Category: Blog

The last week I have been called out to numerous people’s houses to fix a problem caused by a contractor who most likely was in a big rush and didn’t finish the job. The primary problem is that they didn’t tighten screws enough. One family recently hired a contractor to install some Baldwin locks on…

Today this lady was asking me about her file cabinet, and how to make it lock. She had no key. I said, “No problem!” It was actually my first time impressioning a key in the field, and my only blank was nickel, but it still didn’t take too long. Just ten minutes of filing. It…

The new Google Maps isn’t as useful.  I am sure of it now because I recently got an old Droid, an HTC EVO, with the old Google Maps.  It was awesome because you could see little dots in the map view which corresponded to places where you had to perform an action such as turn…

Months after deleting me and listening to me carp about it on their forums, and then making a new google login to make another business listing, and then calling Google multiple times to ask about it, they finally added my business back to Google Maps.  It isn’t correct because I selected the option of hiding…

You are worried about somebody breaking into your property?  Remember that criminals take the path of least resistance.  They won’t be picking the locks on your front door unless they have something serious to gain from it.  They would rather crawl in your window. One of the best ways to prevent this is to make…

So, you are here because there is only one reasonable entrance to your dwelling without considering rappelling out of your back window.  Your doorknob or deadbolt won’t disengage, despite every method you can think of to unlock them. Whichever oneit is, your latch is probably at fault.  Today I had a latch malfunction, and it…

So, the years have passed and your key works but only if you jiggle it or if you pull it out a little bit?  Chances are that your key and/or the pins in the lock have worn down.  You can remedy this situation very easily and inexpensively by having your key copied but shimming the…

My experience with bluetooth has been pretty successful over the course of the last few years.  I have a mouse that works wirelessly through this tech, my car stereo connects to my phone and plays music using it, etc.  I also have an RC helicopter which is supposed to work through bluetooth and let my…

Today Wired ran an article about Kwikset Smartkey locks and how easily they are compromised. They use nearly the same technique that I use when people are locked out of a Smartkey lock, except that I torque an actual key. They hammer a key blank into the lock so they can’t take it back out.…

Everybody knows that successfully running a business is a PITA.  You have to constantly be worrying and networking and thinking about your business.  Mine is no different.  Complicating matters is the recent removal of my business’s listing from Google Maps.  You can read about it here.  Or, you can read my summary 1.  Google removes…