway.
Step 3 – Starting in the back of the lock, lift each pin as you move to the front of the lock. (You can start at the front and work to the back if that is your preference).
Step 4 – Ignore any pin stacks that are springy.
Step 5 – Lift the pin that is giving you resistance. (Ease off of the tension slightly until that pin stack rises).
Step 6 – You may hear a click and feel the plug rotate a bit. But you should also be able to feel the key pin lift without any spring pressure or resistance.
Step 7 – Repeat steps 3 through 6 until all pins are picked.
Step 8 – Turn the tension wrench to see if the lock is open.
Step 9 – If the lock does not open, remove tension, change the amount of tension, and start again.
The most difficult part of this process is understanding what the lock is doing. If you are not getting the feedback from the lock, or you cannot interpret the feedback, this is the wrong type of lock picking method.
How to pick locks the hard way requires a more intimate understanding of the lock. More than knowledge, there needs to be a feeling that transfers a theoretical knowledge into a practical understanding.
The best way to improve this skill is to practice. There is a bit of natural talent that can improve the timetable of progress, but anyone can get lucky or feel as though they have lost all of their progress. The trick is to stay calm and focus on the fundamentals.
As we have already discussed in the Basics of Manipulation section, security pins change the way that manipulation works by adding a layer of additional complexity. It helps to know how to identify when a lock is not opening because of security pins.
Because of how these pins work, they will give the feeling that the driver pins have set above the shear line, but the driver pins are actually jamming between the plug and the bible.
The sensation you feel with a pin that has set in this way gives the misleading lack of spring tension you would associate with a set pin. This is why a security pin that is hung up on the shear line is called a “false set”.
The likelihood of a false set can be increased when pin chambers are threaded or counter milled. This type of precaution creates more ledges in the lock for the security pins to catch on.
The lock will often telegraph why it is not opening. This can be subtle, but if you don’t know what to look for, you are sure to miss it. To pick a lock with security pins, you need to know what type of security pin you are picking.
In the world of locksport, you can get incredibly complicated and unique security pins. Pins such as the pin in pin security pins and hand sculpted designs can create many unique challenges, but there are too many possibilities to address.
I will address the security pins you are most likely encounter, and that should help you to understand the types of approaches you should take when you know there are security pins in the lock you are picking.
One of the most popular types of security pins you will find are spool pins. These security pins are the go to for most lock manufacturers. They have a capital “I” shape: thin in the middle, with more material on both the top and the bottom.
This shape has the pin catch on the ledge caused by the imperfect pin chamber orientation. The driver pin gets hung up on at the shear line, without ever clearing it, but the spring tension will feel as if it is gone.
When you get a false set with a spool pin, you will be able to see and feel a significant amount of rotation from the plug. This is because the thin part of the spool is allowing for rotation while still jamming between the bible and plug.
Simply lighten your tension and push on the pin so that the pin can squeak past the ridge long enough to not catch on the ledge until it has cleared the shear line.
You might drop other pins as a result of this lessening of tension, or overset a key pin so that it is jammed at the shear line. So be patient and precise.
With the appearance much like that of a mushroom, the “T” shape has a similar effect as the spool pin. However, where the spool has a thin middle, the mushroom pin has a wide middle that slims only slightly as it approaches the “hat” of the “T”.
The resulting slope of the graduated slimming, gets your tension to rotate the plug in order to force a ledge that will catch the “hat” of the “T”.
The rotation of the plug will not be as dramatic, as it happens gradually and not all at once. But even with a different method of detection, they are picked successfully and unsuccessfully the same ways as spool pins.
One of the most complicated security pins are serrated pins, which you have probably gathered, are serrated. This means that they are ribbed, getting thin then extending like several spool pins stacked and compacted.
They do not feel all that different during a “false set” than a standard pin does when it actually sets. This makes them very difficult to detect. They might also make other pins feel as though they are binding.
When it feels like other pins are ready to bind, while they are not, the sensation is that you have found the next step in the binding order, but cannot set the next pin.
When everything feels like it should be going right, but nothing is, it is time to start anticipating serrated pins. Then it is time to ease off pressure and work the pins again.
These false sets are the reason that raking is rarely effective on locks that use security pins. You will need to use single pin picking (described in the How To Pick Locks: The Hard Way section) to address each pin.
This is one of the reasons there is a debate between the effectiveness of raking vs. single pin picking. You can rake the lock to a false set, but then it is time to find the binding order and work with each pin, one at a time.
Remember, when you are working with the pins that you should never remove tension all together. You need to lessen the tension while still maintaining it. And make sure the lessening is not severe.
The more severely you ease off the tension, the more likely you are to drop pins. The more pins you drop, the more time you will need to spend re-picking the lock.
I just want to briefly discuss some different methods of opening locks. It is up for debate as to whether or not some of these methods are technically lock picking. But I would say they are.
Lock picking is most simply defined as the manipulation of the components of a lock without the use of the working key.
However, these methods below are not as straightforward as the simple way or even the hard way and require more understanding and tools for effective use. Though I will not go into too much depth, I think it is important to know about the other lock picking options.
How to pick locks is not something that can simply be reduced to a few methods, each with a couple of steps. And for that reason, these additional lock picking methods serve to illustrate the complexity of lock picking.
Now that you are familiar with raking, as described in the How To Pick Locks: The Simple Way section, you can better understand how pick guns work. Whether the picks guns are manual or electric, they still need a tension wrench, because they are working like a rake.
The pick gun knocks the pins upwards (similar to a bump key) as you move the pick in and out of the keyway (similar to a rake). The idea being that this will semi-automation will make picking faster.
You will need to set the device for how much you want them to move up and down. If the gun does not pop the pins high enough, they cannot set, and it will over-set pins if the setting is too high.
Because this method does not give the different pin stacks individual attention, it is unlikely to be effective when the lock has security pins.
A bump key works a bit like a pick gun, but with no need for tension. As you are trying to turn the key, you strike it with a hammer.
The hope is that the driver pins will jump up into the bible as the key is hit with the hammer. In that instant, the shear line will be clear, and the key can momentarily turn the plug.
A bump key is a key that fits inside the keyway and has every groove cut to the lowest possible depth for that make and model of lock. You will need a specific bump key depending on the lock you are trying to open.
There are locks that are un-bumpable based on how they are constructed (anything that doesn’t use a pin tumbler system). For more insight into bump keys, you can pick up additional information in articles we have about how to prevent lock bumping and how bump keys work on cars.
Much like raking and pick guns, the attempt to move multiple pins at once makes this method less likely to work on locks with security pins.
When lock pickers talk about bypassing, they differentiate it from lock picking because you are often not manipulating the lock components that interact with the key.
What you are doing is bypassing the standard operation of the lock with a direct manipulation of the unlocking mechanism. These methods vary, but you can see a few examples in the list of locks that only offer the appearance of security.
In order to find bypasses, you can research existing bypasses that others have discovered, or research how the lock works on a mechanical level. But these methods take specific research.
It does not matter how complicated a lock is if it can be bypassed. Security pins do not make a lock secure if they can be avoided. To protect against bypasses, a lock needs to know about the specific bypass technique, then take measures to defend against it.
How the lock is secured can greatly affect how you will have to approach the lock picking. As stated earlier, deadbolts, door knobs, and padlocks can all be pin tumbler locks. And each one is going to have their own issues.
Padlocks will often be loose on a chain, which means you will need to be able to pick them in hand. Lock picking in hand can take some practice as you try to find the right positions for holding your tools and the lock.
Not every padlock can be disassembled, so you may not have the option to pick it as an exposed core. And if you do not have a vice, there is not any simple way to mount the padlock.
Many lock pickers enjoy taking the lock core out of the padlock or deadbolt. This means that you will have the bible and plug without any other type of cylinder housing.
With an exposed lock core, you are not getting the real feeling of what it is like to pick the lock in the wild. But if you are picking locks without any care for practical lock picking, this is fine.
It is also a method of removing some of the noise and just focusing on the lock picking aspect of the lock. You can start by picking the exposed core and then try picking them in their natural housing.
When a lock cannot be moved, such as in the case of door knobs and deadbolts, lock picking can become a little more straightforward. It is like working with the lock in a vice.
You can mount standard locks in planks of wood or faux doors. This is perfect when you are trying to improve your locksmith skills.
However, locks that are installed upside down can throw some amateur lock pickers, as they struggle to use bottom/top of the keyway tension with a different lock orientation.
Lock picking is for professional locksmiths and lock picking hobbyists. It is never intended to be used for illegal activity. But more than just the intention of use, there are restrictions beyond what you do.
In the United States, there are many things to know about how lock picking is treated by the letter of the law. Most states do not take an interest in the ownership of lock picking tools unless you are a criminal.
In the states of Nevada, Virginia, Ohio, and Mississippi, the possession of lock picks may be used as evidence. The technical term is “prima facie evidence”. And that means (in a manner of speaking) that the evidence is assumed to be correct in its presumption until proven otherwise.
Other than those states, you also need to worry about North Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, and Kansas. All of these laws have very specific restrictions on the ownership of lock picking tools. If you live in any of these states, you need to research your specific lock pick laws.
In terms of the countries that definitely restrict the ownership of lock picks there is Japan, Poland, and Hungary. If you live in or are visiting any of these countries, there are fines and jail time associated with having lock picking in your possession.
You should make sure that you are always complying with your local lock pick laws, even when you are traveling with lock picks.
From there you always need to remember the two rules of lock picking:
The first rule is straightforward. It exists so that you are never accused of anything ethically questionable. Don’t pick locks that “look” abandoned. Get permission or have ownership over the lock. Everything else opens you up to trouble.
Never picking a lock that is in use is a little less self-explanatory, but it stems from concerns about how repeated lock picking will damage a lock. This is especially true when you are first trying to learn how to pick locks.
Initial mistakes with lock picking can jam the lock, and pins can wear out as a result of extensive picking. When a professional locksmith opens your door with lock picks, they are only doing it once and with full knowledge of what they are doing.
Little things like security pins and the orientation of a lock might throw you for a loop sometimes. But sometimes you can fail to pick a lock you have picked before.
This might be because the lock is broken. As already stated, you can break a lock by picking it repeatedly.
You might have a lock that is the same make and model as a lock you have picked, but the binding order and key bitting have made the pins hard to access in the way you are used to.
There are even times when you can just lose your skills. It happens to a lot of lock pickers where they just can’t seem to open anything. You can get stuck for seemingly no reason.
In any case, it is always good to take a break and step back from the situation. Try to assess what is happening, and re-devote yourself to the essentials of lock picking.
Come back and read this article whenever you just can’t seem to get locks open like you used to.
There is a lot to know when you are trying to find out how to pick locks. Locks can be incredibly complicated, but lock picking can be very simple. Begin by understanding the mechanics of a standard lock. Know how a key works. Then apply the basics of manipulation to that understanding.
After all of that, make sure that you understand the tools and methods you need for effective lock picking. And never break the law or the basic rules of lock picking. If you can do all of that, you can pick locks.
The post How To Pick Locks: The Definitive Guide To Lock Picking appeared first on United Locksmith.
