What makes a lock high security, and what does not?
A high security lock is built to resist the ways locks are actually defeated: picking, bumping, drilling, forced turning, and unauthorized key copying. The phrase gets printed on a lot of packaging, so it helps to know what is real and what is only a label. A standard pin-tumbler cylinder has a simple row of pins that a person with basic tools and some practice can set quietly. A pick-resistant cylinder uses specially shaped security pins, tighter machining tolerances, and often a second locking element such as a sidebar, so lifting pins one at a time stops working.
Three things separate a genuine high security lock from a marketing claim. First, how the cylinder resists manipulation. Second, how the hardware around it resists force: a hardened bolt, a reinforced strike plate, screws that reach the framing. Third, how the keys are controlled. A restricted key uses a keyway and blank that are not freely sold, and depending on the system, extra copies need authorization from the owner. That third piece is what keeps a former tenant, contractor, or house sitter from quietly making a copy.
We will also say this plainly: no lock is unpickable or unbreakable. A door kicked in at a weak frame beats any cylinder ever made. The honest goal of high security hardware is to make the quiet, fast, low-skill attacks fail, so that getting in takes real noise, real tools, and real time. That is a worthwhile goal, and it is what we install.
Why do Tarzana homes and businesses ask for high security locks?
Tarzana is not one kind of place. The housing stock runs from postwar ranch tracts north of Ventura Boulevard to semi-rural, horse-zoned lots in Melody Acres, to estate homes and guard-gated communities in the southern foothills, to condo and apartment buildings along the Ventura Boulevard and 101 corridor. Each of those brings a different reason to upgrade a lock.
The requests we hear fall into familiar situations. Some are tied to a moment: a new home purchase where nobody knows how many keys exist, a remodel that put several crews through the house, a tenant who moved out, or an attempted break-in that left a door scarred. Others are simply a decision to stop relying on the builder-grade hardware that came with a house. Ranch-tract homes in particular often still carry original or lightly replaced deadbolts that were never meant to stand up to a determined attempt.
Businesses ask for different reasons. A medical office needs to control who can reach supply rooms and records. A storefront owner wants a front-door cylinder that is not the same one every other tenant on the street was given. In both cases the underlying question is the same: who has a key, and how hard is this lock to defeat without one?
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Call (213) 577-1366How do we handle a high security lock installation, step by step?
Every door is different, and a good cylinder in a poor door is wasted money. So we start with the door, not the catalog.
- You call (213) 577-1366 any hour of the day or night. Tell us which door, what lock is on it now, and what is worrying you: lost keys, a break-in attempt, a worn lock, or simply wanting better hardware.
- We look at the door in person. We check the door material and thickness, the frame, the strike plate, the existing bore, and the condition of the current lock. Sometimes the cylinder is the weak point; sometimes it is the frame around it.
- We recommend a setup and explain why. That covers the cylinder type, the level of key control, and the deadbolt body it should sit in. If something would be overkill for your door, we say so rather than sell it.
- We install the hardware: new cylinder or full deadbolt, a reinforced strike set with screws long enough to reach the framing, and any alignment fix the door needs so the bolt throws cleanly.
- We test everything with you. Keys turn smoothly, the bolt fully extends and retracts, the door closes without forcing, and the key count matches what you were given.
- We explain key control. You learn how duplicates are authorized for your system, where to store spares, and what to do if a restricted key goes missing.
What is the difference between pick-resistant, bump-resistant, and drill-resistant?
These terms get used interchangeably, but they describe different protections. A good high security cylinder combines several, and it is worth knowing which ones a particular product actually offers.
- Pick-resistant locks use security pins, tight tolerances, and sometimes a sidebar or a second set of locking elements, so a pick and tension wrench cannot set the pins the usual way.
- Bump-resistant locks are designed so that a bump key, a specially cut key struck to jolt the pins, does not line the pins up. Special pin designs and secondary locking mechanisms do this work.
- Drill-resistant construction puts hardened inserts inside the cylinder and bolt so a drill bit skates or stalls instead of cutting through the shear line.
- Restricted keyways limit who can get a blank cut for your lock at all, which protects against casual copying.
- Reinforced hardware, meaning a hardened bolt, solid strike, and proper screws, protects against the most common real-world attack, which is simply force on the door.
What affects the cost of high security lock replacement?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on your door. What we can tell you is what moves the cost up or down, so you can judge any quote you receive, ours included.
The biggest factor is scope. Swapping a single cylinder into a good existing deadbolt is a lighter-cost option than replacing the whole lock body, and replacing a whole lock body is lighter than doing that plus repairing a worn frame. The second factor is the level of key control. A basic pick-resistant cylinder with ordinary keys sits at one end; a restricted, registered keyway with authorization-only duplicates sits at the other. Neither is wrong, but they are different products with different cost.
Other factors include:
- How many doors are being done, and whether you want them keyed alike so one key opens several locks.
- The condition of the door and frame, since a split jamb or a loose strike has to be fixed for the lock to matter.
- Whether the door is residential, commercial, or a gate exposed to weather.
- The number of keys and any authorization cards you want with the system.
- The hour of the call. After-hours and emergency visits are priced differently from scheduled work.
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Call (213) 577-1366Can my existing locks be upgraded instead of replaced?
Sometimes. If your current deadbolt is a sound, solid unit and only the cylinder is the weak point, a cylinder swap may be all you need. If the deadbolt is flimsy or worn, the upgrade is better done as a full replacement, and our deadbolt installation service covers that.
One thing to be clear about: lock rekeying changes the pins inside your existing cylinder so old keys stop working, and it is often the more economical route when the only concern is lost or unaccounted-for keys. But rekeying a standard cylinder does not make it pick-resistant. If your concern is the lock itself being easy to defeat, rekeying does not solve it, and we will tell you that directly instead of selling you the lighter job.
What does this look like in Tarzana neighborhoods?
Local conditions shape what we recommend, and Tarzana has several distinct ones. Our storefront is in Westwood, about 14 miles from Tarzana, and our mobile vans serve the 91356 ZIP code and the rest of the community.
In the guard-gated foothill communities such as Mulholland Park and Braemar Estates off upper Reseda Boulevard, the front door is only one layer. Gate hardware and access control are part of the same picture, and a very good cylinder on the front door does little if a side gate is easy to open. We can pair interior security hardware with gate lock repair and access control installation so the whole perimeter is considered together.
Melody Acres is equestrian-zoned, with driveway and paddock gates on semi-rural lots. Those locks sit outdoors all year. Valley heat dominates in summer, and homes in the Santa Monica Mountains foothills south of Ventura Boulevard see extra sun and canyon wind. Exterior locks on hillside and equestrian properties weather faster than protected entries, so on those properties we pay attention to finish and construction, and we plan for periodic inspection of exposed hardware rather than assuming it is install-and-forget.
North of the boulevard, the postwar ranch homes in the Victory and Vanowen corridors often still have their original entry hardware. A new pick-resistant deadbolt with a reinforced strike is one of the more noticeable upgrades for those doors.
Near the medical district around Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center, medical offices have a different concern: controlling access to supply rooms and records. Along the Ventura Boulevard corridor, condo buildings raise a question of who is allowed to change which lock, which we cover below.
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Call (213) 577-1366What about commercial security locks and condos?
High security hardware is not only a home product. Storefronts along the Tarzana Safari Walk business district and offices near the medical district use the same principles: a pick-resistant, bump-resistant cylinder on the main door, a restricted keyway so keys cannot be copied casually, and a record of who holds which key. For multi-door businesses, a keyed-alike or tiered system can reduce the number of keys staff carry. Our commercial locksmith work covers the wider range of door hardware beyond the cylinder itself.
Condo owners in buildings along the Ventura Boulevard and 101 corridor should check with their association before changing an entry lock. Some buildings control the exterior door hardware or require a specific keyway so management can reach a unit in an emergency. Interior unit doors are often the owner's decision. We will tell you what we can and cannot change without paperwork, and we will not swap a lock on a door that is not yours to change.
How do restricted keys work, and what happens if I lose one?
A restricted key system controls who can make copies. Instead of a blank that any kiosk can cut, the key is made on a controlled blank, and duplicates typically require authorization from the registered owner. That slows down casual copying by a former employee, contractor, or tenant.
The trade-off is convenience. When you want a spare, you cannot walk into any shop and get one cut in a moment. We handle that through our key duplication service, working within the authorization rules of your specific system. If a restricted key is lost, we can re-cylinder the lock so the missing key no longer works, which is a better answer than hoping it stays lost.
Because systems vary, we do not promise that every cylinder can be duplicated the same way. We confirm what applies to your hardware when we see it.
When is a high security lock not the right answer?
We would rather say this than let you spend money on the wrong fix. A high security cylinder will not help much if the door is hollow and flimsy, if the frame is cracked or rotted, or if there is a glass panel beside the lock that can simply be broken. In those cases the door or frame needs attention first, or alongside the lock.
If your priority is sharing access with guests, family, or service providers without handing out physical keys, a smart lock installation may suit you better, though it is a different tool with different strengths. Some people combine both: a high security mechanical cylinder as the backbone, with convenience layered on top. We will talk through the trade-offs before anything is installed.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for high security locks?
We have been in business since 1987, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including Tarzana. We run a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood plus mobile service vans, so we are one company, not a dispatch service that hands your call to whoever is nearest. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work.
Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round at (213) 577-1366. If a break-in has left you with a damaged door in the middle of the night, our emergency locksmith service is the right starting point, and we can discuss upgrading to higher security hardware once the door is secure.
One more thing: California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license. Ask any locksmith, including us, for their license number before work begins, and verify it with the state. That is a fair request, and you should make it.
Frequently asked questions
Are high security locks worth it for a home in Tarzana?
It depends on the door and your concern. For a ranch-tract home with original builder-grade deadbolts, a pick-resistant, bump-resistant cylinder with a reinforced strike is a meaningful upgrade. For a door with a weak frame or a glass sidelight, the door needs attention too. We look at the door and tell you honestly what will help.
Can a high security lock still be picked?
No lock is impossible to defeat. Pick-resistant cylinders use security pins, tight tolerances, and often sidebars to make picking much harder and slower, and bump-resistant designs aim to defeat bump keys. The goal is to make quiet, low-skill attacks fail. Forced entry at a weak door or frame is still possible, which is why we look at the whole door.
Do you replace the whole lock or just the cylinder?
Either, depending on what is on the door. If your existing deadbolt is solid and only the cylinder is the weak point, swapping the cylinder is often the lighter-cost option. If the deadbolt body is flimsy or worn, we recommend replacing the full lock. We explain which applies after we see the door.
Is rekeying the same as a high security upgrade?
No. Rekeying changes the internal pins of your existing cylinder so old keys stop working. It is often the more economical route when the concern is lost keys. But a rekeyed standard cylinder is still a standard cylinder. If the concern is that the lock itself is easy to pick or bump, you need a pick-resistant, bump-resistant cylinder.
Can I copy a restricted key at a hardware store?
Generally no. Restricted keys use controlled blanks, and duplicates usually require authorization from the registered owner, depending on the system. That is the point. We handle duplication within the rules of your specific hardware and confirm what applies when we see it.
Do you install high security locks on gates and equestrian properties?
We work on gate hardware, including driveway and paddock gates on lots like those in Melody Acres, and on gate and access-control service for guard-gated communities. Exterior hardware weathers faster in Valley heat and foothill wind, so we pay attention to finish and construction, and we suggest periodic checks on exposed locks.
Do you handle commercial security locks for Tarzana businesses?
Yes. Storefronts along the Tarzana Safari Walk and offices near the medical district use the same kinds of pick-resistant, bump-resistant cylinders and restricted keyways. For multi-door businesses we can discuss keyed-alike or tiered key systems. Call (213) 577-1366 and describe the doors involved.
Are you licensed to do this work?
California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask any locksmith for that license number before work starts and verify it with the state. We encourage that check, and we are glad to talk it through when you call.
Can you come out at night for a security upgrade?
Our phone is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (213) 577-1366. If your door is damaged or unsecured, we can help get it secured first. A full high security upgrade is often best planned once we have seen the door in good light, and we will tell you what makes sense for your situation.
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High Security Locks near Tarzana
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.