Great video. As a CSI for the police I am going out most days trying to explain to members of the public the advantages of 3* anti snap locks. Would it be okay if I gave victims of crime the link to this video? Thanks
In the majority of places it is a pointless unless you replace the glass,far more burglaries happen through smashing the glass than snapping locks. Around Bradford and Midlands is probably the worst for lock snapping .
Doesnt make any difference, just read the serial number printed on the front of the lock, get a key cut in that pattern and your in.....or get a plug breaker and snap the pins...
Just wanted to add that the lock should not protrude by 5mm as you showed because of the snapping problem. Just measure so it is flush and its already more secure. Great videos, thankyou
Just as easy to snap the handles then the lock. Takes less than 20 seconds to open a door. My advice is get a locksmith not a handy man to check and secure your door. Your house is your home it is where you should feel safe and secure get a professional to check and advise on best security.
That's right it's poor fitting people put them wrong to much sticking out, that's how they steal your car pair a molegrips and a screw driver doesn't make any noise and off goes your new car 😕
Blimey reading these comments is quite alarming, it's a shame that's it's illegal to wire up my windows and doors to the mains electrical circuit and give the thieving little tykes a short sharpe shock if they attempt to break in! It would break my heart to find a wannabe burglar lying unconscious on my property due to an electrifying experience NOT 😂😂😂
@@stevefairfax2549 Isn’t anti snap cylinders designed to not be able to open like that? So unless you can pick the lock itself you can’t get through. Of course that will mean the burglar will just break a window and get in anyway so it will cost the owner more as replacing a window will cost more. Anyway most burglars will try to avoid making noise so hopefully go to the next property fingers crossed.
just watched this video and have now replaced the lock at my wife's shop, thank you, didn't realise is was so easy to do, saved money getting someone out to do it. thank you.
Great video. I agree 100% showing how easy the lock snapping process is. If half a dozen folk see how easy euro locks are defeated and upgrade to anti snap then the video is doing its job. Great work!
As someone who sells these exact cylinders on a daily basis, the handle set that is used in conjunction with the 3* cylinder is also incredibly important, fitting 2* handles that can’t be broken off the door in a matter of seconds provides not only real world protection but a great visual deterrent as well. If you have glass in the door steer clear of internal thumbturns too.
Sometimes you have to have thumbturns. Hmo's flats etc.qll have to have them. Yes also a good idea for the handles but as long as you have the 3 star rating you are covered,no need to go overboard
@@LeeAtkins flats and HMO’s should be fitted with escape sash locks that allow 1 action escape from the inside by purely depressing the lever handle in the event of an emergency. I would recommend 1 star cylinders with 2 star handles in the event of trying to attain three stars only as the extra drill/snap protection they offer greatly improves the security vs three star cylinders alone.
@@garethward5010 not necessarily. All depends on what fire inspection says. Main thing is for everyone to get out without a key in emergency situations. 3 star rated cylinders are cheaper than handles and cylinders and covers what is needed.
@@garethward5010 there bis no regulation for hmo's to have single action egress,for the most part 3 atar rating is bullshit as vast majority of break ins are through glass and not the lock.
20 years ago a locksmith was out at my work fitting locks for a new office, a colleague asked him what he thought of the abloy locks being used as he'd just replaced all the locks in his home with the same. The locksmith said that they were good quality and difficult to pick, making my colleagues face light up, but then went on to mention that being euro locks, they could be broken open in seconds with the right tools, and proceeded to pull out such a tool that would fit tightly over any protrusion of the lock allowing it to be easily snapped. This made my colleague somewhat less happy. I pulled out my 7 lever brass key, my colleague laughed stating at least it wasn't as bad as that. The locksmith told him that as long as you don't go for 2 or 3 levers and get 5 lever, it's more secure than any euro lock, and my 7 lever is bank level security and is what he would want at home. In the years since then, I've not had such a secure door, I've experienced many innovations in lock design, but, if you've ever seen a LockPickingLawyer video, you'll know that most have done little to actually improve security.
Having over the summer swapped all the nasty no brand euro locks for anti-snap ones across the back of the house, all 5, without exception, I struggled to get the retaining screw out of. Most I was able to remove using the PTFE trick (yes the screws got mashed when installed too!) or impact driver as you suggest, but one refused to budge at all. So I did resort to snapping that particular lock to remove it. And yes it was was that easy with mole grips. Hence while installing all the new locks, the retaining screw threads got a touch of copper crest. I suspect it won't be me changing them in the future, but I want to give the next person a fighting chance of getting the retaining screws out. Nice vid Stuart, keep up the good work
@@khalidacosta7133 most the time it isn't corrosion, it is because they have been bollocked in (usually with an air powered driver at the factory or with an impact driver)and are tight against the faceplate. Drill the head of the screw and it will come out easily,I usually stop when nearly through then swap to an old bit and run it in reverse and 99% of the time it will run the screw out. I used to have a left twist drill bit for doing it but they are a ridiculous price.
I worked as a handyman on Gran Canaria 30 years ago and a lock smith friend of mine made me a set of BUMP keys and with 5 bump keys I could get in ALL the locks on the Island, I hasten to add part of my job was to let tourists back into their apartments after locking themselves out
A few other observations, some people unknowingly buy locks that are too large and have >5mm protruding on the outside, this is a gift for people who want to attack your locks! Some locks have an internal and external end, so make sure you order the right way around. Finally, some of the three star locks (Yale Platinum) have a nub on them to prevent removal so you have to take the handle off to fit/remove them.
The amount of time I had to convince my parents to change to snap secure locks was a nightmare. Found a suitable video for them and they soon changed their minds. To the point we went a bit over the top, even bought the 2star Handels with anti drill protection. Well worth every penny!
I think you did the right thing. That was my point, once you see what determined buglers can do then makes you think properly about what locks you have.
Great video as usual. Changing the locks was the first thing we did in our new build when we moved in as I much prefer to choose my level of security and know I have the only set of keys to the property. Great tip about snapping. K.
Reminds me of an episode of That's Life many many moons ago... newly built housing estate somewhere in England - they weren't saying where ;) hundreds of properties had had all the same locks/keys fitted lol
I changed locks the day we moved in - about a month later someone posted a key through letterbox - they'd found a 'spare key' in the site office... Anyone could have a key awaiting you to move in and get settled with all your stuff
Another great video Stuart, thank you, speaking as a retired copper this is great advice, also hopefully encourages people to actual take some notice of their security. Ben a DIY man for many years also quite into welding and fabrication (suspect not your thing) and general renovation, even after all these years am still picking up some really handy tips from your channel. The presentation knocks socks off some of these muffled out of focus channels. So if you need some basic welding tuition....give me a shout : )
Thanks, that was really helpful. I;ve been living with lock that barely functioned for about 5 years, Watching your video made me realise I could easily fix it. Took me about 5 mins. Cheers mate.
Love all your vids a chap who fully explains himself and a bit of humour to boot. The breaking of the brush in the intro gets me chuckling everytime. Trigger comes to mind three new handles and two new heads haha
I have a steel plated front door and 2 doors that open out to the garden all keyed alike. the front door has a bog-standard cylinder at the top and a euro dead bolt to the middle with a Toughened Steel High Security Euro Lock Escutcheon Protects cylinders from attack with “mole -grips” & similar attack methods such as bumping and pulling. Problem being if they want to get in, they will. You have just got to make it hard work for them.
Although I have these locks on my front and back doors, I have fitted industrial bolts to the top and bottom of the doors, and simply bolt and fit security padlocks to all four, when retiring at night, which takes about two mins at most, and gives me the satisfaction that no one is getting through my doors without waking up half the street. This doesn't help with the aesthetics, but it sure helps me get a good nights sleep.
Very useful video - I learnt a lot today and will be checking all my locks this weekend. Great presentation as always Stuart, love your videos - keep doing your thing!
About 14 years ago I was in a short term private rental house. The company renting them out had a small team of 'interesting' service staff. Basically all hooky and dangerous but I was in short term and would soon be out so didn't care - they filled a housing gap for me. Anyway, I got chatting to one of their service team on a visit to fix something - he basically began talking without my prompting and wouldn't stop! During the chat he showed me a tool in his van. It was a professional item (I won't describe it) and he told me it was for 'difficult tenants' who wouldn't vacate properties. This tool would snap one of those Euro locks very quickly. It blew me away how easy it was (I'm a qualified technician) and how vulnerable doors were with those locks. I'll go as far as saying that I can bet the tool I was shown would destroy one of the reinforced versions of that Euro lock too.
Euro locks are also lever snapped, by driving a self tapping screw into the key way, if the lock has been fitted flush, or else they will remove the handle to gain a grip. This is why it’s important to upgrade your handles when fitting anti snap locks.
Wow! That was an eye-opener! I didn’t realize that it was that easy. I have thee doors that are fitted with these locks, I intend checking and replacing as soon as I can. Thanks for the “heads up”.
It’s surprising how most homeowners don’t know about this. I’ve fitted some quality cylinders in my home a while ago, and advised friends and family to do the same.
I am so grateful 🙏 for this man I have been trying to put my new key lock in and trying hard to take the old one out but it looks jambed sadly 😥 thank you so much I will give it ago again xxxxxxx
Hi Stuart! I changed my whole door lock gear mechanism last week. Obviously used the same barrel but wish I had seen this video last week to check the barrel for the quality marks. The door is thirty five years old and will be fully replaced next year. On another point, after last weeks video I checked ITS website and was able to buy an impact driver for just under fifty pounds so no free goody bag but very leased with the price thanks for promoting the website enjoying your channel.
Thanks for video, very well explained. I've fitted the avocet ones and all keyed alike so 1 key fits all doors. Brilliant locks with strong keys too. I also fitted the same handle you have with the rotating key hole cover. Just worth mentioning that you have to order the lock smaller on those as it doesn't stick out the handle like your first example. I've learnt so much from your videos, always so very well explained and filmed.
Thanks for sharing, are these locks with the outside covers just for french/patio doors and you get the double sided locks for your standard front and rear entry doors? I see some doors now opt for no key hole inside and a butterfly style turn lock but wobdered if that made it too easy to smash and turn for french/sliding doors?
Dan - yes they’re called thumb turn locks when there is no key inside. Guess there is a danger of what you say but so many folk just leave a key on the inside that it’s no worse. I like the thumb turns simply because in the event of a fire you can get straight out without having to search for a key. Guess it’s a balance between security and safety.
Regarding the thumb turn lock, I take the point about fire security for ease of exiting, but is there an increased risk of a glass pane being smashed to open the door from the inside?
Loved the demo on snapping the lock, just like to share this, If you have a key safe or an access key for emergency access to a vulnerable person, think about an anti lockout lock, this allows access when a key is still in the other side of the lock. Nobody seems to think or tell you about this until you want access, I found out the hard way, not nice when an elderly relative is on the floor and your emergency key is useless
@@LeeAtkins if you turn the key 90 degrees to the right from the inside, the key from the outside will not work. If you just leave a key in the lock in the normal position then you can still open it from the outside
@@rs-qt1qg yep so just pick it open, no need to snap it. And thanks for letting me know this. Thats something i never knew after 30 odd years of being a locksmith!!?🤟
@@LeeAtkins I read your reply as the lock can still be opened with a key in the other side, which 99.9% of the population assume you can't. So you're saying if it's in the locked position as I've described you can still pick the lock from the outside?
Bumping and drilling are also issues. You should look out for Euro Locks that are Anti-snap, Anti-bump and Anti-drill for better protection. However, if a person is determined to get in your house then they will do so. What you are buying is a deterrent. If you make getting into your house as difficult as reasonably practical then thieves are less likely to bother with you. There are easier targets.
Very good video. I was reassured by my multi point locking system, but never considered the lock itself to be the weakness. I’ll get my screwdriver out.
Great informative video for the young people, who just start living on their own, after buying their first-ever house. Although the estate agents always recommend changing the locks but young people keep delaying thinking that they have got all the keys, that may be true, but one must ensure if the locks are snap-proof or not? also if their barrel is not sticking out as many so-called cowboys home-improvement guys do quick fix-cheap work and homeowners don't care as they just want to sell their house. Consequently, young people pay a heavy price after the completion. This is the story of more than 70% of young educated qualified people (i.e., they don't know about the locks and security but their graduations and worry about utility bills) and surely have never dealt with police, crime scene, or insurance claims as their insurance could be invalid as they might have incorrectly checked the wrong boxes to reduce their home insurance (i.e. when answering type of locks, etc). May God protect us all and help us to learn things and moreover to share with youth to increase their knowledge, skills, and abilities. God Bless Your Channel.
I did this on my house a few years ago, went with the yale 3 ⭐️ ones with the weird key. Even had to replace my new bi fold door look, even though fitter said it will invalidate my warranty if i changed it, not sure why exactly.
Definitely good video I change my locks a couple of weeks ago and they down things failing so that's give me a little bit of insight on the better quality ones
Excellent video, very informative for home owners. This technique has been known as he stated for a long time. It's also worth mentioning that an anti pick, anti bump lock with snap protection is recommended. Unfortunately there's a tremendous amount of knowledge and tools that are available to defeat many locks. There are a few that are extremely difficult to open by any illegal method. Unfortunately I can't recall the brand name, it was designed in Germany..... God bless 🙏
Even if the lock is flush with the handle, it is still important to fit an anti-snap cylinder. You don't need to be able to get a pair of grips onto the end to snap a basic cylinder, you can use another method which is far easier and does not require the end to be exposed!
Great video as always Stuart. Very informative and I will be checking my locks first thing tomorrow! Any plans to do any guttering videos? I need mine replacing and find your style of videos easy to follow with helpful tips along the way. Thank you
I have an identical dewalt impact driver (as well as a larger beast) but I trust the old fashioned impact driver that you hammer as they really put a lot of force onto the screw that stops the driver bit from slipping and ruining the screw head.
Nice to see this recommendation. We did this years ago, because Euro Locks are so vulnerable and easy to bypass with one single tool. Also note that, even if the lock isn't protruding, a burglar that wants to get in will just pull the cover up to get more leverage on the cylinder itself. A smidge unrelated, but patio doors are a great point of entry too for a multitude of other reasons beyond the lock itself.
I though it was standard operating procedure to rip the handle plate off first with the pliers, to give you more lock to grab hold off. Also, thumb turns aren't necessarily secure on double doors: ruclips.net/video/1ciqsCJD3f0/видео.html
Great video. Moving house in a few weeks and was planning to change the locks but I wasn’t aware of lock snapping. Will definitely be purchasing a frangible locks after seeing this. Thank you!!
Great video, I learnt the hard way by being robbed by some burglars from Dublin who knew all about snapping locks. Changed them to Mul-T-Lock by Garrison, they leave the lock snapped and have a digital cut key system
Great video. I've replaced a number of euro locks but was unaware of how easy it was to snap them and the 3 star rating. I agree with others about the clarity and high quality production of your videos. Keep them coming.
It is a pity that some insurance companies do not agree with the Fire Brigade. We had thumbturns on our doors but the insurers insisted that they were replaced with key operated locks. I fitted a lock to the front door but always left the key in it for escape purposes. The lock on the french windows could not be changed so I had to add key lockng bolts.
Hi Stuart. The euro lock manufacturers recommend that the barrel should be flush with the handle housing and that no amount of the barrel should protrude externally. A couple of mm is enough for a thief to get a pair of mole grips on the barrel and snap it.
I'd also recommend that you should check that the screws that hold the door handles to the door are facing the inside of the property otherwise any would be thief could take the door handle off from the outside and get better access to the lock...
One essential difference between the inner thumb-turn vs inner key variants that might be essential for elder people or those with severe illnesses: the thumb-turn can always be unlocked with an outer key (or by picking), while the inner key one can only be opened from outside if the inner half does NOT have the key inserted and turned. There's an interlock mechanism that prevents the cylinder from turning from one side if the key on the other side is fully inserted ant half-ish turned.
That depends on the type of lock you use. What you wrote ist right for standart locks, but there are also lock which can be opened from the outside. In German we call it "Not und Gefahrenfunktion"
Just want to say when I moved into our house 31 years ago l had our 5 lever Chubb rekeyed by a high street locksmith. My wife had her handbag stolen about 9 months later so we had them rekeyed again.
@@tonycrayford3893 But he also thought it was an excellent lock. Most euro cylinders are not breached by picking. Very few burglars have those skills or the time to pick a decent lock.
LPL is one of the best lock pickers in the world therefore for him to take 4 minutes suggests it's a very good lock for your average Dave the druggie or Steve the smackhead they would not even attempt to break it
Great video, thank you very much. I’ll definitely take a look at ours. Wouldn’t it be safer then to forgo the extra 5mm protruding out the front so it can’t be gripped?
I accidentally went for this setup when I replaced mine a few months back at first I was annoyed because it looked different to the previous lock but after watching this video I'm now glad as it offers just that tiny bit extra security
Just did this in my new house. Locks were also keyed alike so we now have one key which fits all the external doors of the house and the garage as well. Not cheap but a couple of hundred pounds and a half hour to fit them is far less expensive than being a burglary victim…!
Everyone should see this, at least in Europe. The cylinders, as these are often referred to, have usually those 2 measurements as multiple of 5mm, but not always. A company that is now long gone , Beyler, decided to do some atypical sizes for their doors, just so they would sell and profit from replacement cylinders. There are also protective enclosures for the ends of these type of things, and they are held from inside with 2 screws. Prefer the perfectly round ones, as these can be snapped off as well, by grabbing and rotation with a wrench. This of course make sense for solid metal doors, not for glass ones. Also when buying, try to get them from far away, as thieves sometimes collect keys for them. If you have a new door installed, change yourself the cylinders immediately as a precaution, the keys can be duplicated relatively easy, and the seller could have a copy of the keys and your address.
Thank you sir .... For me it's more help My key was broken inside the lock I want to change but I don't know how ? I seen your video it's more help .....🙏
Good video lots of important information. I want to add you can never stop someone from breaking in ONLY slow them down common saying in trade. I can still snap out anti snap cylinders with the right tools no noise or damage to the lock, door or handles.
Good video with a clear explanation of the problem and a solution. I've changed out all my external cylinders for Ultion...just go to their home page to see how easy/quickly it is for a determined person to snap a conventional cylinder.
Lovely video and very clear information. I replaced our locks a few years ago. If I recall, it was a two part affair, if you were just replacing the locks and your handles were unrated then you wanted 3 star locks. If your handle escutcheons were rated then you could get away with a lesser rated lock as the formed part of the security solution. As it happens I just bought 3 star locks. They have a funky magnetic key too. 👌
Very nice video. One way to make lock snapping harder is to buy a lock that fits snug, not as you did with 5 mm to pretrude. That way the tool has no point to grip the lock well.
![[628] Ultion Euro Profile Cylinder Picked and Gutted](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tH5pYVUHcZ4/mqdefault.jpg)
Great video. As a CSI for the police I am going out most days trying to explain to members of the public the advantages of 3* anti snap locks. Would it be okay if I gave victims of crime the link to this video? Thanks
Yes, absolutely of course and thanks for the positive feedback.
Good stuff and thank you for what you do. Forensics have always been pleasure to have over if anything has happened for my family.
In the majority of places it is a pointless unless you replace the glass,far more burglaries happen through smashing the glass than snapping locks.
Around Bradford and Midlands is probably the worst for lock snapping .
Would be if they ever turned up. Too happy to just give a crime number
Doesnt make any difference, just read the serial number printed on the front of the lock, get a key cut in that pattern and your in.....or get a plug breaker and snap the pins...
Just wanted to add that the lock should not protrude by 5mm as you showed because of the snapping problem. Just measure so it is flush and its already more secure. Great videos, thankyou
Just as easy to snap the handles then the lock. Takes less than 20 seconds to open a door. My advice is get a locksmith not a handy man to check and secure your door. Your house is your home it is where you should feel safe and secure get a professional to check and advise on best security.
@@shaziman1 not all euros are easy to pick, ultion are easy but some cylinders are extremely difficult.
That's right it's poor fitting people put them wrong to much sticking out, that's how they steal your car pair a molegrips and a screw driver doesn't make any noise and off goes your new car 😕
Blimey reading these comments is quite alarming, it's a shame that's it's illegal to wire up my windows and doors to the mains electrical circuit and give the thieving little tykes a short sharpe shock if they attempt to break in! It would break my heart to find a wannabe burglar lying unconscious on my property due to an electrifying experience NOT 😂😂😂
@@stevefairfax2549 Isn’t anti snap cylinders designed to not be able to open like that? So unless you can pick the lock itself you can’t get through. Of course that will mean the burglar will just break a window and get in anyway so it will cost the owner more as replacing a window will cost more. Anyway most burglars will try to avoid making noise so hopefully go to the next property fingers crossed.
Proper DYI, this is the perfect video on the subject, "cut to the chase" and giving the essential info.
Why's it 11 minutes then? 😂😂 jokes aside, even the longer videos he does are just full to the brim with useful information. Always worth a watch.
I been waiting for a video showing how to replace my front door lock .thank you so much for showing me...
Glad I could help
just watched this video and have now replaced the lock at my wife's shop, thank you, didn't realise is was so easy to do, saved money getting someone out to do it. thank you.
Great video. I agree 100% showing how easy the lock snapping process is. If half a dozen folk see how easy euro locks are defeated and upgrade to anti snap then the video is doing its job. Great work!
Thanks 👍
As someone who sells these exact cylinders on a daily basis, the handle set that is used in conjunction with the 3* cylinder is also incredibly important, fitting 2* handles that can’t be broken off the door in a matter of seconds provides not only real world protection but a great visual deterrent as well. If you have glass in the door steer clear of internal thumbturns too.
@@johnriggs4929 a big f-off brick will do it.
Sometimes you have to have thumbturns. Hmo's flats etc.qll have to have them.
Yes also a good idea for the handles but as long as you have the 3 star rating you are covered,no need to go overboard
@@LeeAtkins flats and HMO’s should be fitted with escape sash locks that allow 1 action escape from the inside by purely depressing the lever handle in the event of an emergency. I would recommend 1 star cylinders with 2 star handles in the event of trying to attain three stars only as the extra drill/snap protection they offer greatly improves the security vs three star cylinders alone.
@@garethward5010 not necessarily. All depends on what fire inspection says. Main thing is for everyone to get out without a key in emergency situations. 3 star rated cylinders are cheaper than handles and cylinders and covers what is needed.
@@garethward5010 there bis no regulation for hmo's to have single action egress,for the most part 3 atar rating is bullshit as vast majority of break ins are through glass and not the lock.
20 years ago a locksmith was out at my work fitting locks for a new office, a colleague asked him what he thought of the abloy locks being used as he'd just replaced all the locks in his home with the same. The locksmith said that they were good quality and difficult to pick, making my colleagues face light up, but then went on to mention that being euro locks, they could be broken open in seconds with the right tools, and proceeded to pull out such a tool that would fit tightly over any protrusion of the lock allowing it to be easily snapped. This made my colleague somewhat less happy. I pulled out my 7 lever brass key, my colleague laughed stating at least it wasn't as bad as that. The locksmith told him that as long as you don't go for 2 or 3 levers and get 5 lever, it's more secure than any euro lock, and my 7 lever is bank level security and is what he would want at home. In the years since then, I've not had such a secure door, I've experienced many innovations in lock design, but, if you've ever seen a LockPickingLawyer video, you'll know that most have done little to actually improve security.
Finally someone who's explained how to measure it!
Thank you for putting up that video. It's the most helpful one I have seen on this topic.
Having over the summer swapped all the nasty no brand euro locks for anti-snap ones across the back of the house, all 5, without exception, I struggled to get the retaining screw out of. Most I was able to remove using the PTFE trick (yes the screws got mashed when installed too!) or impact driver as you suggest, but one refused to budge at all. So I did resort to snapping that particular lock to remove it. And yes it was was that easy with mole grips.
Hence while installing all the new locks, the retaining screw threads got a touch of copper crest. I suspect it won't be me changing them in the future, but I want to give the next person a fighting chance of getting the retaining screws out.
Nice vid Stuart, keep up the good work
Sometimes, get a hammer and give the screwdriver a few taps, that can shock the corrosion out :)
Nice one and good tips for sure. It is worrying how easy it is.
@@khalidacosta7133 most the time it isn't corrosion, it is because they have been bollocked in (usually with an air powered driver at the factory or with an impact driver)and are tight against the faceplate.
Drill the head of the screw and it will come out easily,I usually stop when nearly through then swap to an old bit and run it in reverse and 99% of the time it will run the screw out.
I used to have a left twist drill bit for doing it but they are a ridiculous price.
Bolts? Do you mean the holding screws?
@@LeeAtkins being a bit pedantic aren't you.
I worked as a handyman on Gran Canaria 30 years ago and a lock smith friend of mine made me a set of BUMP keys and with 5 bump keys I could get in ALL the locks on the Island, I hasten to add part of my job was to let tourists back into their apartments after locking themselves out
The presenter is excellent and explained topics for novices and experts alike. A big thanks for sharing your wisdom 🙏
Best explanation I've seen on anti-snap locks. Love your videos.
Well thank you very much!
A few other observations, some people unknowingly buy locks that are too large and have >5mm protruding on the outside, this is a gift for people who want to attack your locks! Some locks have an internal and external end, so make sure you order the right way around. Finally, some of the three star locks (Yale Platinum) have a nub on them to prevent removal so you have to take the handle off to fit/remove them.
The amount of time I had to convince my parents to change to snap secure locks was a nightmare. Found a suitable video for them and they soon changed their minds. To the point we went a bit over the top, even bought the 2star Handels with anti drill protection. Well worth every penny!
I think you did the right thing. That was my point, once you see what determined buglers can do then makes you think properly about what locks you have.
Did you change the glass in the doors as well?
Worth mentioning that the securing bolts are usually Phillips not Posi so take care to use the correct screwdriver to avoid damaging the bolt.
Great video as usual. Changing the locks was the first thing we did in our new build when we moved in as I much prefer to choose my level of security and know I have the only set of keys to the property. Great tip about snapping. K.
Reminds me of an episode of That's Life many many moons ago... newly built housing estate somewhere in England - they weren't saying where ;) hundreds of properties had had all the same locks/keys fitted lol
Exactly. My house is new but I knew I didn't have all the keys! Leave nothing to chance!
I changed locks the day we moved in - about a month later someone posted a key through letterbox - they'd found a 'spare key' in the site office... Anyone could have a key awaiting you to move in and get settled with all your stuff
Another great video Stuart, thank you, speaking as a retired copper this is great advice, also hopefully encourages people to actual take some notice of their security. Ben a DIY man for many years also quite into welding and fabrication (suspect not your thing) and general renovation, even after all these years am still picking up some really handy tips from your channel. The presentation knocks socks off some of these muffled out of focus channels. So if you need some basic welding tuition....give me a shout : )
So nice to get feedback like this from someone 'in the know'. I've never welded but would like to learn more and have a go for sure.
Thanks, that was really helpful. I;ve been living with lock that barely functioned for about 5 years, Watching your video made me realise I could easily fix it. Took me about 5 mins. Cheers mate.
Love all your vids a chap who fully explains himself and a bit of humour to boot. The breaking of the brush in the intro gets me chuckling everytime. Trigger comes to mind three new handles and two new heads haha
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks for the advice, my Eurolock needs replacing. I now know how to do it. Thankyou.
No problem
I have a steel plated front door and 2 doors that open out to the garden all keyed alike. the front door has a bog-standard cylinder at the top and a euro dead bolt to the middle with a Toughened Steel High Security Euro Lock Escutcheon Protects cylinders from attack with “mole -grips” & similar attack methods such as bumping and pulling. Problem being if they want to get in, they will. You have just got to make it hard work for them.
Although I have these locks on my front and back doors, I have fitted industrial bolts to the top and bottom of the doors, and simply bolt and fit security padlocks to all four, when retiring at night, which takes about two mins at most, and gives me the satisfaction that no one is getting through my doors without waking up half the street. This doesn't help with the aesthetics, but it sure helps me get a good nights sleep.
Very useful video - I learnt a lot today and will be checking all my locks this weekend. Great presentation as always Stuart, love your videos - keep doing your thing!
Glad you enjoyed it
great content, i learnt a lot for first time working on the average homeowner Euro door locks
Nice explanation by a sensible British expert, thank you.
Thank you
About 14 years ago I was in a short term private rental house. The company renting them out had a small team of 'interesting' service staff. Basically all hooky and dangerous but I was in short term and would soon be out so didn't care - they filled a housing gap for me. Anyway, I got chatting to one of their service team on a visit to fix something - he basically began talking without my prompting and wouldn't stop! During the chat he showed me a tool in his van. It was a professional item (I won't describe it) and he told me it was for 'difficult tenants' who wouldn't vacate properties. This tool would snap one of those Euro locks very quickly. It blew me away how easy it was (I'm a qualified technician) and how vulnerable doors were with those locks. I'll go as far as saying that I can bet the tool I was shown would destroy one of the reinforced versions of that Euro lock too.
Brilliant explanation. I’ve now learned exactly how those locks work and their weak points. Thanks. Dave
MANY MANY THANKS for this insight, a Police Officer told me about the "lock snapping breakins" ten+ years ago. Great vid cheers.
Glad to help
Euro locks are also lever snapped, by driving a self tapping screw into the key way, if the lock has been fitted flush, or else they will remove the handle to gain a grip. This is why it’s important to upgrade your handles when fitting anti snap locks.
Love your thorough explanation and truly educational. I'm going to check my locks now. Great video!
Had to change my euro cylinder thanks so much for the helpful video :)
Wow! That was an eye-opener! I didn’t realize that it was that easy. I have thee doors that are fitted with these locks, I intend checking and replacing as soon as I can. Thanks for the “heads up”.
Nice one!
It’s surprising how most homeowners don’t know about this. I’ve fitted some quality cylinders in my home a while ago, and advised friends and family to do the same.
Never knew anything about lock slapping I do now thanks Stuart. Great video.
I am so grateful 🙏 for this man I have been trying to put my new key lock in and trying hard to take the old one out but it looks jambed sadly 😥 thank you so much I will give it ago again xxxxxxx
It's very informative..... I lost my key for a similar lock... I did all the steps you told... thank you for educating🥰
I took out the old barrel, and went to screwfix . I was sorted in two minutes, everything explained.
Hi Stuart! I changed my whole door lock gear mechanism last week. Obviously used the same barrel but wish I had seen this video last week to check the barrel for the quality marks. The door is thirty five years old and will be fully replaced next year.
On another point, after last weeks video I checked ITS website and was able to buy an impact driver for just under fifty pounds so no free goody bag but very leased with the price thanks for promoting the website enjoying your channel.
Good stuff! Nice to hear about the impact driver!
Thanks for video, very well explained. I've fitted the avocet ones and all keyed alike so 1 key fits all doors. Brilliant locks with strong keys too. I also fitted the same handle you have with the rotating key hole cover. Just worth mentioning that you have to order the lock smaller on those as it doesn't stick out the handle like your first example. I've learnt so much from your videos, always so very well explained and filmed.
Thank you
Those Avocet locks are the best you can get. Great anti snap and very pick resistant. I always use them.
Thanks for sharing, are these locks with the outside covers just for french/patio doors and you get the double sided locks for your standard front and rear entry doors?
I see some doors now opt for no key hole inside and a butterfly style turn lock but wobdered if that made it too easy to smash and turn for french/sliding doors?
Dan - yes they’re called thumb turn locks when there is no key inside. Guess there is a danger of what you say but so many folk just leave a key on the inside that it’s no worse. I like the thumb turns simply because in the event of a fire you can get straight out without having to search for a key. Guess it’s a balance between security and safety.
Avocet or Ultion (the ones used in the video) seem to be the two most secure in my research.
Thanks very much indeed! I learned a lot. Great video clearly presented.
Wow. Started watching more out of boredom. Now I'm looking for a new lock.
Nice one!
Proper job again. Always look forward to a proper diy.
Regarding the thumb turn lock, I take the point about fire security for ease of exiting, but is there an increased risk of a glass pane being smashed to open the door from the inside?
Good morning I really appreciate You're video You explained it very well. I'm dyslexic Thank you it saved me eighty pounds 👊👍🇬🇧
thank you...i wondered how to change them
Loved the demo on snapping the lock, just like to share this, If you have a key safe or an access key for emergency access to a vulnerable person, think about an anti lockout lock, this allows access when a key is still in the other side of the lock. Nobody seems to think or tell you about this until you want access, I found out the hard way, not nice when an elderly relative is on the floor and your emergency key is useless
The lock can still be picked open with a key in the other side
@@LeeAtkins if you turn the key 90 degrees to the right from the inside, the key from the outside will not work. If you just leave a key in the lock in the normal position then you can still open it from the outside
@@rs-qt1qg yep so just pick it open, no need to snap it. And thanks for letting me know this. Thats something i never knew after 30 odd years of being a locksmith!!?🤟
@@LeeAtkins I read your reply as the lock can still be opened with a key in the other side, which 99.9% of the population assume you can't. So you're saying if it's in the locked position as I've described you can still pick the lock from the outside?
@@rs-qt1qg yes it can still be picked open
Brilliant video, answers lots of questions and allows people make informed decisions.
Bumping and drilling are also issues. You should look out for Euro Locks that are Anti-snap, Anti-bump and Anti-drill for better protection. However, if a person is determined to get in your house then they will do so. What you are buying is a deterrent. If you make getting into your house as difficult as reasonably practical then thieves are less likely to bother with you. There are easier targets.
Very good video. I was reassured by my multi point locking system, but never considered the lock itself to be the weakness. I’ll get my screwdriver out.
Great informative video for the young people, who just start living on their own, after buying their first-ever house. Although the estate agents always recommend changing the locks but young people keep delaying thinking that they have got all the keys, that may be true, but one must ensure if the locks are snap-proof or not? also if their barrel is not sticking out as many so-called cowboys home-improvement guys do quick fix-cheap work and homeowners don't care as they just want to sell their house. Consequently, young people pay a heavy price after the completion. This is the story of more than 70% of young educated qualified people (i.e., they don't know about the locks and security but their graduations and worry about utility bills) and surely have never dealt with police, crime scene, or insurance claims as their insurance could be invalid as they might have incorrectly checked the wrong boxes to reduce their home insurance (i.e. when answering type of locks, etc). May God protect us all and help us to learn things and moreover to share with youth to increase their knowledge, skills, and abilities. God Bless Your Channel.
I did this on my house a few years ago, went with the yale 3 ⭐️ ones with the weird key. Even had to replace my new bi fold door look, even though fitter said it will invalidate my warranty if i changed it, not sure why exactly.
Great explanation and good advice. Thank you
This is MOST inforing. Thank you!
Definitely good video I change my locks a couple of weeks ago and they down things failing so that's give me a little bit of insight on the better quality ones
Excellent video, very informative for home owners. This technique has been known as he stated for a long time. It's also worth mentioning that an anti pick, anti bump lock with snap protection is recommended.
Unfortunately there's a tremendous amount of knowledge and tools that are available to defeat many locks. There are a few that are extremely difficult to open by any illegal method. Unfortunately I can't recall the brand name, it was designed in Germany.....
God bless 🙏
Great video. Very handy tip
Glad you liked it
Even if the lock is flush with the handle, it is still important to fit an anti-snap cylinder. You don't need to be able to get a pair of grips onto the end to snap a basic cylinder, you can use another method which is far easier and does not require the end to be exposed!
Top notch and easy to understand and follow video
Great video as always Stuart.
Very informative and I will be checking my locks first thing tomorrow!
Any plans to do any guttering videos?
I need mine replacing and find your style of videos easy to follow with helpful tips along the way.
Thank you
I have an identical dewalt impact driver (as well as a larger beast) but I trust the old fashioned impact driver that you hammer as they really put a lot of force onto the screw that stops the driver bit from slipping and ruining the screw head.
Great video full of important info.
Not big fan of any DIY, so appreciated your video very much! Just great, many thanks
Glad you liked it!
Nice to see this recommendation. We did this years ago, because Euro Locks are so vulnerable and easy to bypass with one single tool.
Also note that, even if the lock isn't protruding, a burglar that wants to get in will just pull the cover up to get more leverage on the cylinder itself.
A smidge unrelated, but patio doors are a great point of entry too for a multitude of other reasons beyond the lock itself.
I though it was standard operating procedure to rip the handle plate off first with the pliers, to give you more lock to grab hold off.
Also, thumb turns aren't necessarily secure on double doors: ruclips.net/video/1ciqsCJD3f0/видео.html
@@hogthrob that won't work on domestic double doors,
Great video. Moving house in a few weeks and was planning to change the locks but I wasn’t aware of lock snapping. Will definitely be purchasing a frangible locks after seeing this. Thank you!!
You can also replace the euro cylinder on some garages. I replaced mine and was shocked at how easy the original one was to pick open
Cheers mate, I’m off to hardware store and have a new first job in the morning
Great video, I learnt the hard way by being robbed by some burglars from Dublin who knew all about snapping locks. Changed them to Mul-T-Lock by Garrison, they leave the lock snapped and have a digital cut key system
Great video, thanks so much for helping us DIYers out.
You're awesome, very informative and nicely presented, can see you having your own TV show! Keep up the good work my friend.
Great video. I've replaced a number of euro locks but was unaware of how easy it was to snap them and the 3 star rating.
I agree with others about the clarity and high quality production of your videos.
Keep them coming.
Top stuff as always
Bob
England
Just watched this video and ordered 2 new anti snap Avocet Ultimate locks and a Patlock French Door Conservatory lock. Taking no chances.
Very good advice. Thanks. 👍🏆
It is a pity that some insurance companies do not agree with the Fire Brigade. We had thumbturns on our doors but the insurers insisted that they were replaced with key operated locks. I fitted a lock to the front door but always left the key in it for escape purposes. The lock on the french windows could not be changed so I had to add key lockng bolts.
Hi Stuart. The euro lock manufacturers recommend that the barrel should be flush with the handle housing and that no amount of the barrel should protrude externally. A couple of mm is enough for a thief to get a pair of mole grips on the barrel and snap it.
Really learnt sth i haven't concerned in the past via this video, it helps alot, thanks for your show
I'd also recommend that you should check that the screws that hold the door handles to the door are facing the inside of the property otherwise any would be thief could take the door handle off from the outside and get better access to the lock...
One essential difference between the inner thumb-turn vs inner key variants that might be essential for elder people or those with severe illnesses: the thumb-turn can always be unlocked with an outer key (or by picking), while the inner key one can only be opened from outside if the inner half does NOT have the key inserted and turned. There's an interlock mechanism that prevents the cylinder from turning from one side if the key on the other side is fully inserted ant half-ish turned.
That depends on the type of lock you use. What you wrote ist right for standart locks, but there are also lock which can be opened from the outside. In German we call it "Not und Gefahrenfunktion"
Just want to say when I moved into our house 31 years ago l had our 5 lever Chubb rekeyed by a high street locksmith. My wife had her handbag stolen about 9 months later so we had them rekeyed again.
Recently fitted ERA Fortress euro cylinders to my external doors. Excellent quality locks.
Lock picking lawyer picked that lock in 4 mins.
@@tonycrayford3893 But he also thought it was an excellent lock. Most euro cylinders are not breached by picking. Very few burglars have those skills or the time to pick a decent lock.
LPL is one of the best lock pickers in the world therefore for him to take 4 minutes suggests it's a very good lock for your average Dave the druggie or Steve the smackhead they would not even attempt to break it
Great video! I was missing the bit about having the key in to get the barrel out
I like your thumb turn recommendation.
Excellent video, ordered my thumb turn replacements today.
Thank you
Watching this video cost me about €60 for a good ABUS lock cylinder.😊
Many thanks👍
Sorry about that!
Great video, thank you very much. I’ll definitely take a look at ours. Wouldn’t it be safer then to forgo the extra 5mm protruding out the front so it can’t be gripped?
I accidentally went for this setup when I replaced mine a few months back at first I was annoyed because it looked different to the previous lock but after watching this video I'm now glad as it offers just that tiny bit extra security
Just did this in my new house. Locks were also keyed alike so we now have one key which fits all the external doors of the house and the garage as well. Not cheap but a couple of hundred pounds and a half hour to fit them is far less expensive than being a burglary victim…!
Everyone should see this, at least in Europe. The cylinders, as these are often referred to, have usually those 2 measurements as multiple of 5mm, but not always. A company that is now long gone , Beyler, decided to do some atypical sizes for their doors, just so they would sell and profit from replacement cylinders. There are also protective enclosures for the ends of these type of things, and they are held from inside with 2 screws. Prefer the perfectly round ones, as these can be snapped off as well, by grabbing and rotation with a wrench. This of course make sense for solid metal doors, not for glass ones. Also when buying, try to get them from far away, as thieves sometimes collect keys for them. If you have a new door installed, change yourself the cylinders immediately as a precaution, the keys can be duplicated relatively easy, and the seller could have a copy of the keys and your address.
First time coming across this Chanel and I couldn’t help but have a dance to the intro jingle 😅
Thank you sir .... For me it's more help
My key was broken inside the lock I want to change but I don't know how ? I seen your video it's more help .....🙏
Another excellent PSA.
Thank you
Good video lots of important information. I want to add you can never stop someone from breaking in ONLY slow them down common saying in trade. I can still snap out anti snap cylinders with the right tools no noise or damage to the lock, door or handles.
Thank you. I didn't know about swiveling it slightly to get it out. I have been struggling with it for a while.
👍
Thanks for making this. We had to break into our own place and you made it easy.
Good video with a clear explanation of the problem and a solution. I've changed out all my external cylinders for Ultion...just go to their home page to see how easy/quickly it is for a determined person to snap a conventional cylinder.
Lovely video and very clear information.
I replaced our locks a few years ago. If I recall, it was a two part affair, if you were just replacing the locks and your handles were unrated then you wanted 3 star locks. If your handle escutcheons were rated then you could get away with a lesser rated lock as the formed part of the security solution. As it happens I just bought 3 star locks. They have a funky magnetic key too. 👌
Very nice video. One way to make lock snapping harder is to buy a lock that fits snug, not as you did with 5 mm to pretrude. That way the tool has no point to grip the lock well.
Was just about to type this exact comment. Flush not only looks better but would be almost impossible to grab ? 🤷🏼♂️
@@baldypel I was thinking the exact same.
@@baldypel you are right, but they can hacksaw off the handle plate to expose the lock and then snap it. Unfortunately I know from personal experience
@@Johnnie10ponnies Good to know. Cheers
Cheers for the info my lock was jamming an sticking tried wd40 no joy. saved me paying some to replace it. I did it myself
Thanks, learned something here.👍🇬🇧