On 02/03/20 22:10, alan_m wrote:
On 02/03/2020 21:09, Brian Gaff (Sofa 2) wrote:
All the same why change from a convention which everyone understood, to a
weird convoluted system?
Brian



The change from traditional to the flat type of key is to do with the
ease with which the locks with traditional keys can be "picked" by
people with no skill by using a device available cheaply on Ebay. It is
debatable if a thief would bother with a lock rather than kicking in a
door panel or smashing a window.

I do wonder if the OP has the right type of lock on his front door.
Every lock I've had on front doors has needed a key to open once the
door has been closed. An extra turn of the key has been required to dead
lock it.

Indeed. That type of lock is called a "night latch"
(https://www.locksmiths.co.uk/faq/night-latches-guide/). When we had
an old wooden front door changed to PVC, the company fitted a "non-night
latch" door which required a key to lock. We hated it and got a night
latch fitted (a strangely awkward change as the handle mechanism for
night latch locks was in a different place!).

Other doors (back doors) may have locks of the type that do require the
key to be used to lock it. Usually fitted so that you cannot
accidentally lock yourself out just going into the garden.

Same here.

--

Jeff