Restricted Keys For Access Control Guide

By Brian Rhodes, Published Dec 30, 2020, 11:23am EST

Not all doors, even in larger facilities, can justify using electronic access control. And even for doors that do have electronic access control, many often need to work with mechanical locks.

However, most keys can be easily copied. How do you improve their security?

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Restricted or proprietary keys are often overlooked but can be effective in improving security and access control.

Keyways are the part of the lock a key is inserted for use, and the shape of the keyway and the key must match. (For a general guide, see our: Lock Keyways For Access Control Guide.) Restricted keyways are locks and keys fabricated with profiles that are uncommon or proprietary, controlled by the manufacturer, and not available for general use.

So for substantial mechanical key systems, like Master Keyed facilities, Restricted Keyways is a complimentary safeguard to electronic access to protect those doors against unauthorized entry from easily duplicated keys or by Bump Keys.

Inside, we explain:

  • Keyway profile variations
  • Why 'Do Not Duplicate' statements are useless
  • Differences between Unrestricted vs Restricted vs Proprietary
  • Strengths and Weaknesses of these approaches
  • Common providers and pricing

Keyway ********

********* ***** *** ****** is ********* *** *********** security *** ******* ** doors. ** *** **** fit *** ****, **** the ********* ****** ** unique ************ ** ****** from ***** ** ******* exhausted *** ******* **** that ************ **** **** than *** **** ***** be ******.

** ******* ********, **** makers *********** ********* ****** profiles *** ***** ***** and ****. *** ***** of *** *** ****** slightly ** **** ** only **** * ******* brand ** **** ** lock. **** *** *****, the ****** ** ******** has ***** ** ********* of ********* ********.

** *** **, **** of *** **** ****** profiles *** ***** *****:

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*** *******, *** '*******' (KW1) ****** ** **** common ** *** ** residential ******, *** **** non-Kwikset ***** ***** **** widespread *** ** *** keys. ******* * **** made ** **** ***** ******* * *********** lock ** ** **** difficult **** ******** ** a ******** ***** *** spending * *** *******.

**** ******** * ****** of ********: ** ********* duplicate **** ** ***** is ** ****, ****** - **** ********* - can *** **** ** misuse ****, ****** *** fundamental *** ** **** and ***** *** *********** access ******* **** *********.

Restricted ** *********** *******

********** *** **** ** not *********, ******** ** does ***** ** ** more *********. ** ******** 'Restricted' ** **** '***********' keyways, ***** *** ************ lower *** *********** ** duplicated *** ******.

*** ********** ******* *** options:

  • ************:*** *** *** ************ of ****** ******** *** not *******, *** ********** commercial ******** *** ************ is ******.
  • **********: *** *** *** availability ** ****** ******** are ******* ** * few, ************** *** ******** diverse ******** *** ***** keys *** ******* ********** by *** ************. *******, these ****** *** ******* by ******* ******* *** user *** * **** manufacturer, *** ******* ** license *** *** ** the ******* ** **** a *** ***** *** are *** ******* ******* and ****** *********** ******* and ******** ** * fixed ****** ** ******* providers. ** ****, *********** orders *** **** ******** if ******** *********** **** off.
  • ***********: ****** **** *********** potential ***** ** * few *********, ***** ** only *** ****** ****. Essentially * ************ ***** up *** ******** **** and **** *** **** one ********.

** *******, '*********** **********' keyways *** *** **** costly *** *** ****** available, *** *** *** most *********. '**********' ******* are ********* ******* ** only * *** ********, but *** ************ ***** limits ***** **** *** use *** *** *** access ** ***** ****. 'Unrestricted' *** *********** *** protected ** ***, *** are *** **** ****** and ****** **** ******* used.

*** ***** ***** ****** down *** **** ** cons ** ***** *******:

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Common *******

** ******** ** ********** keyways, **** ** ****** only **** *** ** a ******* ****** ** users *********, **** ***** use ******* **** ****** the ***** ****.

***** *** **** ****** profiles *** ***** **** in **** *** *********** and ********** *******. ** examine **** ****** ****** ******* *** ****** Control *****, *** *** '*** 5' ** *** ****** of ***** ***** ************ keyways ***:

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***** ******** ******** *** vary, *** ******* ***** are ********* ***** ** small-medium ********** *** *********** locks, ******** ***** *** in ****-******** ***** ** not ********.

**** ***** ******** ** the ******, ***** ******* were ********** ** *******, but *********** ***** *** have *** **** ** use *** ******** ******* (75+ *****), ****** ********** has ****** *** *** designs *** ****** ***********. Despite ***** ******* ******* brand ***** **** '****', 'Schlage', *** '*******', ***** keyways *** *********** **** by ********* ****** *** fit *********** ************ *** blanks **** ** ******.

***** **** *** ****** close ************ ******* ***** profiles. *** *******, *** keys *** ****** *** keyways, *** **** *** open *** ****. **** is *** ** *** 6-pin *********** ** *** locks ****** *** *-*** variants ** ***. ** while *** ******** ***** of *** ******* ** the ****, **** ***** require ********* *** ***** and *********** *** ********** as ********* *******.

DND ********** ****

** * *********** ******** measure, **** ************* ** users ******* ** ********** key *********** ** ****** keyways ** ******** ** embossing *** ****** **** 'Do *** *********' ** 'No ************ ******' ** the ***** * ************* locksmith ** ******** ***** will ****** ** **** a **** ******* ******** approval **** * ******** manager.

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*******, *** ******* ******* with **** ********: *** 'warning' ** ********** *******.

********, *** ********* ** carries ** ************* ******,*** *** ******* ***** kiosks(**** ******** ****** **** statements) *** ********* ** supermarkets *** ****** ******.

Video ******** ** ********

** *** ***** *****, a *** ******* ****** 'Do *** *********' ** duplicated ** ** ********* kiosk *** ******* *******:

******, *** ******* **** not **** ***** *** such * ********* ****** making **********. **** *********** how **** *** *********** such ****** ***.

Common *********

** *** ******, ********** and/or *********** **** *** available **** ******* *************:

  • ******:***** ******** ***** *** X4 ** ******* ******, restricted **** *** ***** are ********* *** * negotiated ******* ** $*** - $***.
  • *******:*** *******'* ******* *** Primus (**) ******* *** restricted, ******* ** * negotiated **** ******* $*** - $*** ***** ** volumes.
  • ****: *** ***** ****** offers ****** ******* *** lower *******, *** ** a ****** ******* **** typically ** *** **** than $ *** *** keyway.

** *******, ***** *** all ****** ********** *****, and *** ******* ** order **** ** *********** with * ******* ****** of *********.

*********

** *******, ******** ****** Restricted ** *********** ******* means ** ************ ****** of ***** ** **** are ********. *** **** does **** ******** *** risk ** ******* *********** unknown *** ***********, ** lowers *** **** ** someone ***** ******** ********* **** ****** ** any **** ** ********* a ************ ********* ********.

**********

*******, *** ***** ******* has *********. *********, *** limited ****** ** ******** users *** ********** ** single **** *** *********** keyways ** ******. ******* of ******* $* ** less *** * *** key ** * ***** store, ** *** **** 10X **** ****** *** take ****.

********* ** *** **** of ******* *** ************* locks *** * ***** number ** ********* ********* that *** ********* ***** to ******** ********** ********** into * *********** **** that *** ***** **** several ******* ** ******* thousand *******. ** *******, the ******* *** ********** of **** *** ***** using *** ******, *** higher **** *** ** the ********* ** **** volumes ******* *** ******** and ***** ********** *****.

** *******, *** ****** of ********** ** ******** service ********* ** ******* as ****. ******* ** an ***-**** ******** *** service ***** ** ***** or ******* *****, ***** a ********** ****** ****** the ******** ********* ** one ** * ***, and ******** *********** ***** like ****** *** ****** may **** **** ** weeks.

******* ******** * ********** keyway ******* ** **** once *** ********** *** decades, *** ** *** required *********** *** ******** of *** **** *** locks ** ** *** user's ******.

[**** **** *** ********* in **** *** ************* revised ** ****.]

Comments (3)

Avatar

Robert Wren Gordon

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | 12/30/20 06:40pm

*******, *** ******* ******* with **** ********: *** 'warning' ** ********** *******.

* *** **** ** have * “******” ***-*-**** key ****** ** *** York ***** * ***** to ******* ********** *** pleading *** **** ***** losing ** **** ** the ******.

** ******** **: ***’* a *** *** * good ********** ******* ************ keys ** *** *** hand (**** ********* ** copy) *** ***********/********** **** on *** ***** **** (much *******)?

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Robert Wren Gordon | 12/30/20 07:03pm

***’* * *** *** a **** ********** ******* unrestricted **** ** *** one **** (**** ********* to ****) *** ***********/********** keys

** ** * **** question, *** *************, **** of ***** **** *** cutting ****** *** **** copy *** ********* *** fobs, *.*.:

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***** *** **** *** formats **** ****** ** copied **** **** (**.** MHz) *** ****/**** **** are *** ****-******** *******...

** **** **** *********** question, *** ********* *** copied *** ********** *** without *** ******** ******'* knowledge ***** ****** ******* their ****** ******* *** the *********. ****** ** pretty **-******** ***** ***** this. ***** *** ********* many **********/***** *******/***********/******** ******* waiting *** **** * dealer ******* ** ** area.

*** ****** '***** **** honest ****** ******' ************* applies. ********** **** *** help ********** **********, *** as *** ***** ***, dishonest ******* *** **** up *** ***** ** cards.

Avatar

Ben Parker

12/31/20 02:25am

** * *********, * can ******* **** ********* levels ** ****. *** of ** ******** *** good ******** ** ********** keyway *******. **** *** often **** ******. ***** are ****** $** - $30 **** *** ***** being ****** **$. **** are ***** **** ******* manufactures (***, *****...) ** the **** *** **** harder ** **** **** the *** **** (******, Abloy, *********...). **** *** provide * ***** ****** ground ******* ** ******** and **** ********.

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