is there a good tool(s) for general use with deadbolts?

[laff66]

I'm a firefighter in the Dallas area, and have MANY occasions to need entrance to a residence without doing damage. We get alarm calls all the time where we usually have to break something to get in, only to find no emergency there.

I am in the process of trying to take in the info on this site (wow) but was wondering what some suggestions would be for a good set of tools that was small and could be carried around. From what I"ve read, many locks are different, but if theres something that works more often than others, I'd love some suggestions.
Thanks in advance!

[vector40]

No Knox Boxes in those parts?

[n2oah]

No Knox Boxes in those parts?

Knox boxes are for commerical uses.
It is hard to tell you what method to use to get in easier, because we have no knowledge of the locks used in your area. You could always look for a key under the doormat

[helix]

Get yourself a half diamond and a tension wrench.

..Better yet, a small set for around twenty bucks from
lockpickshop.com

And a bunch of practice locks, similar to the ones that you would expect to come across at work.

If you are accessing the premises for an 'emergency' I wouldn't recommend trying to pick it.

Go with the brute force and just karate chop it.

[vector40]

Knox boxes are for commerical uses.

"The KNOX-BOX® Rapid Entry System provides non-destructive emergency access to commercial and residential property."

[laff66]

While knox boxes could be used for residential purposes, I've NEVER seen it done. If we truly believe there's an emergency, picking the lock would not even come to mind, its just the calls that come in as medical alert alarms. If we were to leave without making entry, and someone was really in trouble, it would be real bad for everyone.
Anyway, I"ll look into the set that was mentioned and keep reading the forum
Thanks!

[laff66]

I guess I should add, "...medical alert alarms that appear to be false, and we just need to cover our butts."

[helix]

I guess I should add, "...medical alert alarms that appear to be false, and we just need to cover our butts."

*unraises the ol' helix eyebrow, haha.

[Pickermeapie]

Kind of Off-topic, but does your department have to pay for damages done to property in response to a call? I know in Baltimore, MD the police can use *ANY* means nessary to enter a property if that officer has reason to believe someone is injured/being injured, or if a crime of substansial nature is being commited, i.e. Destruction of evidence. Not sure what the fire departments rule is here, but I did open a door on one side of a building for the fire department, whilst on the otherside, they were unsuccessfully attempting to pry the door open. Should have seen the look on their faces.

[Pickermeapie]

Forgot to add, the PD dosent need to pay for it either.

[n2oah]

Knox boxes are for commerical uses.

"The KNOX-BOX® Rapid Entry System provides non-destructive emergency access to commercial and residential property."

Mainly for commercial uses, I should've said. I've only seen one Knox Box in my life, and it was a Sargent Keso on a Hotel near the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. For proper residential use, you would need the to buy the same brand of cylinder that the FD uses, then get it keyed the same as the key the FD uses. I doubt that many people would be willing to pay for a high security cylinder and getting it rekeyed.

[laff66]

Funny you should ask about paying for damages. We used to do so in certain situations. Our city decided to draw the line recently when we kicked in the front door of a house that had smoke coming out of it in the middle of July. After banging on every door LOUDLY, we saw no other option, and upon kicking the door in, found a man dressed only in a towel with a 9mm handgun pointed right at our faces. He had been burning documents, then got in the shower so he didn't hear us. Luckily he was a retired police officer and had the nerves to wait and see who he was going to shoot.
Anyway, they absolutely refused to pay for his door jamb, even after a small claims court case.
Soooo, short story long, we don't pay for damages anymore.

[vector40]

Mainly for commercial uses, I should've said. I've only seen one Knox Box in my life, and it was a Sargent Keso on a Hotel near the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. For proper residential use, you would need the to buy the same brand of cylinder that the FD uses, then get it keyed the same as the key the FD uses. I doubt that many people would be willing to pay for a high security cylinder and getting it rekeyed.

Sorry, should have clarified; I meant "residental" in the sense of apartment buildings and other complexes. Maybe that's more commercial in a technical sense.

[iamnick10]

i just did my first deadbolt with a half diamond pick