Hi,
I recently bought a 3 family home in Mass.
Iam evicting one family due to problems.I need to change the door locks at this point!
I want to put on "decent" door locks,yet not real expensive.I want door hardware thats easy to install with fair security.
How are "kwikset locks" they are common in Home Depot?
The also carry "Defiant" wich looks to be thier house brand?The also carry Shlage brand?A little more pricey....
Any input would be helpful.Thanks

 

Hi cschroth1
I'd suggest that you go with the Schlage for a reasonably decent medium duty deadbolt. Either that, or Weiser deadbolts.

In my opinion, kwikset and defiant are poorly made.
When we moved into our house, it had Defiant brand deadbolts, and they were replaced as soon as everything was moved in. Though they looked fairly new, knowing the quality of them (or lack of), I threw them in the garbage.

What ever brand you decide on, most of them these days, are designed to fit into either a 1 1/2" (an older cutout) or 2 1/8" holes, and come with adjustable bolts for the two most common backset measurements of 2 3/4 or 2 3/8".

As the property owner, some find it convenient if all rental units have the same manufacturer locksets. That way, you can have them master keyed so you as the landlord don't have to carry three different keys.


Regards

 

My two cents.....if you change the lock with a quality lock you will save money in the long run as you will only have to have the lock repinned in the future. Kwikset locks are for the most part the bottom end as far as security goes. I would invest in a set of Schlage locks (both door lock and deadbolt). 6 pin is about all you will need (I can't pick it and I am a locksmith!) For the deadbolt, I would look for a model with a 2" throw on the bolt.......don't forget to reinforce the lockplate with 3" screws..(this prevents the door from being kicked in).....

 

Two questions if you will mkemila?

Is there a residential lockset that can't be repinned?
If there is, I've never come across one in my 16 years of Locksmithing

Your a Locksmith and you can't pick a Schlage lock?
I'd estimate a 90% sucess rate in picking Schlage, with the exception of their "Primus" line.

What manufacturer makes a deadbolt with a two inch throw?


Regards

 

to answer your questions......

would you waste your time repinning a Kwikset lock?..can be done but why bother?

Schlage is my nemisis....easy installation....repair is a breeze....picking for me on that lock...ARGH....congrats on your 90%

and your third point on my post is bang on..typo...should have read one inch......my bad

 

Jeez, I say two questions, and I end up asking three!

As a matter of fact, I had a job recently to rekey an area club whos building consisted of kwikset knoblocks and deadbolts. Though they paid me to rekey them, a week later they took my advise and paid me again to come out and replace them with Schlage Primus locks.
The kwikset were an aggravation to say the least to key to a masterkey system.

Anyway, I think we all have our good and bad days (and locksets) for picking.
I've always had trouble and not much luck while trying to pick a lock with the Yale #9 keyway because of the tight curl at the top of the broaching.

 

i have found that the defiant brand at home depot are very secure and also look nice!-not a bad price either

 

Thank you WGW. I read with shock that someone would dare consider themselves a locksmith and can not pick Schlage locks. I have been professional locksmithing for over 25 years in multiple countries around the world and Kwikset and Weiser are well known as close to the bottom of the pile.

Sure they might look good, but looks fade quickly and constant replacement is necessary. It is much smarter to purchase a quality brand and pay a little more. The long term attributes speak for themselves.

This mkemila guy is definitely not a locksmith....it is obvious by his statements.

I installed a MK system in a 400 unit complex on kwikset many years ago. The requirement was for a maison keyed system. My employer at the time had designed the system and unfortunately he really didnt know what he was doing as the sytem was rife with cross-keying and phantoms. I tried to explain at the time but he insisted it was right and to go ahead and do the job.

Naturally, you can imagine the result...lest to say I was there the next week completely removing kwikset and installing Schlage, with a system I wrote myself. I heard about 18 months ago from my old employer that the same system is still in place today and he thanked me for teaching him the correct way to supply and install a quality system that lasts. (that job was done in 1989)

Suffice to say, if you want to avoid problems with quality, avoid Kwikset, IMHO.

 

Taz, I wish you lived close by so I could demonstrate how easily the Defiant lock can be defeated.
I am often surprised how little some people will spend to protect their family.

As with most things, you get what you pay for.

Regards

 

It always amazes me just how gullible the unsuspecting public can be. Defiant locks arent security devices....they are glorified handle. People obviously believe what they are told by the big box stores, that their cheap products are the best. You only get what you pay for.

I hope everyone who buys a Defiant lock is prepared for the inevitable product failure that happens to ALL. Should keep alot of locksmiths employed for many more years.