• SirSamuel@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    These aren’t secrets, but may not be well known (unless you watch LPL):

    Sentry Safes aren’t safes, they are fire boxes with a fancy lock.

    High security locks are not high security because of the lock design, but because the keys are very difficult to have duplicated.

    No one (except maybe intelligence agencies) breaks in to a house by picking a lock, especially in the US. Windows, weak door frames, and, in a pinch, making a hole in the wall are all faster ways of getting in.

    Car keys are so expensive because many manufacturers charge a subscription or per-use fee to access and program the keys to the ignition. These costs are passed on to consumers

    No one is picking your locks just to move things around or steal small, insignificant items. You are either suffering from a mental disorder or a trusted member of the household is gaslighting you (it’s not gaslighting though, you’re your grasp of reality is slipping. Don’t call me for a pick proof lock, just get help please)

    Some manufacturers (you know, in China) will put any sticker you want on the products they produce, including UL and ANSI stickers. Before buying a product that is supposedly fire-rated, such as a fire safe, check the UL website to verify the item is actually listed with them.

    “Grade 1” door hardware sold in stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot is, at best, Grade 2, and is likely Grade 3 (residential grade). These grades are really just about how durable the product is over time, and how much abuse they will endure by the public.

    And just a little practical advice. Find a qualified, honest locksmith before you need one. We’re like plumbers. If you wait until you have an emergency to find one, the quality will be questionable. There are a lot of scammers out there. If you don’t have a resource for locksmiths beyond Google, look on the ALOA website for members in your area. The good ones will know who the other good ones are, and won’t be shy about sharing that info if they are unavailable or too far away

    • WIZARD POPE💫@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      The fact that breaking a wall to get into the house is even a viable option honestly baffles me as a person living outside the US

    • I Cast Fist@programming.dev
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      5 months ago

      If there’s one thing the Lockpicking Lawyer taught me, is that the vast majority of locks only work because almost nobody bothers to learn lockpicking. Some “extra safe” locks being defeated by a fucking magnet of all things always amuse me

    • evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Sentry Safes aren’t safes, they are fire boxes with a fancy lock.

      Judging by the one I bought when I went off to college to keep some documents safe, they don’t even have fancy locks. I misplaced my key, but I was able to open it in the same amount of time with a pumpkin carving knife as a jiggler.

      • SirSamuel@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Yeah that’s was probably a 1200 or their document box. I was thinking of the “safes” they sell with a dial or keypad lock. They can be defeated in about the same amount of time. I won’t say how, but YouTube has more than one video showing how it’s done

        • laughterlaughter@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          I won’t say how, but YouTube has more than one video showing how it’s done

          You just said how.

          (And I’m kidding!!!)

    • laughterlaughter@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      No one (except maybe intelligence agencies) breaks in to a house by picking a lock, especially in the US. Windows, weak door frames, and, in a pinch, making a hole in the wall are all faster ways of getting in.

      It reminds me of a friend who visited me from Colombia (we grew up together down south.) We were walking around a neighborhood in Vermont. He said “I’d love it if we had houses like this one in Bogota. Why don’t we?!” And I replied “Because they’d be broken into in two seconds.”