Fine Lock Shop – Smart Door Lock & Locksmithing

Tag: kuching

  • Why Your Key Snap?

    Why Your Key Snap?

    No matter what quality your key is, even the best and thickest silver-nickel alloy, it will still snap if the below situation occurs.

    1. Lock not smooth/ stuck/ grinding/ badly installed. Usually sign is like the left photo, key twisted.

    • This might happens if the lock is of bad quality, some really cheap locks usually made in China. Or,
    • Badly installed locks, causes the bolt/ latch can’t really fit perfectly into the strike hole. So when lock or unlock, the bolt is actually grinding the strike. Or,
    • Still badly installed locks, the external and internal is not in the same horizontal or vertical line. The lock will not works smoothly and you need more force to turn the key

    2. The user used unnecessary excessive force on the key. The sign for this is bent key, not twisted.

    • Sometimes user use the key to pull the door while the key is inside the lock. The key becomes like a pull handle. 
    • If your door do not have a pull handle, install one. Must not use the key to substitute the pull handle

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com

    • Bettee Lock for Aluminium Sliding Door

      Bettee Lock for Aluminium Sliding Door

      This lock is getting more and more trendy among aluminium sliding, usually for bigger house. It is stronger and seems more durable than common aluminium lock with square casing. 

      But in the end still depends on workmanship. If alignment and positioning is not right, even the best lock fails.

      Can consider this type of lock for your sliding door (if not yet fabricated)

      Advise from Locksmith,
      The Fine Lock Shop Team

    • Royal President Guardian Digital Lock

      Brand: Royal President Guardian

      Functions: 

      1. RF Cards x 30pcs
      2. Passcode x 4 sets

      Origin: South Korea

      Comments: Royal President specialises in electronic locks.  Very reliable brand.

      Extra Service (has to do them Free of Charge): 

      1. Reposition Barrel Bolt.
      2. Door Closer Adjust.
    • Stealth Deadbolt with Custom Made Backplate

      Stealth Deadbolt with Custom Made Backplate

      This door has a bigger hole than the deadbolt plate. If we just install like that, can see some small hole besides the deadbolt. Although small, still doesn’t look nice. 

      Hence something else is needed to cover the hole. There are alternatives like door strengthener, standard backplate which is square, but both doesn’t look nice (according to the customer). 

      So we need a custom made solution that will blend in with the lock, so that it looks “original”. We come up with a round, hairline and plasma cut stainless steel according to the fitting of the deadbolt design. The effect is very nice. 

      Locksmith always need some custom cut metal plates. Sometimes brass, aluminium or stainless steel. It is simply because there are too many design, situation, thickness, requirement, etc. In order to install the lock to work with durability, strength, and smooth, some degree of customisation is needed. 

      So do not be worried your locksmith used some extra plate on your door. If used correctly, it makes your lock and door stronger than before

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • Digital Door Lock Samsung 5230

      Digital Door Lock Samsung 5230

      Type: Mortise with Handle

      Origin: Samsung, South Korea

      Unlocking method:

      • 100 Fingerprints
      • Passcode
      • Mechanical Key
    • Door Sometimes Just Get Swollen

      Door Sometimes Just Get Swollen

      Swollen Door

      This door expands. It keeps on expanding so after a while, it is quite bad. So once you push it to close, it is hard to open. This customer ask someone from outside to help kick to door open. And the door cracks. (UPDATES: After checking on the client’s door, just the surface laminate layer crack actually, not the whole wood wall. Inside still solid)

      Wooden door is quite hard to predict. Some expand, some shrink, some twist. And some happen to new door (can claim warranty), some happen after 1 year, some happen after 2 years, etc. 

      We are fully focused on locks, so door knowledge is somehow limited to experience only. From experience, we can guess what type of door will expand, what type of door shrinks, etc. But why? We can only guess, can’t be sure.

      We have worked with some door seller. Some just sell. Some is a contractor carpenter. They are almost the same like us, they can explain what happen to the door but is a pure guess on experience. 

      But there are a few, who are really  specialised door maker. He knows what’s wrong with the door once he sees and touches it. The differences with common carpenter is he can explain to us the technical and scientific reason behind it. Just like a teacher explaining in details.
      So for door problem sometimes we need a skillful and experienced carpenter’s advise or if better a specialised door maker’s advise. We always keep their number with us. Called them up so often that we have become friends.

      Here we list a common door-cannot-close problem:

      1. Hinge problem. It might be the hinge screw worn out or loosen, or the hinge is a bad quality type. Change the hinge (cost more than installing new door, as the workmanship involved is actually removing, and reinstalling door again, so is a “double work”)
      2. Door expand: need to plan the door or grind it
      3. Door shrink: causes the door to unable to latch. In this case the strike plate needs some extra padding to thicken it so that it can catch the door latch.
      4. Door twist: can opt to readjust strike plate, or readjust hinge alignment 
      5. Door joint problem : the door spine/ bone joint is no longer strong, causes the door to drop in shape. Need special angle steel plate to lift and strengthen the joint.

      Advise from locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com

    • What type of Door Handle will Break Apart?

      What type of Door Handle will Break Apart?

      We have seen Zinc Diecast as the most oftenly break. Followed by Zinc Alloy.
      The above photo is a Zinc Diecast. It is installed at a Metal Door. Aged at 4 years.

      We changed to a fully stainless steel handle for him. Definitely won’t break.

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • Deadbolt + Hammer = Burglared

      Deadbolt + Hammer = Burglared


      *(Well not exactly hammer, because that will make a lot of noise)
      A cheap deadbolt get burglared. No damage to the keyway, so the only way is the internal part inside and turn a spindle with screwdriver.

      Usually the easy way is to use a hammer. But in this case there is no dent to the deadbolt cover.

      There are, however some dent and scratches on the door (maybe not so obvious from the dark photo). The thief must be using a flat head screwdriver, pry down the deadbolt, then use the same screwdriver to just turn the spindle behind.

      Guess what, when ask the owner, indeed he put some handy tools outside the house, including a flat head screwdriver.

      What can we learn from this case?

      In some frequent cases, the thief comes empty handed, so your neighborhood doesn’t realise. 

      “This is not a thief! Because he doesn’t have any tools or bag. How can he enter a house empty-handed?”.

       He open into your door using some tools or items you put outside your home. Even some gardening tools, repairing tools, maintenance tools, etc.

      So, the today’s real equation should be:

      Deadbolt + Flat Head Screwdriver = Burglared. 

      (Better don’t put this as the headline, we don’t wanna attract too many attention)
      How about you? What do you put at the exterior compound of your house?

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • Self Destruct by Customer (But still can’t enter)

      Self Destruct by Customer (But still can’t enter)

      A destroying attempt by our customer in Stapok. He said he tried the whole morning.

      But end up still need to call us to unlock. And need to buy new lockset to replace. And the need to pass the new key to all family member.

      If he call us in the first place, we ll unlock it in maximum 15 minutes. No need whole morning, no need change lock, no need to pass new key to family member.

      But is not his fault. Everyone has his right to choose. 

      1. Whether you want to call for professional, hassle free and save time, or
      2. Whether you want to save the professional fee, but spend some extra time and effort and maybe little bit of trouble.

      We respect their choice. We have some really poor client usually from some kampung, can’t afford our fee, but they are quite handyman, can even build a whole house themselves. We understand their condition. Hence we teach them the proper lock to destroy.

      But if you wanna do it, make sure, double make sure you have some handy skill. This is not for some office professionals. 

      If not, you will be like our client above. Time, effort, money, all wasted. Plus some trouble.

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • Are they really made in Italy? Australia? You’re duped. They are made in China

      Are they really made in Italy? Australia? You’re duped. They are made in China

      It is a common marketing gimmick today. Just put a Western country name with the logo. You will think their product comes from there.

      Like the photo. “Auzzieslzzp.Australia”. Fact? Made in Malaysia. 

      Not so bad if made in Malaysia. But for locks, they will be from China. What actually are you buying? From Italy or China?

      We want the accurate knowledge to reach our reader, and not influenced by some marketing gimmick. Below are the list of some brand, and where majority product comes from.

      1. St Guchi Italy (Malaysia company. Made in China)
      2. Genom Italy (Malaysia company. Made in China)
      3. Milano Italy (Malaysia company. Made in China)
      4. Yale ( US company, but since past few years product sold in Msia are made in China to fight for cheapest price and product in project)
      5. Stanley (US company, but product sold in Msia are made in China to fight for cheapest price and product in project)
      6. Dorma (US company, but product sold in Msia are made in China to fight for cheapest price and product in project)
      7. Keyline German (Msia company. Made in China)
      8. GT Benz German (Msia company, Made in China)
      9. (We will update this list from time to time)

      How to detect it is a marketing gimmick, not genuine origin? Very simple. Fake origin don’t write “Made in Italy”. They just said “Italy”

      Only GENUINE product write Made in Italy.

      For quality product, make sure they are written “Made in Italy/ Swiss/ Japan/ Korea/ Spain”. If not written then probably it means made in China


      Advise from Locksmith
      www.finelockshop.com