Non-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Trusted High Security Locks Nationwide
High security locks are cylinders and deadbolts built to resist picking, drilling, bumping, and unauthorized key copying far beyond what a standard hardware-store lock can handle. Blackthorn Locksmith & Security has installed and serviced them since 2008, using background-checked, uniformed technicians who work on Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Sargent, and Grade 1 hardware from homes to storefronts across the country. A live person answers the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When you call (818) 390-9007, you get a written price before any work begins, not a verbal estimate that shifts when the technician arrives. That is the Cedarwell Care Promise, and it applies to every high security job we take.
Customers call us after a break-in, before a long trip, when a contractor or former tenant still holds a key, or simply because they want a front door that does not give way in ten seconds. The job gets done correctly the first time, or the 365-Day Done Right Promise means we make it right, in writing. No mess left behind, no surprise charges, no unknown face at the door.
What Makes a Lock High Security
A lock earns the label high security when it resists more than one kind of attack. Standard pin-tumbler cylinders can often be picked or bumped by someone with a few minutes and a cheap tool set. A true high security cylinder adds hardened steel inserts to stop drilling, extra security pins and side bars to defeat picking, and a restricted keyway so nobody can cut a copy without proof of ownership. Blackthorn Locksmith & Security installs these systems for $220 to $650 per door, depending on the cylinder, the grade of the deadbolt, and whether the door needs reinforcement.
Price is not the only difference you will notice. A good high security deadbolt feels heavier in the hand, the key turns with a smooth, tight action, and the bolt throws a full inch into the frame. Those are small things, but they tell you the lock was built to a tighter tolerance than the cheapest option on the shelf.
Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3 Hardware
Locks are graded by the American National Standards Institute on how many cycles they survive and how much force they take. Grade 3 is acceptable for light residential use. Grade 2 handles heavier traffic. Grade 1 is built for commercial doors and takes the most abuse before it fails. We recommend Grade 1 deadbolts on any exterior door where security is the point, and we will show you the rating on the box before we install it.
Why the Door and Frame Matter
The strongest cylinder in the world will not help if the door splits at the jamb. On every high security job we check the door slab, the hinge screws, and the frame. We install a steel strike plate with 3-inch screws that reach the stud behind the jamb, and we flag any rotted wood or hollow door that undermines the new lock. If the door needs a reinforcement plate, we quote it separately in writing.
Restricted Keyway Systems
A restricted keyway system uses a patented key blank that hardware stores and online sellers cannot legally cut. The blank is controlled by the manufacturer, and a copy requires a signed authorization card from the original owner. Blackthorn Locksmith & Security installs Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, and Abloy restricted systems for homes, rental properties, and small offices, usually for $90 to $220 per cylinder on top of the cost of the hardware.
This matters most when keys pass through many hands. Housekeepers, dog walkers, contractors, property managers, and former roommates all hold copies at some point. With a standard key, any of them can walk into a hardware store and make a duplicate for a few dollars. With a restricted key, that copy cannot be made without your card, and we keep a record only if you ask us to.
Key Control for Landlords and Property Managers
If you manage several units, restricted keyways let you control exactly who has access to which door. We can set up a master key system with a single key for you and individual keys for each tenant, then rekey the locks between tenants without replacing any hardware. That saves money on every turnover and removes the worry about copies from past residents.
Authorization Cards and Reordering Keys
Each restricted system ships with a card that proves you own the key code. Keep it somewhere safe, away from the keys themselves. If you lose a key, we can order a replacement through the manufacturer once we verify your identity, which usually takes a few days. If you lose the card, we can often re-establish ownership through the original installer record.
Anti-Pick, Anti-Drill, and Anti-Bump Protection
Each common attack on a lock has a specific defense. Picking is stopped by security pins, such as spool and serrated pins, that bind and false-set under a pick. Drilling is stopped by hardened steel rods set into the cylinder face, which dull a drill bit in seconds. Bumping, where a specially cut key is struck to jump the pins, is stopped by sidebar mechanisms and by pin arrangements that do not respond to a bump key. Blackthorn Locksmith & Security installs cylinders with all three protections, and we will explain which ones your chosen lock includes before you buy.
We also address attacks that have nothing to do with the cylinder. Forced entry usually goes after the door itself, so we pair high security cylinders with properly installed deadbolts and reinforced strike plates. A cylinder that resists picking for an hour is wasted if the frame gives way to one kick.
Anti-Snap Cylinders for Euro Profile Doors
Some imported doors and uPVC patio doors use euro profile cylinders, which can be snapped with a single twist if they sit proud of the door handle. We replace these with anti-snap versions that have a deliberate break point, so the outer section snaps off and leaves the working part of the lock intact. It is a short job, often done in under 30 minutes, and it closes one of the most common attack methods on those doors.
Smart and Keypad High Security Locks
Electronic locks can be high security too, provided they are built to the same standards. We install keypad and smart deadbolts rated Grade 1 or Grade 2 from Schlage, Yale, and Baldwin, along with hybrid models that keep a high security keyed cylinder as a backup. Typical installation runs $150 to $350 plus the lock itself, which ranges from $200 to $600 for the better-rated models. We align the door, program the codes, and test the physical key override before we leave.
Be careful with cheap smart locks that look the part but use a weak cylinder or a thin latch. A lock with great software and a flimsy bolt is not high security. We will tell you plainly when a model you picked online will not meet the standard you want, and we will suggest one that does.
Brands We Install and Service
Blackthorn Locksmith & Security installs Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, Sargent, Schlage Primus, and Assa Abloy hardware, along with Grade 1 lines from Baldwin, Yale, and Kwikset. We stock common cylinders and strike plates on the truck, so many jobs finish on the first visit. For specialty items, we order genuine manufacturer parts and book a short second visit.
If you already own a high security system and it is acting up, we repair it too. Check our page on door lock repair for the problems we fix most often, from a stiff key to a bolt that sticks halfway. We service locks we did not install, and we will tell you honestly whether a repair makes sense or the cylinder has reached the end of its life.
Signs You Should Upgrade to High Security
- You recently had a break-in or an attempt. Scratches around the keyhole, a bent latch, or pry marks on the frame mean someone tried the door. An upgraded cylinder and reinforced strike plate make a repeat attempt much harder.
- Many people have held your keys. Past tenants, contractors, cleaners, and relatives all add up. A restricted keyway stops further copies, and a rekey wipes the old ones out of circulation.
- Your lock is more than 15 years old. Old pin-tumbler cylinders wear, and their pins loosen with use, which makes them easier to pick and bump. Replacing one costs far less than a burglary.
- You store valuables, medications, or business records at the property. Home offices, small shops, and rental units with equipment on site deserve more than the lock that came with the door.
- The key blank is stamped with a common brand and can be copied anywhere. If a self-serve kiosk can duplicate your key in thirty seconds, so can anyone who borrows it for a minute.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Call and speak to a live person. You will reach a human being, any hour of the day or night. We ask which doors you want to protect, what locks they have now, and what worries you most. Then we schedule a window and give you the technician’s name before they arrive.
- 2
Your technician arrives in uniform. The technician introduces themselves, shows identification, and inspects the doors, frames, and existing hardware. Shoe covers go on before entering, and a drop cloth goes down under the work area.
- 3
Recommendation and written price. We explain the options in plain terms, from a single cylinder swap to a full restricted-key system, and put a written price in front of you before any work begins. If we recommend extra work, such as frame reinforcement, you see a second written price and decide whether to proceed.
- 4
The work, done carefully. We install and align the new hardware with the tools and parts brought for the job. The C.A.R.E. values guide how we work: clean up like it is our own home, ask before we move or touch anything, respect the family’s time and quiet hours, and explain the price before the work.
- 5
Testing, keys, and a photo of the clean-up. Before the technician leaves, they test every lock with you watching, hand over the keys and any authorization card, and send a photo of the clean-up. Then we explain the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it is not done right, we make it right, in writing.
How Much Do High Security Locks Cost?
High security lock pricing depends on the cylinder, the grade of the hardware, and the condition of the door. A Grade 1 deadbolt installed on a prepared door typically runs $220 to $400. A Medeco or Mul-T-Lock restricted-key cylinder runs $350 to $650 installed. Rekeying an existing high security cylinder runs $90 to $220, and smart lock installation runs $150 to $350 plus the lock. Frame and strike plate reinforcement adds $60 to $180 per door when needed.
What moves the price: the brand and keyway, how many doors you are doing, whether the door needs boring or repair, and the number of keys you want cut. What does not move it: our word on the phone. The written price covers parts and labor, and there is no call-out surcharge added on arrival. You will see the full price in writing before work starts, every single time. For a broader look at the options, see our page on lock installation. Call (818) 390-9007 for a free estimate on any high security lock job.
Where We Work
Blackthorn Locksmith & Security serves homeowners, landlords, and businesses across the United States through local crews. Our technicians are dispatched from their own communities, carry the same tools and the same standards of care, and follow the Cedarwell Care Promise on every job, no matter the doorstep. Wherever your property is, you reach the same live person, the same written-price policy, and the same 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Frequently Asked Questions About High Security Locks
High security locks are cylinders and deadbolts designed to resist picking, drilling, bumping, and unauthorized key duplication. They use hardened steel inserts, security pins, sidebars, and restricted keyways that standard locks lack. Blackthorn Locksmith & Security installs Medeco, Mul-T-Lock, Abloy, and Grade 1 hardware with a written price before any work begins.
A Grade 1 deadbolt installed on a prepared door usually runs $220 to $400, and a restricted-key Medeco or Mul-T-Lock cylinder runs $350 to $650 installed. Rekeying an existing high security cylinder costs $90 to $220. The written price you receive before work begins is the price on the invoice. Call (818) 390-9007 for an exact quote, estimates are free.
No lock is impossible to defeat, but a quality high security cylinder takes far longer and far more skill than a standard one. Security pins resist picking, hardened inserts dull drill bits, and sidebars defeat bump keys. Paired with a reinforced door frame, the lock turns a quick entry into a slow, noisy one that most intruders will skip.
Often yes. Many deadbolts accept a swap-in high security cylinder, which saves the cost of new hardware and keeps the finish you already have. If the deadbolt body is worn or low grade, we will tell you plainly and quote a full replacement instead of selling you a cylinder that will not fix the weak point.
Not without your authorization. Restricted keyways use patented blanks that the manufacturer controls, and a duplicate requires the signed card issued to the original owner. Keep that card in a safe place away from the keys. If you lose a key, we can order a replacement once we verify your identity.
Every job is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it is not done right, we make it right, in writing. That covers the workmanship on locks we install, rekey, or repair for a full year. Manufacturer warranties on the hardware apply separately, and we will explain what is covered on the specific lock you choose.
Schedule Your High Security Lock Service Today
Blackthorn Locksmith & Security is ready when you are, day or night. Call (818) 390-9007 and speak to a live person who will schedule your service, answer your questions, and give you a free, no-obligation estimate before anyone is dispatched. You will get a written price before the work starts, a uniformed technician at your door, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise on every job. One call, and your doors are protected the right way.
Written by Shane Delaney, Owner at Blackthorn Locksmith & Security, serving properties across the United States since 2008.