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Crenshaw Lock

Master Key System in Arleta · 24/7 mobile

Master Key System Installation in Arleta, California

Crenshaw Lock Company designs and installs master key and restricted key systems with real key control for Arleta, California properties. We are fully mobile and available 24/7, coming to your building rather than a shop. For a walkthrough and a plan, call (323) 997-8867.

  • Mobile to your Arleta location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
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A master key system sounds like a big-building feature, but in Arleta it solves very ordinary problems. A landlord with a dingbat apartment building off Van Nuys Boulevard may be carrying a ring of a dozen near-identical keys. A shop owner on the Woodman Avenue and Osborne Street commercial strip may have employees who each need different doors, plus a manager who needs all of them. A property owner with several rental homes may be tired of re-learning which key opens which house after every tenant turnover.

A master key system organizes all of that. Each lock has its own key, called a change key, and a higher-level master key opens a defined group of locks. Larger setups can add a grand master above that. Restricted keyways go a step further: the key blanks are controlled, so a copy cannot simply be cut at any hardware counter. That is the key control part, and it is often the reason people call us.

Since 1987, Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County, and owner and lead tech David Shar has seen how many systems fail because they were planned badly, not because the hardware was poor. We are mobile only, so there is no storefront to visit. We come to the property, look at the doors you actually have, and design around them.

How it works in Arleta

  1. 1

    Talk through who needs access to what

    We start with the people, not the hardware. Who are the tenants, employees, vendors, or family members, and which doors should each of them open? We sketch an access hierarchy covering change keys, masters, and any grand master, so the system matches how the property is really used.

  2. 2

    Walk the property and inspect every opening

    We visit in person and look at every door, gate, and cabinet that will be part of the system. In Arleta that can mean original mid-century Kwikset or Weiser knob sets, heavy aftermarket deadbolts, wrought-iron security screen doors with worn locks, and aging garage or side-gate padlocks. Each one affects what can be keyed into the system and what should be replaced.

  3. 3

    Choose the keyway and level of key control

    We explain the options in plain language, from a standard keyway with a master pinning scheme to a restricted keyway with controlled blanks. You decide how tightly you want to control duplication, and we recommend what fits your situation and your budget.

  4. 4

    Install, rekey, or replace the hardware

    We pin or rekey existing cylinders where they are sound and replace the ones that are too worn or too weak to trust. Damaged strike plates, loose jambs, and failing deadbolts get addressed at the same time, since a master key system is only as strong as the doors it protects.

  5. 5

    Test every key against every lock

    Before we leave, each change key is tested on its own lock and confirmed not to open the others. Each master is tested across its whole group. Nothing gets handed over until it works as designed.

  6. 6

    Hand over keys and a record of the system

    We deliver labeled keys and a clear key schedule showing which key opens which lock. We also talk through how to issue, track, and retrieve keys so the system stays under control long after we have left.

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What affects the price

  • The number of locks and doors in the system, since each cylinder has to be pinned or replaced and tested individually.
  • How many levels the hierarchy has, such as change keys only, a master level, or a grand master above that.
  • Whether you want a standard keyway or a restricted keyway with controlled key blanks, which adds protection against unauthorized copies.
  • The condition of existing hardware, because worn knob sets, damaged deadbolts, and weak strike plates may need replacing rather than rekeying.
  • The number of keys you need cut and how they are distributed across people and roles.
  • Whether the work is scheduled during normal hours or needed after hours, and how many openings are involved, including gates, garages, and security screen doors.

Why Arleta chooses us

  • Fully mobile and available 24/7, so we can work around your tenants' or employees' schedules instead of asking you to come to us.
  • In business since 1987, with David Shar as owner and lead tech, which means decades of seeing how key systems hold up in real buildings.
  • We design the system around your property and the people using it, not a one-size package that gets forced onto every building.
  • We look at the whole opening, including jambs, strikes, and security screen door locks, rather than keying a cylinder into a door that can be kicked in.
  • We hand over a written key schedule and guidance on key control, so you are not left guessing which key does what.
  • We are honest when a simpler fix, like a straightforward rekey, will do the job and a full master key system is not needed.

Master Key System across Arleta

Arleta's building stock shapes how we approach master key work here. Much of the neighborhood is post-war single-family tract housing from the late 1940s and 1950s, with a scattering of 1960s and 70s dingbat and garden apartment buildings along the arterials. Landlords in the Branford Park district who own a few rentals near Branford Recreation Center & Park often want one master key that opens every unit's entry, a shared garage, and a side gate, while tenants each keep a key that opens only their own door. Rekeying a tired original Kwikset set at turnover and tying it into a system is a natural next step.

Along the Van Nuys Boulevard corridor and the Woodman Avenue and Osborne Street commercial strip, the needs lean toward small businesses and multi-unit buildings. A shop owner may want staff keys for the front and back doors, a manager key for the office and stockroom, and a restricted keyway so no one can duplicate them casually. Many properties also have wrought-iron security screen doors and window bars whose own locks have worn out, and we can include those in the plan. Rusted padlocks on older detached garages and side gates are another common weak link we can replace and key to match the main system.

We serve all of ZIP code 91331 and the surrounding area, including properties near Arleta High School and along Branford Street. If you are not sure whether you need a full master key system or just a rekey, call (323) 997-8867 and we will talk it through before anyone makes the trip.

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Other Arleta locksmith services

See all of our Arleta services, or our citywide master key system page.

Master Key System in Arleta — FAQs

What is a master key system?
It is a lock setup where each lock has its own key, and a master key opens a defined group of those locks. Larger systems can add a grand master above that. It lets different people have different levels of access without carrying a huge ring of keys.
Is a master key system worth it for a small Arleta rental property?
It can be, especially if you own several units or a mix of homes, garages, and gates. If you only have one or two doors, a simple rekey may be all you need. Call (323) 997-8867 and we will give you an honest recommendation.
What does a restricted keyway do?
A restricted keyway uses key blanks that are not sold openly, so a copy cannot be made at an ordinary hardware counter. That gives you real key control, because duplicates have to go through an authorized source.
Can you use my existing locks?
Often, yes. Cylinders in good condition can frequently be rekeyed or repinned into the system. Worn original knob sets, damaged deadbolts, or weak hardware are usually better replaced, and we will point out which is which during the walkthrough.
Can the system include garage padlocks, gates, and security screen doors?
Yes. Many Arleta properties have detached garages, side gates, and wrought-iron screen doors. We can key compatible locks into the system or replace worn ones so everything works together.
Do you come to me, or do I visit a shop?
We are fully mobile and have no storefront. We come to your property, available 24/7. You can reach us anytime at (323) 997-8867.
How do I stop employees or tenants from copying keys?
A restricted keyway is the strongest option, since blanks are controlled. Beyond hardware, we also suggest simple habits like labeling keys by code instead of address and keeping a log of who holds which key.
What if a master key is lost?
That depends on the level of the key and how the system was designed. A lost change key is usually a simple fix, while a lost master may call for rekeying part of the system. Tell us what happened and we will explain the options.
DS

Reviewed by David Shar — Owner & Lead Technician

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-12.

Call (323) 997-8867 · Open 24/7