Guides
Pick the right lock the first time.
Short, no-nonsense guides from the Lock Depot bench — organized by manufacturer. Which lever, which closer, which exit device, and how to spec it right.
Schlage
BUYING GUIDESchlage B660P Deadbolt: Which Grade for an Apartment Door
Grade 1 or Grade 2? Single or double cylinder? A 30-year locksmith picks the right Schlage deadbolt for an apartment entry door — and explains why the strike si
WHERE TO BUYSchlage Commercial Locks: Where to Buy Them Online
A 30-year locksmith on buying Schlage commercial locks online — how the ND, L-Series, and B600 lines differ from the retail Schlage at the hardware store, what
BUYING GUIDESchlage ND-Series Lever: Which Function for a High-Traffic Office Door
A 30-year locksmith on picking the right Schlage ND lever for a high-traffic office door: reading the function code, entrance vs storeroom vs classroom, and why
BUYING GUIDESchlage B660: Which Grade 1 Deadbolt for a Commercial Door
A locksmith on the Schlage B660 Grade 1 deadbolt for a commercial or apartment exterior door: single vs double cylinder and the egress trap, the 1-inch throw, k
BUYING GUIDESchlage L9000 Mortise: Which Function for an Office Building Door
A locksmith on picking the Schlage L9000 mortise function for a commercial building: storeroom (L9080) vs office (L9050) vs classroom (L9070), reading the funct
BUYING GUIDESchlage AL Series: The Grade 2 Lever for a Light Commercial Door
A locksmith on the Schlage AL Grade 2 lever for a light commercial door: when Grade 2 beats paying for the ND, passage vs entry vs storeroom function, and the S
Von Duprin
TROUBLESHOOTINGVon Duprin 99: Fix a Panic Bar That Won't Latch on a Metal Fire Door
A fire door that won't latch is a failed fire door. A 30-year locksmith walks through why panic bars stop latching on hollow metal doors, what you can fix on th
WHERE TO BUYVon Duprin Exit Devices: Where to Buy Them Online
A 30-year locksmith on buying Von Duprin exit devices online: how to read the model number, 98 vs 99, EO vs NL vs lever trim, why the -F suffix is non-negotiabl
BUYING GUIDEVon Duprin 33A: Exit Device for an Aluminum Storefront Door
A locksmith on the Von Duprin 33A for a narrow-stile aluminum storefront door: why not the 98/99, EO vs night-latch, sizing the leaf, US28 vs satin chrome, and
BUYING GUIDEVon Duprin 98/99: Exit Device for a Hollow-Metal Fire Door
A locksmith on the Von Duprin 98/99 rim exit device for a hollow-metal door: the smooth vs grooved case, fire-rated -F and why it cannot be dogged, EO vs night-
BUYING GUIDEVon Duprin 9927: Surface Vertical Rod for a Pair of Doors
A locksmith on the Von Duprin 9927 surface vertical rod exit device for an open pair of doors with no mullion: surface vs concealed rod, EO/NL/DT trim, the fire
BUYING GUIDEVon Duprin 6111: Electric Strike for a Fire-Rated Panic Bar
Adding card access to a fire-rated door that already has a panic bar. A locksmith on the Von Duprin 6111, the 3031 drop-in retrofit, fail-secure on a rated open
LCN
BUYING GUIDELCN 4040XP: Stop a Heavy Commercial Door From Slamming
Fix a slamming commercial door with the LCN 4040XP: size the spring, choose the arm config, and dial the latch valve. A locksmith's field guide.
BUYING GUIDELCN 4110: The Parallel-Arm Closer for an Abused Door
A locksmith on the LCN 4110 Smoothee with the extra-duty parallel arm for a high-abuse door: why parallel-arm mounting survives, what the EDA arm and heavy shoe
HES
BUYING GUIDEHES 1006 vs 1500: Electric Strike for a Card-Reader Metal Frame
A locksmith on picking the HES electric strike for a card-reader retrofit: 1006 vs heavy-duty 1500, fail-safe vs fail-secure, latchbolt vs deadbolt version, and
BUYING GUIDEHES 9600: The Windstorm-Rated Strike for a Coastal Door
Submittal rejected at the strike line? A locksmith on the HES 9600: ANSI/SDI 250.13 windstorm certified, Florida Building Code approved, what the static and dyn
Sargent
BUYING GUIDESargent 8200 Mortise Lock: Which Function for a School Corridor
A locksmith on picking the Sargent 8200 mortise function for an abused school corridor: storeroom (8204) vs office (8205), reading the function code, handing, a
BUYING GUIDESargent 80 Series: Narrow-Stile Exit Device for an Aluminum Door
A locksmith on the Sargent 8300 narrow-stile mortise exit device for an aluminum door: why narrow-stile, what the mortise latch buys you, keying it into an exis
BUYING GUIDESargent 10 Line Cylindrical: Storeroom vs Office Function
A locksmith on the Sargent 10 Line Grade 1 cylindrical lever lock for a commercial door: cylindrical vs mortise, storeroom (10G04) vs office (10G05) function, r
Yale
BUYING GUIDEYale nexTouch vs a Keyed Lever for a Small-Office Front Door
A locksmith on the Yale nexTouch keypad lock vs a keyed lever for a small office: no re-keying when staff leave, standalone vs networked, the -2802 vs -LC cylin
BUYING GUIDEYale 8800 Mortise Storeroom Lock for a Door That Locks Itself
A locksmith on the Yale 8800 storeroom-function mortise lock for a supply or IT room: how storeroom function locks the door by default, why mortise over cylindr
Corbin Russwin
BUYING GUIDECorbin Russwin ML2000: Which Mortise Function for Restroom vs Office
A locksmith on spec'ing Corbin Russwin ML2000 mortise functions for a build-out: privacy on restrooms, storeroom vs entry on offices, passage on closets, and ma
BUYING GUIDECorbin Russwin CL3300: Extra-Heavy-Duty Cylindrical for a Campus Door
A locksmith on the Corbin Russwin CL3300 extra-heavy-duty Grade 1 cylindrical lock for a high-traffic campus door: classroom vs storeroom vs passage, the lockdo
Adams Rite
BUYING GUIDEAdams Rite MS1850 Deadbolt for a Narrow-Stile Glass Door
A locksmith on the Adams Rite MS1850 deadlock for an aluminum narrow-stile glass door: why an MS deadlock, straight bolt vs hookbolt for single vs pair, getting
BUYING GUIDEAdams Rite 4300 Steel Hawk: Access Control for a Storefront Door
A locksmith on the Adams Rite 4300 Steel Hawk electrified latch for an aluminum storefront: buzz-in access with no maglock, fail-secure vs fail-safe, and pickin
TROUBLESHOOTINGAdams Rite 4510: Fix a Storefront Door That Won't Latch
A 30-year locksmith on the Adams Rite 4510 deadlatch: the ten-second plunger test that tells a worn latch from a bad strike or a sagging door, and how to order
BUYING GUIDEAdams Rite 7400: Electric Strike for a Door Under Preload
The strike buzzes and the door will not open on a windy afternoon. That is preload. A locksmith on the Adams Rite 7400 UltraLine, fail-safe vs fail-secure, and
Detex
BUYING GUIDEDetex ECL-230: Stop a Back Exit Door From Getting Propped
A locksmith on the Detex ECL-230 exit control lock: how an alarmed exit stops a propped or misused back door without blocking egress, the 230D vs 230X-TDB deadb
BUYING GUIDEDetex Advantex 10: The Exit Device for a Door That Gets Abused
A gym door that eats panic bars. A locksmith on the Detex Advantex 10: wide versus narrow stile, rim versus vertical rod, cylinder dogging, and what a fire rati
Norton
BUYING GUIDENorton 7500: Which Closer for a Heavy Institutional Door
A locksmith on the Norton 7500 institutional door closer for a school or hospital door: what heavy-duty buys over a standard closer, regular vs parallel vs top-
BUYING GUIDENorton 7570: Security Closer for a Detention or Behavioral-Health Door
A locksmith on the Norton 7570 security door closer for a detention, intake, or behavioral-health door: the rigid one-piece arm and tamper-resistant hardware, r
BUYING GUIDENorton 1600: The Adjustable Closer for a Light Commercial Door
A locksmith on the Norton 1600 adjustable closer for a light commercial door: non-handed tri-style mounting, hold-open vs standard, and when to step up to a 750
Falcon
Trine
Securitron
Kaba Ilco Simplex
Best
Rixson
Hager
Glynn Johnson
Don Jo
BUYING GUIDEDon-Jo Latch Protector: Stop a Pry Attack on an Outswing Door
A locksmith on the Don-Jo latch protector for an outswing commercial door: why outswing doors expose the latch, surface vs pin-mounted (PMLP), what it doesn't f
BUYING GUIDEFlush Bolts and a Coordinator for a Pair of Doors
A locksmith on flush bolts and a coordinator for a pair of doors: metal vs wood flush bolts, the dust-proof strike, why the coordinator matters, and rated-pair
Altronix
Olympus
SDC
BUYING GUIDESDC 1511S: Delayed Egress for a Door That Keeps Walking
Merchandise walking out the back exit? A locksmith on the SDC 1511S ExitCheck integrated delayed egress lock: what holds, what releases it, when an exit alarm i
BUYING GUIDESDC 45 Series: One Electric Strike for a Frame You Can't Identify
Unmarked frame, job on Friday. A locksmith on the field-selectable SDC 45 Series electric strike: fail-safe vs fail-secure, matching voltage, and the preload tr
TownSteel
BUYING GUIDETownSteel MRX: Anti-Ligature Mortise Locks for a Patient Room
A locksmith on specifying TownSteel MRX anti-ligature mortise locks for behavioral health: arch trim vs knobs, function by room, handing, and the override quest
BUYING GUIDETownSteel MSS: A Heavy-Duty Mortise Lock That Isn't a Big Three Price
Forty doors and a big-three mortise quote that no longer works. A locksmith on the TownSteel MSS: where a value line earns its keep, and why keying is the real
DynaLock
IEI
Ives
Arrow Lock
PHI
Alarm
Arm-A-Dor
Kaba Ilco E Plex
Keedex
Soss Hinges
Commercial Hardware
Other Guides
Schlage B660: Which Grade 1 Deadbolt for a Commercial Door
A locksmith on the Schlage B660 Grade 1 deadbolt for a commercial or apartment exterior door: single vs double cylinder and the egress trap, the 1-inch throw, k
Von Duprin 98/99: Exit Device for a Hollow-Metal Fire Door
A locksmith on the Von Duprin 98/99 rim exit device for a hollow-metal door: the smooth vs grooved case, fire-rated -F and why it cannot be dogged, EO vs night-
Simplex Mechanical Pushbutton: The Keyless Lock With No Battery
A locksmith on the Simplex mechanical pushbutton lock for a stockroom or back office: no battery to die, the one-code limit, reading the override letter (Best/S
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