A LOOK AT LOCKS
A lot has changed throughout history, but one thing that’s remained constant — and probably always will — is how we protect our valuables. We’re talking about guarding the things you have from the people who want to take them from you. The devices we consistently rely on, but seldom give much consideration to, are locks. When was the last time you evaluated the physical security of your home or your bug-out shelter?
Locks are your first line of defense against theft and burglary. So, what makes one lock better than another? With locks costing anywhere from $10 to thousands, there are a plethora of factors to consider when choosing a lock for your possessions or for the doors to and within your residence. Today’s locks are most often made of bronze, stainless steel, or similar metals, both for strength and corrosion resistance. Good locks are also precisely machined so that the tolerances between the moving parts are very small, making “smart” attacks like picking or bumping more difficult. The more precise a lock is — through machining parts rather than casting pieces, intense scrutiny during quality control, and the use of quality materials — the less room there is for attackers to defeat it.
Even relatively cheap locks typically offer solid construction, and most even have security pins thrown in for good measure. The addition of these special pins, such as spool or serrated pins, is commonly used to thwart more thought-out attacks. A truly strong lock should have some special features, such as restricted keys, specialty pins, or even abstract features,
