Yes, you can buy new locks for file cabinets. But you must have the right replacement parts on hand, be able to get to the cabinet, and know how to replace the parts.
A file cabinet is a piece of furniture that is used in offices and homes to store and organize papers. A lot of these cabinets have locks that work like cams or plungers to help keep documents safe. The owners of these cabinets have to change the locks on them often because keys get lost or to keep people from getting in without permission in an office setting. Even if you’ve lost the key, it’s not too hard to change the lock on a filing cabinet.
If you work in a busy office, replacing the lock core on your filing cabinet every so often could be a good safety measure. It’s not hard to get there. The method is more stylish if the old lock is open or if you still have the key if it isn’t. If not, you might have to drill out the old core and break it down. Most of the time, you need a wrench or a pair of pliers to make the switch. However, some manufacturers make cores that can be swapped with a special key. Now it’s easier to switch them out often.
To fix or change a file cabinet lock, you have to open the file cabinet. To do this, you might have to take apart the whole key lock mechanism. To take out the center cylinder of the cabinet lock, use a hammer and chisel or a drill. Be careful, and make sure the chisel is sharp, or you could ruin the whole cabinet. When you take this cylinder out, the locking mechanism is no longer in place, so the cabinet will open on its own.
Instead of telling you to do something drastic that could damage your file cabinet, a professional locksmith can give you a new key for your file cabinet. Buying a new filing cabinet would cost more than doing this. Don’t be afraid to tell them what they need to know.
If you lose the key to your vertical or lateral file cabinet, it’s easy to get a new one. Most of the time, the support from the cabinet maker is enough, but it may take a while. It might be too much to ask you to wait for a new key for weeks.
Since the digital age began, we have mostly ignored practical security problems in favor of new threats like hackers, identity theft, and different scams. Most businesses still keep a lot of important information in hard copies, which makes them a possible target for corporate espionage. Thieves can get sensitive information like social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, legal information, and much more from the file cabinet at your company. Locked file cabinets are a good place to start, but make sure the locks are not only reliable but also take advantage of the latest improvements in file cabinet lock technology. Safety should not come at the expense of convenience.
Can you get a new key for the file cabinet?
If you lose the key to your vertical or lateral file cabinet, it’s easy to get a new one. Most of the time, the support from the cabinet maker is enough, but it may take a while. It might be too much to ask you to wait for a new key for weeks.
How can the lock on a file cabinet be changed if you don’t have the key?
If the only thing you need to get into the cabinet is the key you lost, you might not need to change the lock. Take a picture of the lock and a copy of the numbers on the front of the lock to a nearby locksmith. Most locksmiths can make a key that will open the cylinder if you lose yours.
A locksmith can give a filing cabinet a lock.
Yes. Locksmiths know how to unlock doors and fix different kinds of locks. If you lose or forget the key to a filing cabinet, the locksmith can use the code on the lock cylinder to make a new key and more copies.
Should locks be changed or rekeyed?
Changing the key to a lock is almost always cheaper than getting a new lock. This is because the key pins inside locks are cheaper, but you have to buy all new parts when you replace a lock.
Are the keys to all file cabinets the same?
First of all, most of the locks on desks and filing cabinets are “factory” locks that are often supplied by the company that makes the furniture. In many cases, the manufacturer only gives you a limited number of ways to use the keys. Some companies only make twenty different kinds of keys.
How safe are the locks on file cabinet doors?
If you judge them by how they look, standard filing cabinet locks aren’t very safe. Many of the locks that furniture makers put on file cabinets are simple, standard locks that only do one thing: keep the cabinet locked.
What is a plunger lock, anyway?
Piston-driven locks These are used on sliding glass doors, just like the ratchet lock. When the lock is shut, a bolt inside the mechanism moves in a slot forward and backward. The sliding glass door can’t be opened because of this.
Can I change the key on my own?
You can get a professional to rekey a lock for a small fraction of the cost. Even though most lock makers sell rekeying kits, they can’t be used with each other. For each type of lock in your home, you need to buy a kit.
Does the original key have to be present to rekey a lock?
Yes, you can change a lock’s key without the old key. Even if you’ve lost or forgotten the original key, a locksmith can change your locks. Most doors can be unlocked by picking or shimming the lock. Now that the lock cylinder has been taken out, it will be much easier for the locksmith to do his job.
Will Lowe’s rekey locks?
As of 2022, Lowe’s rekeys locks at almost all of its stores in the United States. Customers should know that not all locks can be rekeyed at Lowe’s. Customers can only get their locks rekeyed if they bought them at a Lowe’s store.