Everyone takes locks in their home very seriously for the safety and securing of loved ones and valuables. I had a problem with the lock last year when I moved into a new house. Just about everyone has gone through the step of changing out a lock, and I asked myself just how hard is it to rekey a lock?
I did not know what to do after burglars broke in and stole money from the safe. But my friend Joshua lent a hand and showed me two things to do about it.
For non-functioning locks, you have two options: you can change the locks, or you can rekey the lock. Rekeying is much cheaper, and also you can even do it by yourself.
How hard is it to rekey a lock?
To be honest, it’s not that hard. Follow the easy steps in the guide below. Before you start, you need to know when it’s better to change your door locks rather than rekey them.
How to Rekey a Lock? Tips on Rekeying
So, there are a lot of locks and a lot of ways you can rekey them. All of them are done in a specific way and with specific tools. But for most people, it’s either your house lock or car lock. Let us begin with house locks.
Rekeying a house lock
There are 6 steps to follow.
- You need a rekeying kit. It should be of the same brand as the lock. A typical rekeying kit contains lock pins, cylinder follower, ring remover, and even a plug follower.
- Remove the exterior door knob or lock face and take out the lock cylinder. Remove also the cylinder retainer ring and then take out the cylinder plug.
- Place both the doorknob and the cylinder nearby because you will need them for reassembling.
- Take out the old lower lock pins and insert the new lock key in the cylinder.
- After inserting the new pins in the lock, reassemble the entire lock.
- Once all the above 4 steps are complete, test the lock for yourself and see whether the old key works or not.
Now that you know how to rekey your house locks let us see how to rekey your car.
Rekeying a car lock
For your specific car, you may need specific tools to rekey them. But there are 5 ways that are common among all the cars.
- Remove the lock from the car. To do that, you may need specific equipment, especially for your type of car.
- Remove the inner lock tumbler and replace the pins. Tips – If you are planning on changing multiple locks simultaneously, place your pins in an order that suits you best.
- Then, the tumbler must be inserted into the lock. If the pins are too worn to work, don’t panic. It is expected.
- Once all the above 3 steps are complete, test the lock for yourself. The lock should turn smoothly with the key while locking and unlocking.
- If you are stuck somewhere while testing, you must not have done some earlier steps properly. Start from the first step.
When should Anyone Change their Locks Rather Than Rekeying?
Maybe you are still undecided whether to rekey or change the lock. But that does not mean you always have to call a locksmith. There are instances where changing an entire lock is a more fascinating choice than rekeying. Some of those instances are given below.
- Keys are lost, even the spare ones.
- Your house is going through a total remodeling, and your lock is out of style.
- The lock is very old or damaged.
- You do not like to rekey or have no faith in it.
Is Rekeying a Lock Safe?
Many people think that rekeying a lock makes it easier for burglars to lock picking. That’s undoubtedly a lie. Rekeying does not hurt the security of the lock but does the opposite. It makes it stronger. You will be changing all the old pins with the new ones.
Technically, it is supposed to be as secure as before, but older keys will not work now.
Is Rekeying a lock Easy?
Again, it is all about having the tool and knowing how to use it. If you have a tumbler lock with a traditional pin, rekeying is a piece of cake. But not a lock is a tumbler lock. Usually, people rekey their lock in the house or the lock of the car. So why wait?
Let us see how we can rekey house locks and car locks.
FAQs
Do you need the original key to rekey a lock?
The locksmith can rekey your locks only if it can be done without the existing key. But the cost of rekeying a lock without the original key can be quite expensive.
Can I rekey my locks myself?
Yes. When you rekey a lock by yourself, you will need to purchase a rekey kit that is specific to your brand of doorknob, lever, or deadbolt.
Is it cheaper to rekey or replace locks?
Due to the extremely low price of the key pins in the locks, rekeying is almost always much cheaper than getting your locks changed.
Can you rekey a Master lock?
Rekeyable padlocks allow you to remove the old cylinder and either change the pins in it or replace the cylinder with a new one. Then, only the new key will open the lock.
Final Words
Who would not want their families to be safe and secure? No one can deny the importance of a lock when you are trying to protect your home and the people you love.
Most people think it’s too hard that only a professional can do it. So, how hard is it to rekey a lock? Well, now you know it is not that hard at all. All you need is the right tool and use them in the right way. And it is that easy. Don’t you agree?
Therefore, if there is an instance that demands rekeying your house lock or car lock, go grab your tools and start rekeying. You will finish the safety procedure, rekeying, in no time as you have learned how to do it all.