Schlage Keys and Locks
Phil
W. Anderson wrote:
>
> I have Schlage locks in my house. I noticed a little letter "C" printed
> on the back of the key. My friend owns a business that has Schlage
> Locks. His key has an "H" on the back of it. What do these letters
> represent? Are there other letter types too?
>
> W.Anderson
>
> P.S. Please post answer to this newsgroup. Do not e-mail me.
The "C" and "H" found on the keys are Schlage's designation for the
different keyways. If you tried your "C" key in your friend's locks you
would find that they would not fit into his locks. The milling on the two
keys are different and there are correspondingly different obstructions
in the locks to prevent the wrong key from being inserted.
Make sense?
btw: the "C" keyway is by far the most common of the schlage keyways
and Most hdw. stores will not have the "H" key blank in stock so your
friend has a little more security in that his keys can not be easily
duplicated.
I just took a look in my Ilco key catalogue and it looks like the "H"
designation is part of schlage's master key series.
how about it Yeggster? if I'm off base let me have it I can take it..
Phil.
Garner Anderson
"W. Anderson" <nor...@jam.net> wrote:
>I have Schlage locks in my house. I noticed a little letter "C" printed
>on the back of the key. My friend owns a business that has Schlage
>Locks. His key has an "H" on the back of it. What do these letters
>represent? Are there other letter types too?
>
>W.Anderson
>
>P.S. Please post answer to this newsgroup. Do not e-mail me.
just different keyways made by schlage
Willie Schmit, CRL
"W. Anderson" <nor...@jam.net> wrote:
>P.S. Please post answer to this newsgroup. Do not e-mail me.--
--
Schlage makes hundreds of different keys with different "keyways".
Most of them (that you will see) have a letter designation. The most
common is the "C" keyway. It is Schlages "stock" keyway. Businesses may
use a different "keyway section" or "sectional key" to prevent those
thousands of "stock" keys from interchanging in their designed masterkey
system (one of the more common is the "E" sectional key). A C sectional
key will not enter an E sectional plug (and vice versa). When a locksmith
is creating a masterkey system (or keying alike a group of locks) and a
few of the locks are Schlage C - and a few are Schlage E - then he/she is
forced to use a thinner key (or "master sectional key")the next level
master sectional key above a C and an E is the H key. There is a thinner
key yet called an "L" key that will fit into all of the (standard) key
holes. Most competent locksmiths will avoid using the thinner keys
because they will enter keyholes that they shouldn't and they are more
prone to breakage. It is an efficient answer when it is required!
--
Willie Schmit CRL.- Anchor Desktop Security- anc...@anchor-newmexico.com
1018 San Pedro Dr. NE ---- Albuquerque, NM 87110 ---- (505) 232-7118
Billy B. Edwards Jr.
Willie Schmit, CRL wrote:
>
<snip>
Willie is correct in his description.
What this means to you is that your friend's key will in fact enter
your lock. It will only operate if they happen to have the same cut
depth combination inside the lock. How did your friend get the 'H' key
section? Probably at the local hardware store. Many of them don't
carry single key sections if there are more than one used in the area.
In this case, Schlage has recently switched from the 'C' as the stock
key in some applications to the 'E' section. This means that some
places will start carrying the 'H' section only instead of both the 'C'
and 'E'. They will do this to save on inventory and to eliminate the
stock clerk grabbing the wrong one. The danger is that all of the
combinations used with 'C' will also be used with 'E' and the
combination cut on an 'H' will open more than it is supposed to. Try
putting your key into your friends lock. If it goes in, he has the same
'C' section you do. If not, he has the newer 'E' stock keyway.
Most hardware store, drug store, etc. key cutting places don't even
realize the potential for compromise exists by using the 'H' section.
That's one small reason why locksmiths feel superior to them, they are!
BBE.