As many of you know Flam's Lock and Key will be celebrating 60 years in business this year and when we think we have seen it all we are yet again pleasantly surprised.
This is a funny cheap customer story for this week but one that also sends a helpful tip you should know about your keys.
A gentleman came into the shop and asked us to duplicate a key because the one he got at Lowe's did not work. When Jack looked at the copy he gave to Lowe's he told him several things:
1. His key was worn which in our world is a bad key, one that will eventually stop working and will also wear down the cylinder. Either case will be costly be a lock out or cylinder replacement. JACK DECODED THE KEY AND THEN PUNCHED AN 'ORIGINAL' KEY, somthing only a good locksmith would know and do. It also did not cost more than a regular $2.50 duplicate.
2. He also told him that key cutters at big box stores do not look at the keys first, they just duplicate them. They also use 'generic' key blanks which are not as good as the manufacturer's key blanks, even if you give them a good key.
3. He explained to him that you should always, when possible, duplicate keys from orginals because each time you duplicate from a duplicate the cuts go down a generation to the point it will eventually will not work. A good analogy is duplicating pictures; each time you make a copy from a copy it gets granier and grainier.
Good information, would you agree? Well here is the head turner of the story:
When Jack was done the customer thanked him for his knowledge, for a new key that would work and the asked how much it would be to cut a second key. When Jack told him $2.50 the man said it was too expensive and he would take it to Home Depot.
Need more be said?
By the way, look at events calander for National Night Out on Aug. 7. A little brag, we are the only security professionals the Van Nuys Police asked to set up a booth at this annual event. Patch will also have more information on this so keep your eyes peeled.
Yours in Security,
Vikki Flam
