Low-Tech Access Control: Master Keying Explained
Mechanical keys are one of the most fundamental forms of access control. 'Master Keying' can allow individually different credential keys to segment access, but requires no electricity, no network, and uses regular door locks.
How Master Keys work is not widely understood. In this tutorial, we explain:
- How Door Locks Work
- Explain the 'Codes' of Each Key
- Why Shear Lines Are So Important
- How Master Key Systems Are Organized
- Losing Keys Is A Huge Risk
- Typical Master Key Costs
Basic **** ********
*** ****** ** '*** *******' ***** locks *** *** ******* ***** *** original ******* ***** ** *** *****. Not **** *** **** ****** **** globally, **** *** **** *** **** basic ********.
*** ******** *** ***** ****** * good *********** ** *** *** *** interacts *** ********** ***** * ****:
*** ********* ** ******: *** **** contains ******* (******* ******* * - 7) ******** **** ** ********* *******. A *** ** **** **** ** turn *** **** ** *** '****** combination' ** *** **** ******* *** length ** *** ****.
* ***** *** ******** *** ****** of *** *** **** ** ***** top "***** *****" ***** ******* *** core (*** **** **** *****) *** the ******* (*** ******, ******* ****) of *** ****. ** ******* *** may ** **** ** ***** **** the ****, *** *** ****** *** cuts ** *** ******** ***** *** pins, ********** *** **** **** *******.
Codes ****** ****
**** *** *******, *** *** ********** series ** *** **** **** **** them, *** ******** ********* ** ****.
* ************ *** **** ** **** allows * ********* ** *** * replacement *** ***** ****** *** **** it ***** **** **** * ****. Various ********** ** * **** ****** between **** ******, **** *** ******** depth ** * ***, *** ***** of * ***, ** **** *** width ** * ***, *** *** nomenclature ** * '*** ****' ** fairly **********.
*******, *** ***** ** * *** falls **** ***** ** **** ******** depths, ***** * "*" ***** ********* the *** ** *** *** ** all, *** * "*" *** ******* over *.***" ** ********. ***** *** range ** ****** ** *** ***********, a **** ** ********* ********, *** even *.***" ******** *** ** *** difference ******* * **** ******* *** remaining ******.
**** *** ****** ** **** ** six ****, *** **** ** ********* as * ****** ** ****** **** each ******* ************ *** *** ****** for * ***** *** ********.
*** ******* *** ***** *** * code******, **** **** ****-**-*****:
** * ****** ***** ******, ***** are ********* ** **** **** **** one ****** *** **** ***** ****. We **** ******* *** **** ******* in *** ********* ********.
Master ****** *******
*********** * ****** *** ** * single *** **** *** **** **** locks. * ******* ****** ****** ****** resembles *** **** *****.
**** **** ***** ****** ** **** correspond ** *****/**** **** **** ****** credentials ********* *** ******:
******** ** *** ****** *** ******* up:
- ****** ****:***** *** **** ****** ** ***** who **** **** ****** ** * single ****; ********'* *** *******, ****** cabinets, ***. ***** **** ********* **** only *** ****.
- ****** (** ***-******) ****:***** *** **** ****** ** ********, that *** **** ** **** * range (*** *** ***) *****. *** example, *** *********** ******** ** **** to **** *** ********** *********** *******, and ** **.
- ***** ****** ****:*** ***** ****** *** ***** *** doors, ********** ** ***** ***-****** ** patron **** *** **** ** ***. For *******, ******** *************** **** ***** keys ** **** ****** ** *** apartments.
** *** **** ** *** ***** above, *** **** *** **** **** key ***** - ******, ******, *********** - ** ***** **** * ********* bitted ***********, *** **** *** ******* to *** **** "****** ****** ******". Master *** *********** **** ***** ****** like *** ***** ***.
Master **** ********* *** *** **** ****
***** *** ****** ** * **** powerful ***, **** *** ********* ******* controlled *** ******.
** **** *****, ****** **** *** not **** ** ********** **** ***** actually ******, *** **** ********* ***** use ** ******** ***** *******.
Same ******* *** ********* ****
*** ********** ** ******* ***** ** how * ****** ****** ****** *****. Locks ** * ****** ***** ****** are ***** ** **** *** ********* key *** ************.
***** **** *** *** ***********, **** all *** *** **** **** *******. Locks ** ***** ******* ********* ****** be **** ** *** **** ****** Key ******. ** ***** **** ******* in ****** ** ****** **** ****** *******: ********** ************.
Losing ****** **** **** ****
*** ** *** ******* ********** ** a ****** *** ****** ** * high-level ***, **** * ******, ***********, or **** ***** *********** *** ***** lost ** ******. ** **** *******, then ***** **** ** ** ***** for ** *********** ** **** ** being ******, *** *** **** '***' is ** ***** ***** **** **** - *********** ******** ** ***** *** many ********* ** ******* ** ********* and *** *** ******** *****.
**** **** ****** ********** * ****** key ****, *** ******* *** ***** staggering - **** **** ***** ***** a ** ******* ******** **** *** ******* ** **** hundred ******** *******.
**** ********* ***** ******** *** ******* or ******* ****** **** ** *** despite *** ********* ***** *********. ** also ** *** ** *** ******* advantages ** ********** ****** *******, ***** if * ********** ** **** ** stolen, ** *** ** *********** ****** off *** **** ** ** ******* - ** ******* ***** ** ****** required.
Shear ***** **** ****** ****** ********
*** ********* ***** ***** *** * lock ***** **** ** **** *** a ****** '***** ****', ** ***** pin ******* **** ******* ** ** even ********** ******* **** ******.
*******, ******* ** ***** ****** **** of ********* *******, ****** **** ******* use **** **** ** ** ******* different ****** (***** *********). *** ***** below ***** ****, ***** * ****** 'pin' **** ** ******** *********** ** 4 ** * *****, *** ***** more **** *** ********* ***** **** is ******** ****** * *** *******:
*** ************ ** ******** ***** ***** in * *** ***** *** *********** of ******* ********* **** ******* *** same ****. ** * ****** *** system, *** ***** *** ***** **** a ****** ******** ***** *****. *******, the **** **** *** **** *** tightly **********. *********, *** ***** ******* the *** ** * ****** ***, but **** ****** *** ** **** issued ** '****** ***'.
*** ***** ***** ** ******* **** at *** *******, ***** ********* ** a ****:
*** *** ***** *****, *** *** inserted *** **** *** ****. **** key *** * ******* **** ********.
*******, * *** ***************** **** **** **** ****, ** would * *** *********, ** *** ***** ********** ***** combination **** ******* * ***** **** up ** **** *** **** ****.
** ***** ******** ***** *****, **** that **** ** ******** *********** ** another *** *********** **** *** **** door. ** **************** ********* ******** ***** line ************ **** *** ******/*********** ****, entire ****** ******* ** ********* ** locks *** ** *****, *** *********** openable **** * ****** ***.
Master ****** *****
*** **** ** ******** * ****** keying ****** ** ******* ******** ** a ***-****** ****** ****** *** ***** thousands **** *** **** **** ********** access.
** *******, **** *** ******* ***** can ** *********** ** ******* **** a ******, *** *** ***** **** are ****** ****** ***** *** **** locksmiths. ******* * **** *** *** in * ****** *** ****** ******** more ***** *** ** ******** **** pins, *** ******* ** *** **** more **** * *** ******* **** for **** **** ** *******.
*** **** ********** ******* ** ******** a ****** ****** ****** ** ********** each ********** *** **** *** **** pinning ****, *******, **** **** ************* and **** ******** ************ **** ** this *** ** **** **** ****** hardware. ********** *********-***** ******** *** ** purchased *** **** **** $***, *** even ******** ******** *** ** **********, although ******* *** **** ***** ** locks/keys *** ** *******.
*******, *** ******* **** ** * master ****** ****** ** *** ********** management ** ****. ** ***** *** the ****** ** ****** ******, ***** time * *** ** ****** ** reclaimed ** **** ** **********. ***** most ***** ******* ******** ***** *****, a ********* ****** ***** ** ***** to *** *** **** ******* ***** knowing *** ***** ***** ***** *** being ****, ** **** **** *** inadvertently *** * ****** ** *********** key *** ****** ***.
****
*******, ***** *******,**** *** * ******** ****.
[**** ****** *** ********* ** **** and ******* ** ****.]
* ** ***** *****, *** ** your **** ******** ** *******, **** "correct" ****** ** *****. "****" *** not **** ** ***** *****. **** of ******* *** ******* *** ******** to ****** ******** ***** *****.