Questions people ask

Are anti snap locks any good?

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Yes, if they carry a recognised test mark and are fitted properly. A cylinder approved to TS007 3 star or Sold Secure Diamond (SS312) has been tested against snapping, and West Yorkshire Police advise 3 stars as the minimum when upgrading. No lock stops every attack.

The value of an anti snap cylinder is in the testing behind it. The Master Locksmiths Association explains that most anti snap cylinders are designed so that, if part of the cylinder is snapped off, what is left locks up and the door stays shut. It adds that this only holds for cylinders approved to TS007 3 star or SS312 Diamond, not for any lock with anti snap printed on the box.

Testing is also what separates a real product from a label. On buying doors, Secured by Design, the official police security initiative, warns that some products are declared secure by their makers with no independent testing at all. The Master Locksmiths Association says a Kitemark shows a product was tested by a third party rather than approved by the manufacturer itself.

Being good is not the same as being unbreakable. The tests use a set list of tools and a time limit, and the association notes that TS007 and SS312 differ in the tools and the time they allow. A tested cylinder has passed those attacks, while an untested one has shown nothing. Neither stops every attack, so the cylinder is one layer of your security, not all of it.

The rest of the door counts as well. Secured by Design notes that a lock's effectiveness also depends on the door, frame and other hardware, which may fail before the lock does. West Yorkshire Police add that cylinders should be measured properly and not left sticking out from the door or handle, and that a 2 star security handle should also be considered.

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