High Security Lock Options for Philadelphia Homes & Businesses

Most residential locks can be defeated by someone who knows what they’re doing — or even by someone who watched a YouTube video. Lock picking, bump keys, and drill attacks are real techniques that work on the cheap pin-tumbler locks found in most Philadelphia homes.

High-security locks exist to raise the bar dramatically. This is the honest breakdown of what makes a lock “high security,” which brands are worth the money, and when it actually makes sense to spend more.

What Makes a Lock High Security?

The term “high security” gets thrown around loosely in marketing, but there’s an actual standard: ANSI Grade 1 certification and UL 437 listing.

• ANSI Grade 1 — The highest residential/commercial rating from the American National Standards Institute. Tests withstand against force, cycle durability, and key strength. If a lock doesn’t carry Grade 1, it’s not high security by any meaningful standard.
• UL 437 — Underwriters Laboratories security rating. A UL 437 lock has been tested against picking, forcing, drilling, and impression attacks. It’s the gold standard for lock cylinder security. Most hardware store locks — even Grade 1 ones — don’t carry UL 437.

Beyond certifications, true high-security locks combine several features that work together:

Pick Resistance

Standard pin-tumbler locks use simple driver and key pins. A skilled picker uses a tension wrench and pick to set each pin at the shear line one at a time — it’s mechanical, not magic. High-security locks defeat this with:

• Spool pins — Hour-glass shaped driver pins that give false feedback to a picker. When a spool pin reaches the shear line, it gives a false set — the cylinder rotates slightly — then falls back. Standard locks use cylindrical driver pins that don’t do this.
• Serrated pins — Multiple shear points on each pin. Every point gives a false set. Much harder to navigate than standard pins.
• Sidebar mechanisms — A secondary locking mechanism (a sidebar bar that must be aligned by the key’s shoulder cuts) that is independent of the pin system. Medeco uses this. Even if a picker defeats the pins, the sidebar blocks rotation.

Bump Resistance

Lock bumping uses a specially cut “bump key” that, when struck with a mallet, causes all pins to momentarily jump simultaneously — creating a brief window where the cylinder can rotate. It works on most standard locks. High-security countermeasures:

• Spool and serrated pins also resist bumping because they fall back into a blocking position even after jumping
• Sidebar mechanisms require key shoulder cuts that can’t be replicated by a bump key
• Magnetic locking mechanisms (like Abloy disc detainers) don’t use pins at all — there’s nothing to bump

For a full overview of bump attacks, see: What Is Lock Bumping? Philadelphia Locksmith Explains

Drill Resistance

Drilling defeats a lock by destroying the shear line — boring through the pin stacks so there’s no longer anything blocking the cylinder from rotating. High-security locks fight back with:

• Hardened steel inserts — Steel rings or rods positioned at critical points inside the cylinder. A drill bit hits hardened steel and either skips, breaks, or spins without biting.
• Anti-drill plates — Steel plates in the face of the deadbolt that protect the cylinder face from attack.
• Hardened deadbolt bolt — A bolt with a hardened steel rod insert so sawing or cutting attempts are defeated.

Key Control

This is the high-security feature most people don’t think about: patented key blanks. With a standard Kwikset or Schlage deadbolt, anyone can take your key to Home Depot and make a copy. You’ll never know.

High-security locks use key blanks that are protected by active patents — they can’t legally be duplicated at a hardware store, and physically can’t be cut on standard key machines without the proprietary equipment. Copies can only be made by authorized dealers, usually requiring proof of ownership and a key code card.

This matters enormously for rental properties, businesses with employee turnover, and anywhere keys have been distributed widely. When the lock patent expires, key control ends — part of why Medeco and Mul-T-Lock rotate their key systems periodically.

Best Brands — Honest Breakdown

Schlage B60N — The Smart Baseline

Not technically “high security” by UL 437 standards, but ANSI Grade 1 certified and dramatically better than builder-grade locks. At $45–$65 hardware, it’s the right first step for most Philadelphia homeowners. No key control, no anti-pick pins beyond standard, but solid physical construction and reliable operation.

Medeco Maxum

The benchmark for residential high security. UL 437 listed. Pick resistant via biaxially bitted keys (cuts at angles, not just depths) that interact with a sidebar. Bump resistant. Drill resistant via hardened steel inserts. Patented key blanks. Hardware runs $80–$180 depending on finish. Keys can only be copied at authorized dealers with your key card.

Mul-T-Lock MT5+

Israeli engineering with a telescoping pin system — pins within pins — that dramatically increases pick resistance. UL 437 listed. The keyway is narrow and complex. Hardened steel construction throughout. Preferred by many commercial and high-value residential customers. Hardware $100–$200+.

Abloy Protec2 (ASSA ABLOY)

Finnish disc detainer lock — completely different mechanism from pin-tumbler. Discs rotate rather than pins rising and falling. No springs means no bump attack vector. Picking requires completely different tools and skills that most people don’t have. UL 437 listed. The highest pick resistance available in a commercial lock. Premium price: $200–$400+ hardware.

When High Security Makes Sense

High-security locks cost more and sometimes require professional installation. They’re worth it when:

• You’ve had a break-in attempt or live on a block with recent incidents
• You manage rental property where multiple keyholders have access
• Your business contains cash, equipment, or sensitive materials
• You keep firearms, jewelry, or high-value collections at home
• You’ve ended a relationship or employment with someone who had a key and you want to ensure no copies exist

What It Costs in Philadelphia