Why choose a burglar-proof cylinder?

Posted by missaifahmed on October 6th, 2022

First of all, what is a cylinder?

The cylinder is simply the element of your lock that receives the key. It is also called barrel or barrel. Inserting your key pushes the pins that block the cylinder rotor (part that rotates). It is then possible to lock / unlock the lock. We can therefore say that the cylinder of a lock is the basis of the security of your access. And burglars do not hesitate to rub shoulders with it to enter a home. Especially if it is not equipped with an anti-burglary cylinder.

An unsecured cylinder can become the weak point of your installation

We are not going to make the suspense last! It is obvious that if you turn to a burglar-proof cylinder, it is to strengthen the security of your door. But is it important to install an anti-theft cylinder when you are already equipped with security? It might surprise you, but the answer is yes, and that's even more important.

It costs to secure your home. You may have already spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on it. But what good is it to you if a cheap cylinder offers no resistance to a potential burglar. It would be a shame to invest so that in the end your barrel is the weak link in your installation.

Burglars try to enter first through the front door

This is a point that we have already mentioned previously on our blog. Burglars try to enter through the front door in 2 out of 3 cases. See our article on the advantages of the armored door to learn more. And when it comes to burglary, the cylinder is a regularly exposed part. In addition, many burglars enter a home by hitting the cylinder hard if it is unsecured. Also, when you buy a door or a lock, make sure of the quality of the cylinder. Does he have protection? Is it a high security cylinder?

How to differentiate a standard cylinder from a burglar-proof cylinder?

Not sure if your cylinder is high security? It is true that it is not always easy to judge the quality of a barrel at a glance. Fortunately, there is a rather simple way to answer this question… Simply observe your key! Is it a very basic key or on the contrary is it complex? Very often, a security lock key has an atypical shape. It may also have hollows or bumps. Also, were you given an owner's card? If so, that's a good sign. This type of card is given to you so that you can prove to the manufacturer that you are indeed the owner of the lock in question. This is useful if you need to duplicate keys. A priori, such measures are only taken for security locks.

The different types of anti-theft cylinders

List of main specificities

There is not just one type of burglar-proof cylinder. Some are very effective against a specific threat. Others may combine several specificities.

• Anti-pick cylinder: During a lock picking attempt, the burglar plays on the pins with picking tools. The more complex the barrel and has pins, the more complicated the exercise.
• Anti-drilling cylinder: A criminal can try to drill your barrel with a drill to blow out the pins. This can be prevented by placing a shield (piece of steel) in front of the key entrance.
• Anti-bumping cylinder: Protection of the barrel against percussion. Indeed, bumping consists of hitting the cylinder with a "bump key" or "strike key". The resulting shock creates a vacuum between the pins and the counter-pins allowing the lock to be unlocked.
• Anti-breakage cylinder: A reinforced cylinder that is more resistant to attacks, attempted breakage, percussion, etc.
• Anti-pulling cylinder: This type of cylinder does not protrude from its hole on the outside (or really very little). Thus, a burglar cannot grab it using a tool (like pliers) to pull it out.
• Anti-copying cylinder: This is what we saw in the previous point. Copying the key requires presenting a property card to the manufacturer. Without it, copying is not possible.

A few pro tips

We advise you to choose at least a burglar-proof cylinder protected against picking, tearing and drilling. Indeed, these are the most common break-in techniques. Whatever the level of security of your cylinder, make sure that it protrudes as little as possible from its outer orifice. Otherwise, it would be more vulnerable to tearing and breakage.