Josh-the-Locksmith
25 Years Experience
Austin, TX
Male, 46
I've been a locksmith since 1998. I did automotive residential & commercial work from 1998 to 2008. From 2008 to 2018, I did some residential, but mostly commercial work. I have been project managing & estimating since 2018. I used to locksmith in the Chicago area, now the Austin area.
I don’t recall there being a lock that can be converted to that function. Possibly a full mortise lock made by Sargent. Their mortise locks carry multiple functions. Most locks have to be purchased with their specific function. It sounds like the one you’re referring to is called Storeroom function. It can be opened with a key, but once the key is removed, it remains in the locked state ensuring that once the door is closed, the door is locked.
Haha there’s no such thing as a “key that will open anything”. That’s some terrible information, whoever told you that. You can’t lock your landlord out, they own the property. If they find that you have changed the lock without their permission, they have the ability to charge you to correct the problem, assuming that is in the contract you signed. They make privacy deadbolts that allow you to lock the door from the inside with no way to access it from the outside. It’s called a one-sided deadbolt. They require them on all rental properties here in Texas for that very purpose, for privacy so your landlord doesn’t walk in on you. You could request 1 that your landlord let you get 1 of those installed?
Sounds like you may have a Kwikset privacy lock. You need a small flat head screwdriver, or privacy key. Stick it in that hole as you twist the key left and right slowly. Eventually you will feel it engage into a slot. Once you do, twist the screwdriver, or key, I think it’s counter-clockwise. It will only turn 1 way. This is what the key looks like. http://www.mrlock.com/tools-equipment/tools-rekey-kits/lock-service-tools/kwikset-emergency-tool-81087 If you don’t have access to either, those locks will open with a credit card, stiff cardboard, or flexible sheet of plastic. Just stick it between the door & frame next to the lock. They are not made to be resistant to shimming like entry locks are.
I assume you have a glass and aluminum storefront door. You can replace that inside keyed cylinder with a thumb turn, they are very inexpensive, usually $10-15. Labor time is 2-5 min. You can have a locksmith come out and do it for you, or probably YouTube it if you’re trying to save yourself money. https://youtu.be/nJT0moSoNJM
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What do you do if a guest is doing something illegal in a room?
If you're referring to a bar that goes across the whole door, that is an exit device. The trim you're referring to for that exit device would be considered storeroom function trim. Also if you wanted the same type of functionality in a lever instead of a bar, that would be a storeroom lever.
Being that Best would only sell to the end user, I haven't worked with many Best locks. BUT my guess would be it's possibly not a poke hole. It won't come apart like a typical lever. That hole is possibly a grab hole for a spanner wrench. You insert the tip of the wrench in that hole and rotate it counter-clockwise. If you don't have a spanner wrench, just use a big pair of pliers. Grab the part of the knob where that small hole is and twist it counterclockwise. It should start to get looser and eventually unscrew.
Not usually, but you might be able to get it duplicated onto a new key.
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