What counts as a high security lock, and who needs one in Altadena?
A high security lock is built to resist the usual ways a door gets beaten: picking, bumping, drilling, prying and unauthorized key copying. It is not one gadget. It is a cylinder with tighter internal tolerances and hardened parts, a restricted key that cannot be duplicated at a hardware-store kiosk, and a strike, bolt and door that can take a hit without giving way. When people search for high security locks, home security locks or pick-resistant locks, this is usually the package they mean.
In Altadena the question comes up for several different reasons. Some homeowners are rebuilding after the January 2025 Eaton Fire and want the new front door done right from day one. Some own a surviving Craftsman or mid-century home with a lockset that is decades old and a key that has been copied more times than anyone can count. Others run a small business, hold a vacant parcel, or look after a rental. Each has a different weak point, so we start with the weak point rather than with a product.
Wilshire Lock & Key has been doing this work since 1987. This page explains how high security cylinders work, how we install them, what moves the cost, and what matters for Altadena in particular. If you would rather talk it through, call (213) 577-1366. The line is answered around the clock.
How do pick-resistant and bump-resistant locks actually work?
A standard pin tumbler cylinder holds a row of spring-loaded pin stacks. The correct key lifts each stack to the shear line so the plug can turn. Picking and bumping both exploit the slack that comes from loose manufacturing tolerances in that basic design. Pick-resistant and bump-resistant cylinders close those gaps with extra features:
- Security pins: spool, serrated or mushroom-shaped pins that bind and false-set under a pick, so the person picking cannot easily feel the true position.
- Tighter tolerances: precisely machined keyways and pin chambers leave less slack for picks and bump keys to work with.
- Secondary locking elements: a side bar, a sliding element or a second set of pins means the key must do more than lift pins to height, which defeats ordinary bumping.
- Hardened inserts: steel pins or plates near the cylinder face resist drilling and the crude drill-and-snap attacks aimed at the plug.
- Restricted keyways: the key blank itself is controlled, often with patent protection, so copies come only through an authorized channel.
Is any lock truly pick-proof, and what about the door around it?
No. Any lock can be defeated with enough time, tools and skill, and we will not tell you otherwise. The purpose of a high security lock is to push the time, noise and skill required well beyond what an opportunistic intruder will bother with, and to make the quiet methods, picking and bumping, impractical.
The cylinder is also only one layer. A strong cylinder in a worn latch, a loose strike plate held by short screws, a hollow door or a cracked jamb will still fail the first time someone leans on it. So we look at the whole opening. If the deadbolt itself needs attention, that overlaps with deadbolt installation, and the two jobs often make sense together.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How do we install or replace a high security lock?
Whether it is a first-time high security lock installation or a high security lock replacement, the process follows the same order, and we explain each step as we go.
- You call (213) 577-1366 and tell us which door it is, what is failing or worrying you, and who else has keys. We ask about the door material and the hardware that is on it now.
- We come to you in a mobile van, or you can visit our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood if you would rather see hardware in person.
- We inspect the door, frame, strike and current lock, looking for worn latches, loose frames, short screws and jamb gaps that invite prying.
- We go over the options with you: which cylinder suits the door, whether you need a restricted key system, and whether reinforcement is worth doing. You hear the scope and the cost factors before any work starts.
- We install the cylinder or the full lock, reinforce the strike and frame where needed, and adjust everything so the bolt throws smoothly without forcing.
- We cut and test your keys, explain how the restricted blanks are controlled, and hand over any authorization card or paperwork that comes with the system.
What affects the cost of high security lock installation in Altadena?
We do not put numbers on a web page because the honest answer depends on the door in front of us. These are the factors that actually move the cost:
- Cylinder only versus a complete lock: putting a high security cylinder into a sound existing deadbolt is usually the more economical route. Replacing the whole lock body costs more.
- Security level of the product: basic bump-resistant cylinders, stronger pick-resistant ones and patent-protected restricted systems sit at different levels of build and price.
- Number of locks and keys: keying several doors alike on one restricted system saves carrying a ring of keys, but it means more keys cut on controlled blanks.
- Door and frame condition: a solid frame may need nothing extra, while a split jamb, hollow door or damaged strike needs reinforcement.
- Existing hardware: original early-1900s locks sometimes need careful fitting rather than a standard modern bore.
- Timing and travel: after-hours calls count, and so does the drive to Altadena, roughly 26 miles from our Westwood base.
What does high security look like in Altadena right now?
Altadena is in an unusual position. The January 2025 Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of structures, and West Altadena was hit especially hard. The area is now a mix of surviving older homes and active rebuilding, so new-construction door hardware sits alongside original early-1900s locksets on blocks that came through intact. Both situations call for high security thinking, but in different ways.
For rebuilds in West Altadena and East Altadena, the front door is a chance to specify the lock properly from the start. A restricted key system matters because a house under construction passes through many hands: framers, electricians, painters, inspectors. Keying the finished home on a restricted cylinder, and rekeying once the last trade has left, means you are not left wondering how many copies of the construction key are still out there. Our lock rekey work handles that handoff.
On the surviving blocks near the Christmas Tree Lane district on Santa Rosa Avenue, and in Janes Village, many homes are Craftsman bungalows and cottages with vintage hardware. Owners there often want to keep the look of the original door while fixing the real weakness, an old cylinder that a bump key can open. Where the old lock allows it, we can fit a high security cylinder behind period-appropriate trim instead of gutting the door. Whether a particular vintage lock accepts one depends on the lock itself, and we confirm that on inspection rather than promising it over the phone.
La Viña, the gated hillside community at the northwest edge of Altadena, has its own situation. The entry gate is a separate piece of hardware, covered under gate lock repair, but a gate is not a lock on your front door. Homes inside a gated community still benefit from pick-resistant cylinders and a controlled key, because the gate keeps out casual traffic and does nothing about the people who already have access.
Climate is the other local factor. Altadena's foothill microclimate runs hotter than the basin in summer, and dry Santa Ana winds off the San Gabriels carry grit. Wind-blown grit and intense sun are the main wear factors on exterior doors and locks here. Grit works into cylinders and makes loosely built ones stick or wear unevenly, and sun is hard on finishes. For doors in ZIP 91001 that face the weather, we pay attention to build quality and finish, and we recommend a dry lubricant rather than oil, which holds onto dust.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What about commercial security locks, construction sites and vacant parcels?
High security is not only for houses. Small shops, offices and storage rooms need commercial security locks for the same reasons: pick resistance, key control, and some record of who can get in. In a business, key control often matters more than the cylinder itself. An employee leaves, a contractor finishes a job, and suddenly nobody knows how many copies are out there. A restricted key system turns that into something you can manage, because copies need your authorization. For larger setups with several doors or tiered access, our commercial locksmith page covers that work. This page stays on the cylinders themselves.
The same thinking applies to anyone securing a construction site or vacant parcel in the rebuilding areas. A pick-resistant padlock with a shrouded body holds up far better than a bargain padlock, which can often be defeated quickly with basic tools. If that is your situation, tell us what you are protecting and how many people need access, and we will suggest a setup that fits.
How do restricted keys work, and can they be copied?
A restricted key uses a keyway and blank that are controlled by the manufacturer or the system dealer. You cannot walk up to a self-serve kiosk and have one duplicated, which is the whole point. Copies are made through an authorized process, and the specifics vary by system. Some require a signed authorization or card from the account holder, and some ask for identification. We tell you which applies before you buy, so you know what getting an extra key will involve down the line.
That slower process is a feature, not a flaw. It means the contractor, the former tenant or the neighbor who once borrowed your key cannot quietly make a copy. For ordinary keys, key duplication is quick and simple. Restricted ones follow the rules of their system, and we will be straightforward about what that means for you.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for high security locks?
Plenty of companies will sell you a lock. What matters is who shows up and who stands behind the work.
- In business since 1987, so we have seen how locks fail across several decades of hardware, including the older styles still in use in Altadena.
- A real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans, so you can see us in person or have us come to you.
- One company, no dispatch middlemen. The person who answers the phone is part of the same operation that does the work.
- David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, so questions about a tricky door get a real answer.
- Phones answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366, which also matters if a break-in leaves you needing a lock changed after hours. See our 24-hour locksmith page for how that works.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How can you check that a locksmith is legitimate?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), listed as an LCO license. Ask any locksmith for that license number before work begins, and you can check it with BSIS. It is a fair question and a reasonable first filter, especially when you are buying something meant to protect your home or business.
A good locksmith should also be willing to explain what they will do, why a given product fits your door, and what affects the price, before they pick up a tool.
When is a high security lock not the right answer?
Sometimes it is not the first step. If the door is hollow, the frame is split or the strike is held in with half-inch screws, reinforcement does more for you than a better cylinder. If your real goal is keyless convenience, a smart lock may suit you better, and we cover that under smart lock installation. If you are locked out right now, or locked out of your car at a trailhead near Eaton Canyon, that is a different service from this one. Call (213) 577-1366 and we will point you to the right one.
We would rather tell you a lighter-cost fix will do the job than sell you something you do not need.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pick-resistant and bump-resistant locks?
Pick-resistant cylinders use security pins and tighter tolerances so a lock pick cannot easily set the pins. Bump-resistant cylinders add features, such as a side bar or second set of pins, so a bump key will not open the lock. Many high security cylinders do both, and we match the level to the door.
Can you upgrade my existing deadbolt, or do I need a whole new lock?
Often the existing deadbolt body can stay if it is in sound condition, and we replace only the cylinder. That is usually the more economical route. If the bolt is short, worn or poorly built, a full replacement makes more sense. We check on inspection.
Will a high security lock fit the original door on my Craftsman home?
Sometimes. It depends on the existing lock and the door's preparation. Many older doors can take a high security cylinder behind period-appropriate trim, and others need some careful fitting. We confirm what is possible when we see the door, not over the phone.
How much do high security locks cost in Altadena?
It depends on whether you need a cylinder or a full lock, the security level, how many doors and keys are involved, the condition of the door and frame, and the time and distance. We explain those factors and give you the scope before we begin.
Do you come to Altadena at night or on weekends?
Yes. Our phone at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round, and our mobile vans serve Altadena from our Westwood base, about 26 miles away. Tell us the address and what is going on, and we will go from there.
Can I get a restricted key copied at a hardware store?
No, and that is by design. Restricted blanks are controlled, and copies go through an authorized process set by the system. We explain the process before you buy, so you know what it will take to add a key later.
I am rebuilding after the Eaton Fire. When should I rekey or install the final locks?
Ideally, install your final high security cylinders near the end of construction and rekey once the last trades have finished. That way keys that passed through many hands during the build no longer work. We can talk through timing for your project.
Are high security locks worth it on a rental or small business?
Often yes, because key control is the main benefit. When tenants, staff or contractors change, a restricted system lets you control who can duplicate keys. For a single low-risk door, a good standard deadbolt with a reinforced strike may be enough, and we will say so.
How do I know the locksmith I hire is legitimate?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license. Ask for the license number before work starts and check it with BSIS. Also expect a clear explanation of the work and what affects the price.
More locksmith help in Altadena
High Security Locks near Altadena
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.