What counts as a high security lock?
A high security lock is not just a heavier-looking deadbolt. The term describes a lock whose cylinder, the part your key actually turns, is built to resist the ways locks are commonly defeated: picking, bumping, drilling, and unauthorized key copying. A standard builder-grade cylinder uses simple pin arrangements and a key blank you can buy almost anywhere. A high security cylinder tightens the tolerances, adds security pins shaped to confuse pick tools, puts hardened steel where a drill would go, and often uses a restricted keyway.
Restricted is the word that matters most to owners. With a restricted key system, the blanks are controlled by the manufacturer, and copies are made only by an authorized dealer when the person asking is entitled to them. That means a house cleaner, a former tenant, or a contractor can't walk up to a kiosk and duplicate the key you lent them. The trade-off is real: ordinary key duplication doesn't work on these keys, you can't get a spare cut on a lunch break at just any shop, and we explain that before you commit.
Keep one thing in perspective. The cylinder is one part of a door system. A pick-resistant cylinder set into a weak door with a short strike plate screw is still a weak door. When we talk about high security lock installation, we look at the cylinder, the deadbolt body, the strike, the frame, and the screws that hold them together. Some products are listed to UL 437, a standard that tests cylinders against picking, drilling, and other forced attacks, and deadbolts carry ANSI/BHMA grades, where Grade 1 is the most demanding. We'll tell you which ratings apply to whatever we recommend, and you can read more about the lock itself on our deadbolt installation page.
Why do Calabasas homeowners ask about high security locks?
Most of the housing in Calabasas is single-family construction from the 1970s through the 2000s. Many of those houses still carry the hardware that went in when they were built, or a replacement deadbolt from a big-box shelf that was installed at move-in and never looked at again. Over thirty or forty years a house collects keys: previous owners, contractors, painters, landscapers, a relative who moved away. Nobody can say where all of them are.
People call us about high security locks for a handful of reasons. They want keys that can't be copied freely. They've just bought a house and don't trust its key history. They're remodeling or rebuilding. Or they simply want a front door that takes more skill and more time to defeat. Some call after a break-in attempt nearby and want to turn a general worry into a specific plan.
One assumption we run into in guard-gated communities is that the gate handles security. A guard gate controls who drives onto the street. It doesn't control who walks up to a back door, and it does nothing about a key that is already in someone's pocket. The lock on your door is still the last line, and that's where high security hardware earns its place.
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Call (213) 577-1366How do we install or replace high security locks, step by step?
Every door is different, so we don't sell a one-size package over the phone. Here is how a typical high security lock replacement or new installation goes.
- You call and tell us about the door: where it is, what lock is on it now, and what's bothering you, whether that's lost keys, a recent move, or a break-in attempt. We ask enough questions to know what to bring.
- A technician looks at the whole door on site: the existing cylinder and deadbolt body, the door's thickness and condition, the strike plate, the frame, and the screws holding it all together.
- We talk through the options in plain terms: a high security cylinder in your existing deadbolt, a full replacement lock, and how much key control you want, from pick-resistant with a conventional key up to a restricted keyway with controlled blanks.
- We prepare the door where needed. That can mean correcting the bore, replacing a short strike screw with a long one that reaches the framing, or reinforcing a worn strike area, so the new lock isn't mounted in a weak spot.
- We install the lock and test it from both sides: key action, bolt throw, latch alignment, and every key that was cut. A deadbolt that binds in summer heat is a deadbolt people stop locking, so we check the fit carefully.
- We hand over the keys and explain how duplication works for your system, including how any authorization card or paperwork should be stored, since that is what lets you order copies later.
What affects the cost of high security lock installation in Calabasas?
We don't print numbers on a web page because the honest answer depends on your door. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost up or down, so any quote you get, from us or anyone else, makes sense.
Call, describe the door, and ask for the full picture of what's included before anyone is sent out. If a quote is vague about the brand, the key control, or the labor, keep asking questions.
- Level of key control. A restricted keyway with controlled blanks and authorization paperwork costs more to produce and support than a pick-resistant cylinder that uses a conventional key.
- Cylinder only versus full lock. If your existing deadbolt body is solid and the door is sound, swapping in a high security cylinder is often the more economical route. If the body is worn or low grade, replacing the whole lock makes more sense.
- Number of doors and how they're keyed. A main entry, a side door, and a garage door keyed alike to one key changes the parts and the setup work compared with a single door.
- Door and frame condition. A warped door, a split frame, or a loose strike may need reinforcement before any lock can perform as designed.
- Hardware grade and finish. Exterior-rated finishes that handle sun and heat cycling are a different purchase than interior-grade finishes.
- Timing and location. Night, weekend, and distance can all affect a service call. Calabasas is roughly 22 miles from our Westwood storefront, and we go over what applies to your job when you call.
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Call (213) 577-1366Pick-resistant, bump-resistant, drill-resistant: what does each one actually stop?
These terms get thrown around loosely, so here is what each one means in practice.
- Pick-resistant locks. Picking works by manipulating pins one at a time until the cylinder turns. Pick-resistant cylinders use security pins in spool and serrated shapes, plus tighter tolerances, so the pins give false feedback and bind. They raise the skill and time required. They don't make picking impossible.
- Bump-resistant locks. Bumping uses a specially cut key that is struck to make the pins jump for an instant. Bump-resistant designs add different pin types, side elements, or other internal mechanisms so the pins don't all move the way the technique expects.
- Drill-resistant features. Hardened steel inserts or pins in the places a drill would go make forced entry through the cylinder slower and harder.
- Copy-resistant keys. Restricted keyways and controlled blanks keep a key from being duplicated casually, which matters as much as picking resistance for most homes.
Is any lock truly unbreakable?
No, and be skeptical of anyone who says otherwise. Doors get kicked, frames split, and windows get opened. A good lock buys time and demands effort, and the right setup pairs it with a reinforced strike and frame so the door fails less easily. That's why we look at the whole door rather than selling a cylinder in a box.
If you're also weighing an electronic option, some smart locks keep a mechanical key cylinder as a backup, and that cylinder deserves the same thought as any other. Our smart lock installation page covers the electronic side, and we'll tell you honestly where mechanical and electronic each make sense.
What does high security lock work look like in The Oaks, Calabasas Hills, and Calabasas Highlands?
Calabasas is a real mix, and the right setup changes with the neighborhood. In guard-gated communities such as The Oaks of Calabasas, Calabasas Hills, and Mountain View Estates, the request we hear most starts as a rekey or smart lock setup and turns into a bigger question: if the keys are changing anyway, should the new cylinder be one that can't be copied freely? Often the answer is yes. It's a short conversation to go from a standard lock rekey to replacing the cylinder with a restricted high security one, and we'll lay out both so you can choose.
Calabasas Highlands and the Park Moderne area have older, smaller hillside homes on narrow streets. Original hardware there is often decades old, and doors may not be standard sizes, so we check the bore and backset before promising a fit. Many hillside properties also have driveway gates and keypads. Gate hardware is its own subject, covered under gate lock repair, but a high security front door lock and a well-kept gate work best as a pair.
Homes rebuilt in canyon areas affected by the 2018 Woolsey Fire are a special case. A rebuild means new doors, new frames, and a clean slate on keys. It's the best moment to specify a restricted key system from the start, with every exterior door on one controlled key, instead of retrofitting later. The keys that construction crews used during the build are a good reason to start fresh once the work is finished.
Heat is the other local factor. Hot, dry summers and strong sun put exterior doors and hardware through heavy heat cycling. That wears finishes and can shift a door slightly, which is often what makes a deadbolt bind. We check how the bolt meets the strike and suggest exterior-rated finishes. For homes anywhere in 91302, from Old Town Calabasas to the Las Virgenes Road corridor, that wear belongs in the lock decision. Condo and townhome owners along Las Virgenes Road should also check with their association before changing exterior cylinders, since some associations set rules about exterior hardware or keep a master key.
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Call (213) 577-1366Do you handle commercial security locks at The Commons and in Old Town Calabasas?
We do. Businesses use the same technology for different reasons. Staff turnover is the big one: when an employee leaves, a restricted key system means the key they held couldn't have been casually copied at a kiosk. Back doors, stockrooms, offices, and server closets are the usual places for high security cylinders, while the front door may be handled differently. For storefronts at The Commons and in Old Town Calabasas, we look at the door hardware and strike alongside the cylinder, because a strong lock on a loose door doesn't help.
If you need many doors on one hierarchy, with a manager key, area keys, and individual keys, that's a master key system, and it pairs naturally with a restricted keyway. Our wider commercial locksmith service covers the rest of the building, including closers, panic hardware, and access control.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for high security locks?
There are plenty of ways to buy a lock. Here is why people call us for this one.
- In business since 1987. High security hardware has changed a great deal over that time, and experience tells you which setups suit which doors.
- A real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile service vans. You have an address you can visit, and we come to you for the installation.
- One company from the phone to the door. No dispatch middlemen passing your job to whoever happens to be closest.
- David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, from how a door is assessed to how the lock is set up.
- Phones answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366. If a door has been damaged and needs securing tonight, our emergency locksmith service is the same number.
What should you ask any locksmith before they work on your locks?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS Locksmith Company (LCO) license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Ask any locksmith for that license number before work starts, and verify it with the state. That applies to us as much as anyone. Then ask the practical questions:
- What exact lock, brand, and model are you installing?
- Is the key restricted, and who is allowed to authorize duplicates?
- What happens if I lose the authorization card or paperwork?
- Does the job include reinforcing the strike and frame, or only swapping the cylinder?
- What is the full price, in writing, before work begins?
- Will a company technician do the work, or a subcontractor?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a high security lock and a regular deadbolt?
A regular deadbolt mostly resists being kicked or forced. A high security lock adds a cylinder built to resist picking, bumping, and drilling, and often a restricted key that can't be copied freely. The best results come from pairing that cylinder with a sound door, strike, and frame.
I live in a guard-gated community in Calabasas. Do I still need high security locks?
The gate controls who drives onto the street, not who approaches your door or who already holds a key. Many owners in The Oaks, Calabasas Hills, and Mountain View Estates choose high security cylinders because key control is the real issue. Whether you need them is your call, and we'll lay out the options.
Are pick-resistant locks really pick-proof?
No. Pick-resistant means the lock takes much more skill and time to pick, not that picking is impossible. That extra effort is the point. We'd rather tell you that plainly than promise something no lock can deliver.
Can I copy a restricted key at the hardware store?
Generally not. Restricted systems use controlled key blanks, and copies come from an authorized dealer when the request is properly authorized. It's less convenient than a kiosk copy, and that's by design. We explain how it works for your specific system when we install it.
Will a high security cylinder fit my existing deadbolt or door?
Sometimes. If the existing deadbolt body is a compatible type and in good shape, swapping the cylinder can be the more economical route. If it's worn, low grade, or the door isn't a standard size, replacing the whole lock is a better fit. We confirm by looking at the door in person.
Do you install high security locks on business doors?
Yes. Businesses commonly use them on back doors, stockrooms, and offices, and they can be set up under a master key system so managers and staff carry different keys. We also look at the door hardware and frame, since a strong cylinder needs a solid door behind it.
Can high security locks work with a smart lock?
Often there's a way to combine them, but it depends on the smart lock. Some keep a mechanical key cylinder for backup, and that cylinder can matter as much as the electronics. We'll check what your specific model allows before recommending a setup.
What if I lose a restricted key?
Call us at (213) 577-1366. Depending on your system, replacement keys may require your authorization paperwork or proof that you're entitled to them. If a key may have fallen into the wrong hands, we can talk through changing the cylinder rather than just cutting another key.
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High Security Locks near Calabasas
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.