The majority of locks we come across on a daily basis are pin tumble locks. All these locks work on the same principle for many years now. They all consist of a tumbler containing normally 5 bottom pins, 5 top pins and 5 springs. The thing is with these common locks is that they are very easy to manipulate. They can easily be picked by a professional locksmith and they are also very easy to break open using brute force. But what if you were told they can be opened with no sign of forced entry, in seconds and with no skills. That's where the bump key comes in.
A bump key is a very simple tool. It is simply a regular key which has been cut in a specific way. To be more detailed, it is cut to the deepest cut on all cuts, in addition, the tip of the key is shaved off a bit and so is the neck. Using one is very easy to learn. In order to unlock a pin tumbler lock with a bump key, all one needs to do is obtain a proper bump key (which are now sold online to the general public) and perhaps a screwdriver or small hammer. One must insert the key into the lock, pull it out just one click, and whilst tapping the key back into the lock, turn it as well. This will unlock any pin tumbler lock. What this does is basically cause all pins we mentioned earlier to jump for even just a split second. Applying tension on the key while doing so will allow the key to turn as soon as the pins allow it to. The ironic part is that tumbler locks which are of higher quality are usually easier to bump key than lower quality ones. This is due to the fact that lower quality locks are usually sloppy and have low tolerance and accuracy. On the other hand, higher quality locks are machined more accurately, and therefor easier to manipulate using a bump key.
Many people have fallen victims to break ins committed with a bump key. The victims were unable to show any sign of forced entry and were sometimes denied any insurance claim as well. Insurance companies may simply state that you may have left your door unlocked or even wide open for all they know. Point is that you should protect yourself from bump keys. The best way of doing so is to have bump-proof locks installed. These locks are also known as high security locks. One of the leading brands we would recommend is Mul-T-lock. They are of course more expensive than your typical lock, but they actually protect you, and usually come with a lifetime warranty as well. There is a long list of benefits when considering a high security lock. We will be adding an article about them shortly. Meanwhile if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to give us a call at anytime.
