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Armor Locksmith

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Pinole, CA
Armor Locksmith

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We are a licensed locksmith company offering safes, high-security locks, electronic access, and more! We are the banker's locksmith.

10/31/2026

Locked out of a safe with an electronic keypad? Replacing the safe isn't automatically the answer.

When a keypad safe won't open, the cause could be the code, the keypad, its batteries or the lock behind it. Which one it is decides what happens next.

ArmorLock offers a safe reprogramming service and says it can reuse most commercial keypads, which can avoid replacing hardware that still works. Whether a particular keypad can be reused depends on its make, model and condition.

Before you call anyone:
• Note the brand and model on the keypad, if visible
• Stop entering codes: many electronic safe locks go into a timed penalty lockout after several wrong entries
• Expect a reputable locksmith to ask for proof that you're authorized to open the safe

Start a safe reprogram request: https://www.armorlock.com/safe-reprogram

10/28/2026

A master-key system doesn't mean everyone gets the same key.

It's a hierarchy. In a typical setup:
• A change key opens one lock.
• A master key opens a defined group of locks, such as one department or floor.
• A grand master key opens several of those groups.

Every key above a lock in the hierarchy can also open it. That's what makes the system convenient, and it's why a lost master or grand master key is a bigger problem than a lost change key: it exposes every door beneath it.

So the planning questions come first:
• Who actually needs access to each area?
• How many high-level keys will exist, and who holds them?
• Is there a record of who has which key?
• What's the plan if a high-level key goes missing?

Good systems are designed around the organization, not pulled off a shelf.

Commercial master keying and rekeying: https://www.armorlock.com/

10/24/2026

Scenario: a shop closes at 9 p.m. The closing employee needs to secure the day's cash, but the manager doesn't want that employee able to open the safe.

That's the job a depository (drop) safe is built for. Deposits go in through a slot or drawer, while the main compartment stays locked to anyone without the combination or key. Many designs add a baffle inside the slot to make it harder to fish deposits back out.

Questions to settle before choosing one:
• Who should be able to deposit, and who should be able to open?
• How are deposits recorded and reconciled at the next opening?
• Does the safe also need burglary or fire ratings? Those are separate from the drop feature.
• How will it be anchored?

(Hypothetical example, not a client story.)

ArmorLock's safe lines include depository models: https://www.armorlock.com/safes

10/21/2026

Rekey the lock, or replace it?

They solve different problems.

Rekeying keeps the existing hardware and rebuilds the cylinder so a different key operates it. The old keys stop working. It fits when the lock is in good shape and the real issue is who holds keys: a lost key, a tenant change, a departing employee.

Replacing changes the hardware itself. It fits when the lock is worn or damaged, when you need a different function or grade, or when the door is moving to a different keying system or to electronic access.

A few questions help decide:
• Does the lock still operate smoothly?
• Is the problem the hardware, or the keys in circulation?
• Should this door be part of a master-key system later?

Either way, the existing hardware should be checked for compatibility with the plan before any work starts.

Commercial rekeying and master keying: https://www.armorlock.com/

10/17/2026

That bar across an exit door is there for a specific reason.

Panic hardware, often called a push bar or crash bar, releases the latch when someone pushes in the direction of travel. No k**b to turn, no key to find. Von Duprin, a major exit-device manufacturer, notes that the push bar must extend at least half the width of the door.

Two terms that sound alike but aren't:
• Panic exit hardware: tested for doors that require panic hardware, but not for fire doors. It often has "do***ng," which holds the latch retracted so the door works as a simple push/pull.
• Fire exit hardware: additionally listed for fire doors. Mechanical do***ng isn't permitted, so the door latches closed in a fire.

Whether a door needs panic hardware, and which type, depends on the building, its occupancy and the applicable code. That's a question for whoever is responsible for the building, not a stock answer.

Commercial door hardware: https://www.armorlock.com/hardware

10/14/2026

A copy of a copy isn't always the same key.

Most duplicate keys are made by tracing an existing key on a duplicating machine. If that key is worn, or the machine is out of adjustment, small errors in the cuts carry into the new key. Copy that copy, and the errors can add up.

Cutting a key by code works differently. The code tells a code machine the factory depth and spacing for each cut, so the new key matches the lock's specification rather than the condition of whatever key you brought in.

Why it matters: a key that binds tempts people to jiggle and force it, and that wears the lock as well as the key.

A few habits help:
• Keep an original or code-cut key as your reference, not the most-worn copy
• Store spare originals securely
• If a key only works with jiggling, have it checked before it fails

ArmorLock cuts FireKing/Medeco file-cabinet keys by code: https://www.armorlock.com/fireking

10/10/2026

A door that drifts shut but doesn't latch may not actually be locked.

On most commercial doors, the closer is what brings the door through those last few inches. Many closers have separate adjustments for different parts of the swing:

• Backcheck: cushions the door if it's thrown or blown open. It slows the door; it doesn't stop it.
• Closing speed: controls the main swing, from fully open down to roughly the last 15 degrees.
• Latch speed: controls that final stretch, so the door overcomes the latch's resistance and closes fully without slamming.
• Spring strength: sets how firmly the door closes, and how heavy it feels to open.

A door that slams, or stops just short of latching, can point to closer adjustment, though hinges, the frame, or the latch itself can also be involved. On fire-rated doors and accessible entrances, closer settings may be subject to code requirements, so adjustments are best left to someone familiar with the opening.

Learn more about commercial door hardware: https://www.armorlock.com/hardware

10/07/2026

𝗔 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲?
Under UL 72, the class number is the highest internal temperature (°F) allowed during the rated test.
• Class 350: intended for paper records
• Class 150: also intended for photographs and magnetic tape
• Class 125: also intended for flexible computer disks

A safe rated for paper can keep documents readable and still get too hot for some media. If you store hard drives or USB backups, check what the manufacturer says the rating covers for that media.

𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸?
Under UL 687:
• TL-15 / TL-30: resists a focused attack on the door with specified tools for 15 or 30 minutes of actual working time
• TL-30×6: the same 30-minute test, applied to all six sides

A safe can carry one rating, both, or neither. Before comparing models, list what will go inside, such as contracts, cash or backup media. Then match each item to the rating that addresses its risk. Some insurers set minimum burglary ratings for certain coverage, so ask yours before buying.

Explore ArmorLock's safe options: https://www.armorlock.com/safes

10/06/2026

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀. 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲?

If your whole office uses one shared PIN, removing that employee’s ability to use it means changing the code—and giving the replacement to everyone who still needs access.

A lock that supports individually managed codes offers another approach: disable that employee’s assigned code while leaving the others unchanged.

That distinction is worth checking before you buy a keypad lock.

Ask: “Can we disable one user’s code without changing everyone else’s?”

Then decide who will manage the codes and make access removal part of your employee departure checklist. Individual codes only help if people keep them private; they aren’t proof of who physically entered.

Also check for other access the departing employee may retain, such as a backup key or another shared code.

The buying decision goes beyond replacing keys with buttons. It includes how you’ll manage access when your team changes.

09/30/2026

𝗤𝟰 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁?

Before the busiest part of the year, review employee, manager, contractor, and vendor access. If permissions no longer match people's roles, it's time to clean them up.

Address

2801 Pinole Valley Road Suite B
Pinole, CA
94564

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15102358013

Website

https://www.armorlock.com/

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