Reasons To Rely On An All-Day Locksmith

Many locksmiths are only open during traditional business hours, which is 9-5 Monday to Friday. While most businesses can get away with only being open during these hours, when it comes to trades, a bit more flexibility goes a long way. In particular, a reliable 24 hour locksmith in Adelaide offers the best service of all for a number of reasons. 

First and foremost, security problems don’t only happen during office hours. In fact, statistically speaking, break ins and other security breaches are very unlikely to occur during the day time. Sure, in the day time most people are out at their jobs, but there is also very little cover for burglars. They prefer to work under cover of darkness rather than risk being seen by a neighbour. This means that you are most likely to experience a break in in the middle of the night. Should you be woken by the burglar at 2am, or find the damage in the morning at 7 when you start getting ready for work, you will want to be able to contact a locksmith straight away. 

Here in Australia, there is a growing risk of burglary. Reasons cited for this increase have included our relatively well-off economic position and subsequent abundance of affluent homes. We also have a relatively low unemployment rate, meaning many people are out at work for significant periods of the day. And finally, our culture values owning one’s own detached home, rather than an apartment or flat. A detached home has less security in general, and is a bigger target with many unprotected entry points. 

A 24 hour locksmith is also going to be far more urgent compared to your standard service. Time is of the essence when it comes to breached home or automotive security. The sooner you talk to the police about visiting the crime scene as well as a locksmith about securing the premises, the more likely you are to have the case solved. Unfortunately, a huge number of cases go unreported. Over 380 000 cases were reported in one year, and it is assumed that almost half that number again occurred without report. 

After a robbery, a victim will feel totally vulnerable. Smashed glass or damaged locks can also make you an easy target for a second attack in the following days. Any damaged locks or entry points need to be repaired or replaced without delay. It is approximated that one in four burglary victims are re-burgled within the year. Whether this is simply because they remain an easy target or whether the same burglar remembered their property is uncertain. 

Of course, not all locksmith services are about break ins. Sometimes, you may have lost or snapped a key. For your vehicle keys, this is most likely to happen when you go to turn on your car in the morning or afternoon, on the way to and from work. Now, both of these time frames are technically outside of office hours, meaning that a traditional service would make you wait and make you late for work. 

Finally, a locksmith that is always open will have to have a number of qualified employees on hand. A 24 hour service simply cannot rely upon one person, and will likely involve at least two, if not three or four professionals. This means that there will always be someone ready to send out to you in an emergency. Furthermore, if you have a larger scale job, such as installing a complete home security system, you will have access to a whole team of suitable workers to get the job done efficiently. Please talk to Marion Locksmiths about their efficient 24 hour locksmith fleet in Adelaide.

The Tips And Tricks of an Adelaide Locksmith Exposed

There are many secrets and tricks an Adelaide locksmith holds dear to their chest. Today, we have exposed their secrets to help you handle the locksmith world. Make sure you read each carefully and utilise them next time you need a locksmith. 








Look out for scammers

Unfortunately, when it comes to the locksmith industry there is always a bad egg that spoils it for the rest. Recently it has been discovered that scam artists pose as locksmiths online to earn a quick bucks. The service all seems above board until these individuals reach your home and claim that your lock is a special sort that cannot be picked. They then proceed to drill your lock open and then replace it with a cheap lock purchased from a hardware shop for $25. The whole process will probably end up costing you a couple of hundred dollars. If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, listen to the alarm bells ringing in your head and ask the locksmith to leave. Make sure you do not allow them to work on your home. 
 
Locksmiths charge based on situation

You may thing all is equal in Locksmith services and no discrimination occurs, however, this is not the case. If a locksmith receives an early morning call from a drunk guy outside a strippers, chances are their call out free is going to triple. Customers like this obviously have enough money to spend at a strip club, so are going to have plenty of money to pay for a emergency locksmith. 
 
Cheap locks should be avoided

If anything sounds too good to be true, it often is. If a hardware store is offering cheap locks for sale that promise you to protect you against any intruder, take it with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, these manufacturers are set on flogging cheap locks that don’t actually stand the test of time. They often are crafted to very low standards and don’t do much protecting. It’s important when purchasing locks to choose one that is at least a grade 2 standard. This will ensure it actually does what it says. 
 
A dead bolt is ideal

If you want to maximize your security for peace of mind, a dead bolt is the best choice. A proper deadlock will feature a strike side, as well as a one-inch throw. The dead bolt should be screwed at least three inches into the door’s wood frame and be fitted with a security plate and screws. 
 
Window security

While your door may be dead bolted shut, if it’s near a window with a thumb-turn dead bolt then it’s really not going to do much. All an intruder will do to gain entry is knock out the glass and then turn the handle. Instead, fit your window with a double cylinder lock, which needs a key in order to be opened. This will heighten your security and give you peace of mind. 
 
Do not duplicate

If you’ve been shy about duplicating your key that tells you not to then give yourself a break. Keys featuring this stamp are duplicated on a constant basis. Just ignore the sign and go ahead and do it because just about everyone else does so. 

Next time you need a Adelaide locksmith, give the renowned team a call at Marion Locksmith.

Removing a Broken Key From Your Lock

There is no worse feeling than that sudden snap as you turn the key. Calling a talented Locksmiths company in Adelaide is the most reliable choice, but there are a few things to try before you resort to that.

Keys are made of relatively cheap materials and as such over time they do wear out. It is advised to always carry a spare, but that doesn’t really help you until the old broken shard is out of the lock. You may find that your key has snapped in two or has just twisted. If it is the latter, then work the head back and forth until it does snap off. If the metal is bent, this piece is not going to provide you any leverage and is only going to get in the way of cleaning and reaching the piece inside.

Perhaps the most common mistake is failing to rotate the key shaft into the release position. Depending on the lock, usually the key is inserted, turned 360 or 180 degrees to unlock the door, then needs to be turned again in order to be able to pull the key out. Even with the finest locksmith skills in the world, without being at the right angle you will never get that piece out. Often the snap happens so quickly that you do not know where you were in terms of turning. A good tip is to look at the piece that snapped off in your hands. If it is just the head, you will need to keep turning the lock. If there are some of the key’s teeth, then they slid out easily meaning the key is in the right position for removal. You can turn it using a slot head screwdriver. 

Next, spray some lubricant into the hole to loosen up the key. Water is not considered a lubricant when working with metals; this will just make the problem worse. Use a specific lock lubricant gel or liquid. Rust provides a gritty texture that can provide the resistance which snaps the key. If you think that rust is the culprit, use some graphite and jiggle the key piece around a bit. 

The next step that locksmiths take involves using their array of specialised tools to prod and drag the piece out. It seems simple enough, but it certainly isn’t. The curved sticks all serve slight different purposes, and it is the exact combination of these that is successful in removing the blockage. Now, if you did want to buy similar tools you could do from a hardware store, however you will likely not have the skills to make the most of them. If you are going to send this kind of money, you may as well call in a professional right away. That way, you get access to the tools and the experience. 

However, if you are adamant about attempting the job yourself you can always gather some implements from around the house that might help. For example, tweezers, a hacksaw blade, a screwdriver and a meat skewer can all be very useful if used creatively. There is no real method other than keeping on trying, just make sure you understand the workings of your lock for the best chance of success. 

If these methods turn to no avail or you are in a particular hurry, then rely on a professional for instant success. If you don’t have a spare key on you, a mobile locksmith van will be able to cut one on the spot as well. Contact Marion Locksmiths at for all of your Urgent Locksmiths Help in Adelaide.

Fun Facts You Never Knew About Locksmiths in Adelaide

Most people rely on locksmiths to get them out of trouble in Adelaide. Whether they’re locked out of their home or vehicle, locksmiths race to their need and get them back inside. However, much thought is not given to their industry as a whole. When you investigate further you find that locksmithing is an extremely interesting craft. If you don’t believe it, take a look for yourselves at some interesting facts about locksmiths.
  
A talented locksmith can duplicate almost any key

Many lock companies like to advertise the fact that their keys cannot be duplicated. While this fills most homeowners with a sense of security, the fact is if you lose your key you will need someone to duplicate it. In reality, a professional locksmith has the skills to replicate almost any key. I mean lets face it, that’s their job. Next time you find yourself locked out and are pondering whether your key that claims it cannot be duplicated will be penetrable, call an experienced locksmith. In no time they will get you back into your home, car or commercial property. 

Famous magician was previously a locksmith
 
When you consider the role of a locksmith, it really doesn’t surprise you that one of the world’s most famous magicians use to be one. Hungarian born, Harry Houdini, started working as a locksmith at the tender age of 11. It wasn’t long until he was utilizing what he learnt in his professional life into his magic act. Renowned as a master escapologist, he wowed audience across the world with daring acts of escape from locks. With the talent to escape from any lock he became the president of the Society of American Magicians and is well revered even to this day.

Lock picking championship 

Have you ever wanted to master the art of lock picking? It may have been to open your sisters locked diary. Perhaps it was to gain access to your friend’s locker at school to pull a prank. Maybe it was even for a more sinister reason. Whatever the motivation, you would have quickly discovered it’s not easy. For those unsure, lock picking is considered quite an art and is the practice of opening a lock without using the key. To be performed properly, the lock must not also have any damage or be broken. A number of different tools are utilised to perform this trick. Funnily enough, the art of lock picking is so popular that there is even a Dutch Open for lock picking experts. Since 2002, lock pickers have been pitted against each other to be crowned the winner of the lock picking championship. 

Smartphones are taking the place of keys

The stranglehold smartphones have on our lives looks set to continue with the devices now taking the place of keys. How it works is the phone sends a signal to a door know or a dead bolt box through the internet and a converted box. This new method of locks is being utilised not only in homes but also hotels and commercial building. Even General Motors is exploring the use of the system to unlock car doors.

Next time you need a locksmith you are sure to respect their trade more after reading our fun facts. In the event you require help from Locksmiths in Adelaide, be sure to visit Marion Locksmith’s website.

Should You Install a Fire Safe Or a Regular Safe?

The answer to this question may at first seem obvious. If a fire safe is going to protect from fire as well as burglary, then that is certainly the better choice.  In reality, the decision might not be quite that simple, and it is worth talking to an honest locksmith operation in Adelaide before jumping to any conclusions.

First of all, many sources say that some fire proof safes have the sole goal of protecting your valuables from heat and fire damage, and are in fact rather easily penetrable when it comes to burglar attack. Too many buyers simply assume that the word ‘safe’ means that the device is going to offer protection from break in. The Diplomat Safe is a rare solution that carries an impressive fire rating as well as an electronic keypad for secure locking. 

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Electronic and dial safes are much more secure, and the days when a simple lock and key were considered adequate protection are long behind us. Many brute force methods such as hitting the top of the safe to spring the latch are not effective against an electronic code. Electronic locks are also convenient and quick to open as the owner who knows the code. This ease of use means that you are more likely to regularly use the safe to store your more precious items.

So, there are some options out there that can combine the positive benefits of both fire and burglary protection. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases you are looking at one or the other. Some fire safes might offer some degree of burglary protection and vice versa. It really comes down to what you are most worried about.

As a general rule, fire safes are perfect for flammable items that are not going to necessarily be of interest to the average thief. These are usually paper documents, like signed wills and passports. These items are probably at more risk from fire than a burglar trying to look for things to resell undetected. Those items, like precious jewellery, cash and even electronics are best kept in a more secure safe that specifically keeps out burglars.

If you are concerned about the risk of fire in your building, then you would probably be looking at options that are fire resistant. Keep in mind that while some strategies such as building a safe into a concrete floor will largely protect valuables from extreme temperature, this is not the only danger a fire presents. 

It will either trigger sprinklers or in the worst case scenario the fire department and their heavy duty hoses. A safe in the floor could well let in water which would destroy documents and other delicate items. Most fire safes should be completely water tight, as they also need to keep humidity levels to a minimum, but it is certainly worth double checking with your locksmith.

Having a fire safe offers the added peace of mind that no one is going to risk their lives running back into a burning building to grab some valuables, as they are well protected. That being said, a regular burglary safe will protect your valuables so you will hopefully not endanger yourself in the presence of a burglar. This is clearly an individual decision and involves you weighing up your particular risk factors and situation. Remember that a fire safe is not ‘fireproof’ and a burglar safe is not ‘burglarproof’, but they do offer a much higher level of protection.

It may help to discuss your concerns with a Local Locksmith Professional in Adelaide who will be able to offer expert advice, so contact Marion Locksmiths.