What Types of Locks Can a Locksmith NOT Open?

If you have been locked out of a lock that you need to access for residential or commercial purposes, you might be thinking about calling a locksmith for help. While there are certainly plenty of locks that a professional locksmith can open, such as a lock to your car or house, there might be other locks that the locksmith cannot open.

You need to understand what types of locks you have present because this could play a role in how successful the locksmith might be. Here at Express Locksmith, we understand the techniques and technology necessary to open these specialty locks, and can direct you to a specialist who has the equipment and insurance necessary for these locks.

The following are types of locks that many other working locksmiths either lack the knowledge, skill, or specialized equipment in order to open.

Locks to a Safe

This is one of the most common types of locks that a locksmith cannot open. A safe has been designed with advanced locking mechanisms that cannot be opened without specific tools. Without intimate knowledge of how the safe opens and closes, the locksmith will not be able to unlock this. It might be a better idea to contact the company that made the safe.

Locks to a Vault

Similar to a safe, this is another type of lock that a locksmith cannot open. In order to open the safe, the locksmith has to have a lot of training, advanced tools, and a significant amount of knowledge about the locking mechanism. This also requires a complex set of equipment in order to unlock the safe. Without this, the locksmith is not going to be able to open the lock to the vault.

Smart Locks

Locks have gotten more advanced during the past few years. Therefore, there are a lot of people who now have smart locks. These are locks that have not been made using traditional locking mechanisms. Therefore, the locksmith is not going to be able to use the typical set of tools to open these locks. In order to open a smart lock, the locksmith needs to have advanced IT and programming knowledge to get the lock to unlock. This is probably going to be outside the scope of your locksmith.

Rare or Vintage Locks

There are a lot of people who have rare or vintage locks that were made a long time ago. These are locks that were made in the past using techniques that might be shrouded in mystery, making it difficult for a locksmith today to handle. In addition, a locksmith will only want to play with a rare or vintage lock so much. A lot of professional locksmiths have a lot of respect for how locks were made in the past. Messing, tweaking, or playing with a rare lock too much could cause it to break. If you have an older lock, you will want to review this with your locksmith in detail before asking him or her to help. The more information you have on the older lock, the better.

Locks that Require Visual or Fingerprint Recognition

Finally, there are a lot of locks that require facial recognition or a fingerprint to unlock. This type of lock is similar to the smart locks that people have today. These are locks that simply cannot be opened without a lot of IT or programming knowledge. In a lot of cases, these locks do not even have a keyhole that the locksmith can work with. If you have been locked out of an advanced lock like this, you are better off calling the company that made the lock to see what your options might be.

How a Locksmith Opens a Lock

When a locksmith needs to open a lock, he or she is going to take a look at the type of lock first. Then, he or she will use a special set of tools to raise each individual tooth of the lock into the right position. This should unlock the bolt and allow the locksmith to open the door. The locksmith will also provide you with advice on how to avoid this issue in the future.

Contact Express Locksmith

Before you contact a locksmith to help you open these types of advanced locks, make sure they specialize in that kind of lock. Although we have the training and experience to open these types of locks, we don’t have the equipment or insurance needed. However, please contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your residential and commercial lock needs!

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