Glossary

Most often used in passage door and other applications where a lock is actuated from both sides, solid-barrel warded keys vary in size, material and craftsmanship. Regardless, the principle is simple: the key must fit into the keyhole, avoid restrictive ward architecture and reliably engage a bolt or lever.  

Most often used in furniture, cabinets and other one-sided applications, hollow-barrel warded keys tend to be smaller than their solid-barreled cousins because of the nature of their work. The thickness of passage doors often demands longer-barreled keys, especially in the case of rim-mounted hardware. 

Keys have a basic anatomy.  If you're looking to replace a lost or missing key, you'll want to be able to describe it to a locksmith or antique dealer. 

Flat warded keys have myriad applications. Furniture, lockers, and in the case of the key on the left, safe deposit boxes. Warded locks are not high-security hardware, but the culture in a bank vault, and the demand for a second key (called a Guard Key) to open a box reduces the demand for more complex hardware in most bank vaults.

As with a Skeleton Key, a corrugated Warded Key benefits from the additional need to accommodate the specially shaped keyway. A key with the correct bitting will not operate the lock if the corrugations were not correct (or the key was not thin enough to pass by them unimpeded.)

Some Warded Keys are two-sided, offering convenience (see the key on the left) or additional security based on additional complexity within the lock (see the key on the right). There are also examples (not show here) in which the complex appearance of the key is part of the perceived security.

"A good lock ain't cheap, and a cheap lock ain't good."

A vast majority of homes and commercial spaces are safeguarded by locks of moderate quality whose keys are (too) easily duplicated. Popular brands like those shown here often share a single keyway for decades. Considering that there is a limited variety of bit combinations, the risk of accidental interoperability is high among popular brands.

Restricted Keyways increase security and decrease the likelihood of unintended interoperability. Duplication is noticeably more difficult without specialized equipment and/or access to special blanks. Some are controlled through a registration process to further thwart unauthorized or counterfeit keys. These examples demonstrate three different principles - a second set of pin tumblers, the use of 'dimples' rather than bits, and special corrugations and bitting.

Master Keying schemes are popular in environments where many different locks are controlled by many different actors and varying degrees of privilege exists within the system. Some more complex systems use a hierarchy of Grand Master, [Various] Submasters and any number of Service or Operator Keys. Specialized keyways present additional opportunities for expanding large Master Key programs. 

Mortice [Door] Locks are installed within the core of a wooden, metal or steel passage door. This design reduces access to the lock itself when the door is closed, increasing security and allowing for greater aesthetic flexibility. Mortice locks are common in commercial applications and in some older homes. Replacing them can be a headache, so before you do, consider rekeying or replacing the lock cylinder(s) instead!

Named for their installation on the surface or rim of a door, Rim Locks are an attractive choice for add-on security because they require less technical effort. Often, only a single hole through the door and some effort to install the strike plate is all that's required (compared to hollowing out a meaningful portion of the door and running the risk of compromising its structural integrity).

Key-in-Knob Locks are often thought of as a suburban tract home phenomenon, but early examples can be seen on the front doors of handsome Victorian homes. With modern Key-in-Knob Locks, consumers trade a degree of security and aesthetic appeal for ease of installation and replacement. Most brands currently on the market fit in the same openings and backsets, allowing consumers to quickly and easily replace the hardware themselves..

Padlocks, whether controlled by a warded key, a pin tumbler key or combination mechanism, all consist of a case or body (which contains the locking mechanism) and a shackle of some sort. The size and shape of the body and shackle varies but the principle is the same: a portable solution for securing something of value. A hasp is the rim- or surface-mounted two-piece, strap-like fixture that allows a padlock to do its work.

Cabinet Locks can be morticed or rim mounted and consist of a ward, pin tumbler or combination locking mechanism, a bolt or latch, and a protective case designed for a particular type of mounting. There are as many kinds of Cabinet Locks (sometimes called Auxiliary Locks) as there are applications. In contrast with the portability of a padlock, Cabinet Locks are permanently installed.

Famous for pioneering the Interchangeable Core, Best offered this diagram in service literature in the 1980s. Some language is common to the warded key as well. Best continues to offer mortise, rim, padlock, cabinet and specialty locks and hardware, all interoperable with their interchangeable core  program. This example shows how special markings (BA1, 3) tell stories to the collector as well as the building superintendent.