Fine Lock Shop – Smart Door Lock & Locksmithing

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  • Digital Lock for Homestay Business Owner

    Digital Lock for Homestay Business Owner

     

    Homestay owner wants to control the access to their property when they are not there. With this digital lock for homestay or airbnb owner, they can issue passcode remotely using phone apps, and then just SMS to their client. The best part is that the passcode has certain validity.

    For example, a one-time passcode, for a contractor who will just come one time to fix something. After using the passcode for one time, the lock will automatically won’t recognise the passcode anymore.

    And for short stay client, say 2 days, use the phone apps to issue a 2-days validity passcode. That passcode can be used for 2 days only, after that the lock will not recognise the passcode anymore.

    With this lock, you can manage your homestay business even without always being there.

  • Door Lock Protected Lives in the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

    Door Lock Protected Lives in the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

    Source: CBS Miami

    Photo credits: CBS Miami

    We all heard of the Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting in the US just early this month, 2 months ago. Half an earth away, yet we were shocked, and we sympathise with the victims’ family.

    Shortly after in our locksmith forum, some common people ask and talked about bullet proof door and lock. Almost all locksmiths agree, that was not practical due to the cost and functions.

    In fact, a good door lock had already saved many lives in this incident:
    http://www.ntd.tv/2018/02/16/heroic-florida-teacher-protected-students-from-shooter-by-locking-door-covering-windows/

    There was this one teacher, Shanthi Viswanathan, who took fast action and locked the classroom door immediately after hearing a fire alarm that doesn’t sounds right (other teacher escorted their students out). As the result of this heroic teacher, she saved herself and her whole class.

    A wise teacher. A good door. A good door lock. These are the things that saved the students in that class.

    To prevent such thing from happening to our family, we too need these. A wise action, a good door, and a good door lock.

  • Padlock Knowledge – Just Buy A Cheap Padlock

    Padlock Knowledge – Just Buy A Cheap Padlock

    Padlock Pried Open

     

    We have numerous cases of like this photo. Cheap padlock just get pried open. No cutting, no sawing, no hard-hitting. Just the key hole get pried out. And the padlock opens.

    Numerous cases. Seems like this way of break-in is pretty common here. How did they do it? Just a screwdriver that you probably put outside your house compound. Yes, that’s what needed, at all. One screwdriver. (or maybe something flat)

    Will this post gave some tips to potential thief on how to open this padlock? It won’t. Here’s why:

    • the only person who don’t know how to pry this padlock, is, well, YOU.

    That’s why you buy this cheap padlock, isn’t it? You think it’s OK. You don’t meed a good padlock.

    You buy it, and thief pry it in 10seconds, get into your house. What happens next? 2 possibilities:

    1. Thief breaks in, and get away with your valuables
    2. Thief breaks in, your wife and children saw their face, and what will the thief do?

    If (1) happens, that’s a good news, that your family are safe. We don’t care about your money. You can earn it back.
    But if (2) happens, what can you do? We’re not trying to scare you out. But that the world that we’re living in. Thieves became murderers. Humans, became inhuman.

    Come on guys, don’t be a cheapskate when buying locks. Find a good one. The one that can really protects, that will make a thief give up trying. A vast majority of our client, we realised, bought an expansive toilet bowl, but trying to save on door locks.

    If you want to save money, save it from your toilet bowl, your kitchen cabinet. No point getting a comfortable toilet bowl to sit on, when you can’t even protect your home.

    Go buy a cheap padlock, if you have no family, and your life is cheap. You don’t need a good one.

     

    Just sharing some hard locksmith knowledge (and counsel),
    www.finelockshop.com

     

  • Door Magnet/ Door Stopper – Don’t install it like this

    Door Magnet/ Door Stopper – Don’t install it like this

    Magnetic Door stopper

    What is a Door Stopper or Holder?

    Door Stopper is a necessity on each door. Without it your door lock will hit against your wall (or tiles), and as the result either your wall will be dented or your tiles will crack.

    At some windy area, door stopper might not be enough. You will need magnetic stopper that will hold the door. So if strong wind blows, the door will not BANG itself close.

     

    Client’s Complaint

    One of the most common type is so-called tower stopper. Available in both magnetic(stop-and-hold function) or non-magnetic (stop function). Like our client above, who bought from us to be installed by his contractor. After few weeks, he called us and complaint to us. Complains that his toes always kicked the stopper.

    That is very painful by the way. We have to explain to him that the stopper is wrongly installed.

    Tower type stopper is called by another name, which is Overhead Stopper. It’s meant to be installed above over the head. We always install it at the upper-end corner of the door. One of the reason is the kicking. So we end up helping the client to move up the magnetic stopper to the top of the door to his satisfaction.

     

    Other Types of Door Stopper

    There are many variation of stoppers. If tower doesn’t fit your door due to some reason (example: no wall at the back), there are still many other options to consider. One of the famous one is the Flat-floor magnet stopper.

    floor magnet stopper

    One part install to the door leaf, but another part which is flat, installed to the floor. Because it’s flat, you won’t kick it. You might step on it and able to feel it’s existence but it doesn’t hurt you. Make sure to get a fully SUS304 stainless steel, as floor is subject to wet-mopping so some cheaper version made of zinc or SUS201 wil rust eventually.

  • Another AirBnb Digital Lock – Grant Access Remotely

    Another AirBnb Digital Lock – Grant Access Remotely

    AirBnb Digital Lock

     

    AirBnb are now sprouting in Kuching Sarawak. More and more owners looking for a suitable lock that will make their life easier.

    This Sciener digital lock is specially designed for homestay owners. It’s an Airbnb digital lock. You can grant access to your client anywhere in the world as long as you have SMS or whatsapp. Just download the Sciener app and for the first time setup, synchronize your phone app with the lock. During that first setup, They will exchange some specific command code, so that your phone no longer need to be connected to the lock. No need wifi, no need bluetooth, no need anything.

    You can set the access to your guest for one day, or 2 days, or 1 week, or 1 month, or 1 time enter only. For example if you are generating one time access code, then your guest (or maybe cleaner) can enter using that code only one time. Once re-close the door, it will auto-lock and the same code cannot be used again.

    Really a convenient lock for Airbnb home owner, compared to other standard digital lock that we sell. If you do not look for an Airbnb digital lock, we do recommend this.

    But if you’re buying it for your own home, maybe not so recommended. Some features make this lock convenient for managing multiple guest. If you’re managing only yourself, then better get a more straightforward digital lock.

  • AirBnb Lock Room Type

    AirBnb Lock Room Type

    Airbnb lock for room type

    There is a sudden increase of people looking for AirBnb lock over the past 6 months in Kuching. Seems like the trend is arriving Kuching finally.

    AirBnb is a daily-based property rental website. Visitor or tourist can book you property (if you upload it to Airbnb) at a rate determined by you. The specialised service here is short term.

    Why our client chooses digital lock for their Airbnb?

    1: Digital Lock Gives Convenience to Airbnb Owner

    Unlike monthly rental scheme, in Airbnb, your client changes perhaps everyday. If you are using ordinary keyed lock, you have to arrange to meet your client at a time convenient to you both, everyday. What an inconvenience! With digital, you can just message them the passcode.

    2: Airbnb Lock protects your property

    Security wise, if you pass a physical key to your client, there is a risk of them duplicating it, make it easy for them to enter your property using the real key next time (unless you change your door lock everyday). With digital key (RF Card) or passcode, you can always reset, erase or change the coding as the need arise.

    We have plenty options for Airbnb owner. Like the above photo of Hione Digital Lock cost RM 980 with install included. It uses card access or passcode. Everytime the door closes, it locks automatically. But only suitable for room type rental. For whole building type, there is another model.

    Consult with us to understand more,
    The Fine Lock Shop
    www.finelockshop.com

  • Yale Digital Door Lock at Dogan (and the history of Yale Digital Lock)

    Yale Digital Door Lock at Dogan (and the history of Yale Digital Lock)

    Yale Digital Lock Installed

    Yale Digital Door Lock – Installed at Jalan Dogan (same model with Park Residences & Vivacity)

     

    The Story of Yale Digital Door lock

    We first supported Yale Digital Door Lock around 10 years back. Yale are good at standard mechanical lock, but digital wise, they have no expertise or experience at all. So how did they get to produce some digital lock?

    It started in the year 2000.

    You might think Yale is a huge lock company. However there is a much bigger lock company, ASSA ABLOY. In 30 August 2010, ASSA ABLOY officially bought over Yale.

    “Assa Abloy Press Release 30 Aug 2000“

    Thereafter, ASSA ABLOY owns Yale, and free to set any direction for Yale, be it an upgrade or downgrade. Bear in mind that ASSA/ ABLOY belongs to the category of Ultra high security lock, while Yale is only Medium security.

    But Yale did not start producing digital lock straight away. Assa Abloy do have the expertise in digital lock, but also belongs to high end product or technology. It does not fit into Yale’s image as a medium range lock.

    In Sept 2007, Assa Abloy acquired another lock company, this time is a digital lock company Irevo of South Korea (Owner of Gateman Brand & factory).

    “Assa Abloy Press Release 11 Sept 2007“

    This is the start of Yale Digital Lock. The technology of Gateman is modified from Korean 70mm Integral Mortise into EN 6085mm  Mortise. As Irevo factory does not have the machine for En standard mortise, production is shifted to another factory in China. At later stage when new models are designed, production is re-shifted to Irevo, but the South Korea factory is to stamp that product with Yale.

    So the truth is Yale Digital Lock is modified and made in either China or by Irevo, South Korea. Just find out the similarity  below:

    Yale Digital Lock and Gateman

    If you’re our past client that bought the first batch of Yale Digital Lock, now you understand why initially Yale Digital Lock has so many problem. We think they are forcefully modified from Gateman body to fit into EN spec. On average, 8 out of 10 Yale Digital Lock has defect at that time. Only recently they have stabilised and no longer had such a high defect rate.

    These are not locksmith knowledges, but it’s fun to know the origin of a famous brand, don’t you think so?

     

    Just Sharing,
    www.finelockshop.com

  • Padlock & Grille: Common Break-in Method

    Padlock & Grille: Common Break-in Method

    Grille and Padlock are the most common combination used at the front or back door. From our experience, we found out the following:

    Welded padlock bracket is actually not that strong

    Why do we say so? Our technician learned some welding before, and we have also cooperated with plenty of grille welder, both stainless steel and steel. The process of welding itself actually melts some of the metal body in order to create bonding. Thus the welded part is a thinner part. (thinner metal cannot be welded due to this; welding will instead make holes to the thin metal sheet).

    Frankly we are not welding specialist. There might be someone or some other welding methods out there that do not melt and make the metal become thinner. But from experience we’ve seen a huge number of padlock break-in cases in Kuching that happens just like this case:Padlock Burglar Kuching

    Very frequent happened. Padlock was not attacked. Instead thief attacked the bracket. In all cases, the broken part is randomly bent. Means the thief us forcing the bracket to move left-right-left-right till it breaks. And it breaks at the welded part.

    Not one case, not two cases, but plenty. Welded bracket is simply a weak point at the grille.

    Our suggestion? Use a full body wrap bracket. Or use a thru-fixing bracket. So much stronger, and so many times harder to break. Below is an example of thru-fixing bracket, which is also our locksmith’s favourite:Padlock kuching bracket

    In the above cases, we use Hardened Steel (Steel and Stainless Steel are saw-able, Hardened is not saw-able) Bracket. The screws are non removable, and there are no welded part. So in order to defeat the bracket, you need to rip the whole metal grille body apart. This is really tough to do.

    Now, what type of bracket are you using?

    Advise from Locksmith,
    www.finelockshop.com

  • Unique Break In/ Burglary at Kuching

    Unique Break In/ Burglary at Kuching

    We have seen all sort of method of break in. The pry in, the kick in, the bump in, lockpicking, snapping, etc. We know and confirmed by looking at the deadbody of the lock and door. These methods are common, seen every week.

    But this, is first time in our life, first time in our career. Using blow-torch fire. Actually it doesn’t help in their break in. Because in the end they actually hammer-snap the key cylinder. 

    Effect on the mortise seems very unprofessional. Our guess is they took a really long time and have a hard time trying to break in. It’s a commercial area so the place is completely theirs at night.

    Thieves and robbers are using all sort of ways to break in nowadays. Invest in a good lock is a must. Just imagine the loss of money, valuables and time (not yet consider the loss of lives of your family if they’re in during the break in) due to a break in. An ultra strong lock costs only penny compared to that.

    In other word, security lock that gives real protection, is valueless. 

  • Small Digital Lock with Backup Key

    Small Digital Lock with Backup Key

    How to choose a digital lock? There are many aspects have to be thought of. But today let talk about key.

    Small version digital lock (add-on existing lock type) has rim type and deadbolt. Rim type is most flexible, but never has a version with key, until this model pop out.

    St Guchi Epic Rim open by:

    1. RF Card
    2. Passcode
    3. Mechanical(Ordinary) Key

    Great alternative for main door, as we always recommended to have key for main door even if it’s a digital lock. 

    We have 24hour unlocking service, but if really that day our standby locksmith is so tired that he sleep like half dead, you have wait till morning. Or if he is in the toilet doing big business, you have to wait 1 hour stamding outside your house.

    If on a room door, you can get digital lock without key. If 10 years later the lock spoil, you can wait for us in your living room or have coffee in you kitchen.

    Main door, always have a key. Always.