As experienced locksmith, with 30+ years experience. The Kwikset Smartkey is a great set, but their failure rate is pretty high. We were called out constantly to get into a house that a customer had a key in their hands, but the lock just quit working. Secret is keep the lubricated with a Teflon lubricant, twice a year, not a dry lube either and graphite is a bad idea, too.
I must agree with this comment. I'm not a locksmith, but I have some tenants. When a tenant leaves. I prefere to change the lock. So, the smartkey seems a time and money saver. But it is 100% true. They brake easily. First, NEVER rekey while the door is closed. If the smartkey brake, you will be pretty happy if the door is open. Also, after some issues, I just decided to never use them again. Pretty annoying when a tenant call you in the middle of the night because the door lock does not work. They moslty break when you rekey, but it can still happen randomly at anytime. I just grab my door look to the nearest locksmith to rekey all my lock with normal lock key. It is cost more and take more time, but I do not get bad surprise when I don't have time to handle it.
When we bought our house 43 years ago, I bought Schlage lock sets for all doors at an old fashioned hardware and tool store used by contractors. They had every power tool imaginable. They also offered to rekey them all on site for no additional charge. They are still working fine except for the finish wearing after being coddled these many years. Years later, I bought a deadbolt for the basement door. Schlage had lock sets that the customer could rekey to match a current key. Unfortunately, that store was hurt when Lowes built a super store nearby. The old store rebranded as an Ace store, moved to another location. Lowes and Home Depot hurt a lot of the old stores, aiding in the demise of American made hardware.
In my experience I have installed hardware for decades. We once did not like Kwikset. However, upon having to maintain a residence in three cities, I tried using these at one. Quality level was good and the locks were easy to install. Rekeying was easy after the learning curve on the first installation. I later installed these on the other two locations with the same keys. It was nice only carrying one key. After retiring I sold all of these locations to three different couples. They really loved being able to rekey them without a locksmith. Good video instruction with a good innovative product.
@@fjp3305 sorry I was not clear. In the 1960s until late 1980s we liked Sargent and Schlage for our commercial work such as in schools and clinics. We felt like Kwikset was a step below. These lock-sets in the video are of a much higher quality and do recommend them.
It has been driving me nuts trying to figure out how to get this done. After purchasing a "new" home the previous owners had a gazillion keys for their doors as well except for the entry and door leading to the garage, they had keyless locks requiring a passcode. So thanks to your video I think I can fix them all on my own without having to spend a ridiculous amount of $$ hiring a locksmith. Thanks again! 🤗
in Australia it was under $100 to have a mobile locksmith come out and rekey the four exterior locks in my new house. I was there by myself and it was easier than removing the locks and visiting a locksmith. The advantage of a locksmith is more options, I have two padlocks and a patio lock also keyed the same by taking the original key to a locksmith. Always keep one "unused" key for this purpose!
Ethan some lock sets you can match up the packaging # which indicates they are keyed alike… Also the more tumblers the lock has the better the lock set …… great video 🇺🇸👊🏼👊🏼✌🏼
The reference to Benny Hill made me smile. That was a great show. I like these new locksets that allow you to key every lock the same. Saves a lot of hassle and money.
Does that door knob have a little brass tab, about the size of a flathead screwdriver, between the knob and the door? If so, you can pop off the knob to get a straight shot at the screws with your driver, then pop it back on.
Most common residential locks are easy to pick including these. You have to spend a lot to get away from that...and look into it...but realize that picking isn't a common crime, brute force is.
I looked into these when I bought my last house (I needed to rekey like 9 locks). I also looked into rekeying kits where you manually change the tumblers inside the lock. Eventually I ended up taking all the locks off and took them to a local locksmith shop where they rekeyed them all to one new key. That ended up being the cheapest method, I forgot how much each one cost but I’m sure it was somewhere between $5-$10 each and by taking them to the shop it saved me the fee of having the locksmith come to my house.
Many years ago when I first started renting I purchased new lock barrels for the external doors and changed the original locks. When I moved rental locations I swapped the locks back to the original and my lock barrels went to my new place. Never liked the idea a previous tenant may have still had access with a duplicate key.
I did a few of the Nest/ Yale keyless deadbolts for a good customer and now I have a half dozen of these installs to do from the referrals. I’m not a locksmith but $200 a pop isn’t bad. Great video Nathan!
You might want to re-key the locks again with keys that are not shown in the video. It is trivially easy to decode a key and reproduce it from a photo or video.
I do love that electronic lock that THC replaced. One of the few that don’t need internet. I was wondering about using a double keyed deadbolt on that glass door?
I don't have one of those sets myself. But when the time comes, I am going to get them. I did install one of those sets for my uncle, and it worked just like you showed and was easy to install except getting everything into alignment. That can drive you crazy !! Lol
Good info on how to change out a lock. Though it seems easier to just buy a 3 pack. Most Lowes and Home Depot will rekey a new lock for you, either free or for a small fee (I think they charged $15 a decade ago). They even repined on of my "dumb" locks for me, taking the lock apart and swapping the pins.
and remember: make CERTAIN that the dead bolt's bolt FULLY EXTENDS when the door is closed; otherwise, the bolt can be retracted with any screwdriver or putty knife. (if you need proof of this, open your door, partially turn the deadbolt, extending the bolt partially as it would be in the door frame, now, simply push the face of the bolt. it will retract)
VERY INTERESTING. About five years ago I bought a new home and wanted all doors to be rekeyed. I wish I knew about this then! Would have saved a few bucks.
Looked like almost all Schlage locks he took out. Could've been rekeyed very cheaply by a local hardware store. Or purchase 1 new lock at Home Depot and have the Pro Desk re key them all to the new key. That's what I did.
Most knob sets have a spring-loaded tab that you can depress that will allow you to remove the knob for easy access to the screws that attach the two halves of the lock set. On a security note - on any door with glass you should consider installing a double cylinder lock set, meaning you have to use a key to lock and unlock the dead bolt on the inside, Glass can be easily broken and the thumb knob turned to unlock the door.
Kind of funny I had eight doors I had to do the same way. The homeowner handed us a bag of keys which she had no idea where any of them went. 2 went to safes. All of them had deadbolts and door locks it drove me insane. This is a nice solution,
Awesome information Ethan. I have a really old house. The exterior doors have the door handle hole to close to the edge of the door, I get wounded everytime I try to use the door handle normally (I haven't learned even from the blood & guts). Do I need to get a new door? I'm wondering if I could drill new holes at the correct distance a little higher than usual. Even a la UK as they are often at eye height. Thank you.
I know it’s not about the locks, but I have a tool question. I’m starting to do some handyman work and I’m about to buy a cats paw tool. My question is should I get a standard cats paw and a separate small flat bar for trim work, or should I get one of the cats paws that are both? I’m not doing much demo work.
Kwikset Smartkey locks can be forced open in seconds and there is videos about this. Mr. Locksmith also has videos about this. Kwikset Smartkey locks have plastic in them, and they have cheap pot aluminum and pot metal in them. I don't recommend Kwkset Smartkey locks.
One issue I see with this design is how the lock is rekeyed entirely from the outside, which means anyone could pick their way in and make themselves a key for later. Not a good design, flat out.
I tried to rekey my new Kwikset set. The deadbolt worked but the regular doorknob did not. Now the key that came with it, no longer works. How do I fix this without your tool? Thanks.
Dunno why, but I wouldn’t be comfortable with a lock that can be rekeyed from the outside. I get that you need an original to do it, but it just doesn’t feel right to me.
These locks suck. Don't buy them. Setting the pins manually really isn't that hard and doesn't have a failure rate of 50 percent, which from my anecdotal experience these do.
I need to change all of the locks on my doors with new locks. Kwikset is what I have now. When I moved into this house many years ago, I rekeyed all the locks by replacing pins the old fashioned way. If you've ever rekeyed locks by changing pins, you know that this new SmartKey feature is a Godsend. Now I'm actually looking forward to installing the new locks, and thanks for sharing your experience with SmartKey! 👍👍👍
Don’t really like the idea that the special key goes in from the outside. ANYONE with that key can mess with your locks. Makes me a little nervous to use those. Great idea though. Definitely needs some improvement !!
As experienced locksmith, with 30+ years experience. The Kwikset Smartkey is a great set, but their failure rate is pretty high. We were called out constantly to get into a house that a customer had a key in their hands, but the lock just quit working. Secret is keep the lubricated with a Teflon lubricant, twice a year, not a dry lube either and graphite is a bad idea, too.
I must agree with this comment. I'm not a locksmith, but I have some tenants. When a tenant leaves. I prefere to change the lock. So, the smartkey seems a time and money saver. But it is 100% true. They brake easily. First, NEVER rekey while the door is closed. If the smartkey brake, you will be pretty happy if the door is open. Also, after some issues, I just decided to never use them again. Pretty annoying when a tenant call you in the middle of the night because the door lock does not work. They moslty break when you rekey, but it can still happen randomly at anytime. I just grab my door look to the nearest locksmith to rekey all my lock with normal lock key. It is cost more and take more time, but I do not get bad surprise when I don't have time to handle it.
I sold these for several years. They tend to fail if someone slams the door shut. None of the hardware/door-lock guys would buy these locks.
Thanks babe
I have Schlage locks. Took the cylinders to Ace Hardware & they rekeyed them for $5 a piece.
OMG, I paid someone close to $300 to rekey all the locks in my house and front gate.
@@CassieDavis613 I bet they came to you. Call out fees are just crazy high.
When we bought our house 43 years ago, I bought Schlage lock sets for all doors at an old fashioned hardware and tool store used by contractors. They had every power tool imaginable. They also offered to rekey them all on site for no additional charge. They are still working fine except for the finish wearing after being coddled these many years. Years later, I bought a deadbolt for the basement door. Schlage had lock sets that the customer could rekey to match a current key. Unfortunately, that store was hurt when Lowes built a super store nearby. The old store rebranded as an Ace store, moved to another location. Lowes and Home Depot hurt a lot of the old stores, aiding in the demise of American made hardware.
When we bought our cottage we changed all the lock sets and rekeyed them to match our main residence. One key for both houses.
In my experience I have installed hardware for decades. We once did not like Kwikset. However, upon having to maintain a residence in three cities, I tried using these at one. Quality level was good and the locks were easy to install. Rekeying was easy after the learning curve on the first installation. I later installed these on the other two locations with the same keys. It was nice only carrying one key. After retiring I sold all of these locations to three different couples. They really loved being able to rekey them without a locksmith. Good video instruction with a good innovative product.
You din't like Kwikset? Then, which brand do you recommend?
@@fjp3305 sorry I was not clear. In the 1960s until late 1980s we liked Sargent and Schlage for our commercial work such as in schools and clinics. We felt like Kwikset was a step below. These lock-sets in the video are of a much higher quality and do recommend them.
@@weldo1948 Thanks
It has been driving me nuts trying to figure out how to get this done. After purchasing a "new" home the previous owners had a gazillion keys for their doors as well except for the entry and door leading to the garage, they had keyless locks requiring a passcode. So thanks to your video I think I can fix them all on my own without having to spend a ridiculous amount of $$ hiring a locksmith. Thanks again! 🤗
in Australia it was under $100 to have a mobile locksmith come out and rekey the four exterior locks in my new house. I was there by myself and it was easier than removing the locks and visiting a locksmith. The advantage of a locksmith is more options, I have two padlocks and a patio lock also keyed the same by taking the original key to a locksmith. Always keep one "unused" key for this purpose!
Ethan some lock sets you can match up the packaging # which indicates they are keyed alike… Also the more tumblers the lock has the better the lock set …… great video 🇺🇸👊🏼👊🏼✌🏼
The reference to Benny Hill made me smile. That was a great show. I like these new locksets that allow you to key every lock the same. Saves a lot of hassle and money.
I like going old school with The Mechanical Locks too. Appreciate the quick tutorial on rekeying the locks. 👷🏿♂️
Thank you, Ethan. It actually looks easy! I appreciate it, and all of your content 😃😃😃❤❤❤
An excellent instructional video 👍
Thank You for sharing your knowledge and experience 😊
My local Lowes will rekey locks to match for free if you ask when purchasing them.
Does that door knob have a little brass tab, about the size of a flathead screwdriver, between the knob and the door? If so, you can pop off the knob to get a straight shot at the screws with your driver, then pop it back on.
I wonder how much the LPL likes these sets
He could use a spell from his Harry Potter rake wand. 😳
During the video, all I heard was "a little click on one...two is binding...and it's open!" LOL
Most common residential locks are easy to pick including these.
You have to spend a lot to get away from that...and look into it...but realize that picking isn't a common crime, brute force is.
@michaelkulman7095 oh trust me, I know. Ive been doing it for over 20 years
I looked into these when I bought my last house (I needed to rekey like 9 locks). I also looked into rekeying kits where you manually change the tumblers inside the lock. Eventually I ended up taking all the locks off and took them to a local locksmith shop where they rekeyed them all to one new key. That ended up being the cheapest method, I forgot how much each one cost but I’m sure it was somewhere between $5-$10 each and by taking them to the shop it saved me the fee of having the locksmith come to my house.
That's super cool. I'll have to remember about these types of door locks the next time I need to change mine. Thanks
Many years ago when I first started renting I purchased new lock barrels for the external doors and changed the original locks. When I moved rental locations I swapped the locks back to the original and my lock barrels went to my new place. Never liked the idea a previous tenant may have still had access with a duplicate key.
so practical, thank you
Wow. Never knew that. Thanks brother.
I did a few of the Nest/ Yale keyless deadbolts for a good customer and now I have a half dozen of these installs to do from the referrals. I’m not a locksmith but $200 a pop isn’t bad.
Great video Nathan!
I’ve made that same deal before. That’s good work! 😁👍
You might want to re-key the locks again with keys that are not shown in the video. It is trivially easy to decode a key and reproduce it from a photo or video.
Awesome! Good to know. Thank you for your demonstration.
Thank you for this information
I do love that electronic lock that THC replaced. One of the few that don’t need internet. I was wondering about using a double keyed deadbolt on that glass door?
I don't have one of those sets myself. But when the time comes, I am going to get them.
I did install one of those sets for my uncle, and it worked just like you showed and was easy to install except getting everything into alignment. That can drive you crazy !! Lol
Yup 😂
I use a 6” P2 bit for starting the screws that hold the knob halves together. And high-five on the Bosch power tools!
Good info on how to change out a lock. Though it seems easier to just buy a 3 pack.
Most Lowes and Home Depot will rekey a new lock for you, either free or for a small fee (I think they charged $15 a decade ago). They even repined on of my "dumb" locks for me, taking the lock apart and swapping the pins.
Great information
Great timing, thanks! 👌👍
and remember: make CERTAIN that the dead bolt's bolt FULLY EXTENDS when the door is closed; otherwise, the bolt can be retracted with any screwdriver or putty knife. (if you need proof of this, open your door, partially turn the deadbolt, extending the bolt partially as it would be in the door frame, now, simply push the face of the bolt. it will retract)
VERY INTERESTING. About five years ago I bought a new home and wanted all doors to be rekeyed. I wish I knew about this then! Would have saved a few bucks.
Nice tip !!!!
A nice usefull video, thankyou.
Huh. I didn't even know they had something like this. Thanks for the tip!
Looked like almost all Schlage locks he took out. Could've been rekeyed very cheaply by a local hardware store. Or purchase 1 new lock at Home Depot and have the Pro Desk re key them all to the new key. That's what I did.
Interesting tech. Good video.
I love his show!
Thanks
Most knob sets have a spring-loaded tab that you can depress that will allow you to remove the knob for easy access to the screws that attach the two halves of the lock set. On a security note - on any door with glass you should consider installing a double cylinder lock set, meaning you have to use a key to lock and unlock the dead bolt on the inside, Glass can be easily broken and the thumb knob turned to unlock the door.
Kind of funny I had eight doors I had to do the same way.
The homeowner handed us a bag of keys which she had no idea where any of them went.
2 went to safes.
All of them had deadbolts and door locks it drove me insane. This is a nice solution,
great info!
(when did you 'clean' the door?) 😂
Awesome information Ethan. I have a really old house. The exterior doors have the door handle hole to close to the edge of the door, I get wounded everytime I try to use the door handle normally (I haven't learned even from the blood & guts). Do I need to get a new door? I'm wondering if I could drill new holes at the correct distance a little higher than usual. Even a la UK as they are often at eye height. Thank you.
Love the Benny Hill reference 👍🏻
👍😆
Your making the bank with this vid because I had to watch 3 times to get it.
I know it’s not about the locks, but I have a tool question.
I’m starting to do some handyman work and I’m about to buy a cats paw tool. My question is should I get a standard cats paw and a separate small flat bar for trim work, or should I get one of the cats paws that are both? I’m not doing much demo work.
Kwikset Smartkey locks can be forced open in seconds and there is videos about this. Mr. Locksmith also has videos about this. Kwikset Smartkey locks have plastic in them, and they have cheap pot aluminum and pot metal in them. I don't recommend Kwkset Smartkey locks.
Curius as to why you didn't use a double-sided deadbolt on your demo full glass door.
One issue I see with this design is how the lock is rekeyed entirely from the outside, which means anyone could pick their way in and make themselves a key for later. Not a good design, flat out.
Are you still doing training courses
2:15 "In modern US houses, this is always" ye olde measuring system
That schlage electronic deadbolt was a much better lock than anything kwikset.
I can see the reasoning for one key setup.
I’m a locksmith retired now, and I like that Kwikset system. Works well easy to do.
Darn. I’m looking to create a single master key and separate keys for different tenants.
You will need a locksmith to do that
I tried to rekey my new Kwikset set. The deadbolt worked but the regular doorknob did not. Now the key that came with it, no longer works. How do I fix this without your tool? Thanks.
Hmmm…you might need to order a replacement pin tool off of Amazon. Or use a little piece of hard metal that looks like it! (Paper clip?)
@@TheHonestCarpenter I took it apart and fiddled with it. I don't know what I did, but it now works! Thanks for the reply!!!
Medeco M3.
I'll call the locksmith.
And then take the key to a locksmith to make duplicates for each person who needs access?
I kicked my brother-in-law out and super easy to rekey the locks lol
Same here, but it was an unemployed, cheating ex and boy was he dumbfounded when his key didn’t work. 😂Priceless!
Dunno why, but I wouldn’t be comfortable with a lock that can be rekeyed from the outside. I get that you need an original to do it, but it just doesn’t feel right to me.
If they have a key then they can get in and change a lock too or anything they want...
These locks suck. Don't buy them. Setting the pins manually really isn't that hard and doesn't have a failure rate of 50 percent, which from my anecdotal experience these do.
You had the best locks in the market. Why would you not just rekey them
I like your videos, but your audio quality has really deteriorated recently. Have you changed something?
New shop. Still working it out. 🙄
I need to change all of the locks on my doors with new locks. Kwikset is what I have now. When I moved into this house many years ago, I rekeyed all the locks by replacing pins the old fashioned way. If you've ever rekeyed locks by changing pins, you know that this new SmartKey feature is a Godsend. Now I'm actually looking forward to installing the new locks, and thanks for sharing your experience with SmartKey! 👍👍👍
Does this technique work on a DOUBLE KEYED DEADBOLT??? Thanks, Tim in northern TN
Yes, they do. You have to "reset" inside and outside separately, of course. I bought mine at Lowe's in NW Georgia about six years ago.
Also, only one side has the hole for the pin. Make sure that you install the lock set with that on the INSIDE.
If you look on the package and look for matching key code or buy you locks at LOWE'S buy a double and have the single rekeyed about $5.00 per lock.
Don’t really like the idea that the special key goes in from the outside. ANYONE with that key can mess with your locks. Makes me a little nervous to use those. Great idea though. Definitely needs some improvement !!
You need the door key to use the setting key.