High Security

Cylinders

The lock industry defines a high security lock cylinder as;

a cylinder which offers a greater degree of resistance

to any or all of the following: picking, impressioning,

key duplication, drilling or other forms of forcible entry.

Yes, most likely there are at least two houses that have the same key.
 
 

In the late 1960's a new type of cylinder came on the market. It was a cylinder which represented a new design that wasn't susceptible to the same method of attack as the pin tumbler cylinder in use since 1858. Most of these cylinders still used pin tumblers but they also had another secondary locking mechanism which couldn't be picked or impressioned with any ease and they offered millions of different usable combinations. This type of cylinder was able to offer another feature that had been missing since around the beginning of the century, patent protected keys.
 
 

Because the keys were part of the new lock design they could be protected regarding duplication capabilities. Blanks were not available except from the original manufacturer and special techniques and sometimes machinery were required to duplicate them.

Manufacturers of these high security cylinders have entered into contractual agreements with certain locksmiths who have duplicating capability and have been certified for service. While those original patents from the 1960's have expired, there are new ones available now. Most of these cylinders are listed as high security devices by Underwriters Laboratories and offer genuine key control as well as resistance to physical attack.