2006 – Kwikset celebrates its 60 Year Anniversary and the revolutionary residential lock design that launched the company in 1946. The innovative “tubular” lock design was the first in a series of trend-setting and award-winning hardware designs that changed the face of the home security industry.
Kwikset is an American lock and lockset manufacturer owned by Spectrum Brands Hardware and Home Improvement Group (HHI), a Division of Spectrum Brands. Originally Gateway Manufacturing Company, Kwikset was founded in California in 1946 by Adolf Schoepe, and Karl Rhinehart.
But the Kwikset smartkey locks, which Kwikset introduced in 2008, have the widest distribution of any locks they've tested – Kwikset sells more than 20 million a year.
Also in the non-forced entry category, there is no doubt Schlage is better. With a better, more precise manufacturing process and 2 additional security pins than the Kwikset deadbolt, Schlage locks are significantly harder to pick, bump or compromise in non-destructive ways.
Kwikset's door products offer reasonable quality, superior lock bumping technology, and attractive style. It is one of the most common residential locks on the market. Kwikset is headquartered in Orange County, California. It is a part of the Hardware and Home Improvement division of Spectrum Brands.
I was very surprised to see 3 security pins in the Defiant, which is more than the Kwikset. It also performed better than the Kwikset in almost every test. The security pins made it extremely hard for me to pick and even the raking took much longer than I expected.
Kwikset®, a Black & Decker® company, has been a leader in the lockset industry for 60 years. Kwikset manufactures and markets several full lines of door hardware, including handlesets, knobs, levers, deadbolts, and pocket door accessories, for residential and light commercial markets.
Yes, it is possible to pick a Kwikset lock using different kinds of tools. According to the data, Kwikset locks had been picked in less than 2 percent of lock-picking attempts while a schlage lock had been picked over 78 percent of lock-picking attempts.
Even one of Kwikset's most vocal critics, Marc Weber Tobias (more on him in just a bit), told us that the SmartKey lock is virtually impossible to pick. Other videos criticizing Kwikset point out that the lock can be easily compromised using a specialized bypass tool used by locksmiths.
2003 – Black & Decker purchases Baldwin Hardware and Weiser Lock from the Masco Corporation in October, expanding their bath and door hardware collections to encompass four major brands, Kwikset, Price Pfister, Baldwin Hardware and Weiser Lock.
Baldwin and Kwikset are part of Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI), a major manufacturer and supplier of residential locksets, residential builders' hardware and faucets with a portfolio of renowned brands, including Kwikset®, Weiser®, Baldwin®, National Hardware®, Stanley®, Pfister™ and EZSET®.
These sets use a Kwikset "Smartkey" and can be all keyed alike to each other, but not to Baldwin locksets that use a Baldwin stamped key.
2003 – Black & Decker purchases Baldwin Hardware and Weiser Lock from the Masco Corporation in October, expanding their bath and door hardware collections to encompass four major brands, Kwikset, Price Pfister, Baldwin Hardware and Weiser Lock.
ASSA ABLOY $4.3B Acquisition of Kwikset, Baldwin Creates Smart Door Lock Juggernaut. Access Control giant ASSA ABLOY announces it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Hardware and Home Improvement (HHI) division of Spectrum Brands (NYSE: SPB) for $4.3 billion on a cash and debt free basis.
Assa Abloy is acquiring Spectrum Brands 'Hardware & Home Improvement' (HHI) division, including lock and security fixture brands Kwikset, Baldwin, and Weiser, in a $4.3 billion USD deal.
Basically, you cannot re-key the lock from Schlage to Kwikset, but you can change the lock cylinder from Schlage to Kwikset. A locksmith will be able to do it for you. Changing the lock cylinder will still cost less from changing the lock itself.
Thanks to the two-cylinder Key Control Deadbolt with SmartKey Security, you can have one master key for all your units and unique keys for all of your tenants.
This is because Schlage and Kwikset locks are not compatible with the same type of key. Their keyways are made differently, therefore you will either want to have all Schlage locks or all Kwikset locks. When you're at home, you don't want to use different keys for each lock you own.
A Kwikset SmartKey tool (One should've came with your lock, but if not, you can buy one on Amazon). The new (or rather, old) key that you want to use instead. This must be a Kwikset key, as Kwikset and Schlage keys are totally different from one another (and won't work in each other's locks).
Kwikset locks have roughly 3,000 different possibility's , the chance of someone having the same key in your area is very slim. Regarding the rekey kits, its usually the same thing as the lock, the first couple keys are probably the same as each other. Most locksmiths wouldn't recommend Kwikset smartkey.
Kwikset/Schlage 1-1/8" 5 Pin Mortise Cylinder.