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Crenshaw Lock

Master Key System in North Hills · 24/7 mobile

Master Key System in North Hills, California

Crenshaw Lock Company designs and installs master key systems and restricted-key control for North Hills, California properties. We are a fully mobile locksmith available 24/7, so we come to your building and work on site. For a consultation on your property, call (323) 997-8867.

  • Mobile to your North Hills location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
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A master key system lets one key open many locks while each lock still has its own individual key. For a North Hills property manager, that can mean a single key for the maintenance crew that opens every unit, while each tenant's key opens only their own door. For a business owner, it can mean a manager's key that opens the whole suite while staff keys open only the rooms they need.

North Hills has a lot of properties that benefit from this. North Hills East is dense with 1960s and 1970s garden apartments and dingbat buildings, where tenant turnover is high and keys wander. Along Nordhoff Street, Roscoe Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard, small commercial buildings and aluminum-storefront shops often have a pile of keys that nobody can account for. A planned system replaces that tangle with a clear structure.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, led by owner and lead technician David Shar. We are mobile only, with no storefront to visit. We come to your property, look at your doors and how your people use them, and build a system that fits. We can also set up restricted keyways, which means keys cannot be copied at a hardware store without authorization, so you keep control over who holds a working key.

How it works in North Hills

  1. 1

    Walk the property and talk through access needs

    We start on site by looking at the doors, gates, mailrooms, utility closets and offices involved. We ask who needs access to what, such as owners, managers, maintenance, cleaners and tenants, so the structure matches how the property actually runs.

  2. 2

    Design the key hierarchy

    We lay out the levels of the system, from individual keys up through any group or master level, and decide whether you want a restricted keyway. We explain the tradeoffs in plain language, including how adding levels affects flexibility and how much expansion room you want.

  3. 3

    Select compatible hardware

    We look at what you already have, including deadbolts, knobs, levers, mortise locks and Adams Rite-style storefront hardware, and note what can be rekeyed versus what should be replaced. Worn or mismatched locks are flagged so the system is reliable.

  4. 4

    Pin, rekey and install on site

    Because we are fully mobile, we do the work at your property. Cylinders are rekeyed or installed to the designed pattern, and each lock is tested with its own key and with the master key.

  5. 5

    Test, label and hand over keys with records

    We check that every key opens only what it should. We then hand over keys and give you a clear record of the system so you can manage issuing keys, tracking returns and ordering authorized duplicates.

  6. 6

    Plan for turnover and growth

    We explain how to rekey a single unit after a tenant leaves without disturbing the rest of the system, and how to add doors later. Call (323) 997-8867 whenever your property changes.

Need master key system in North Hills?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

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What affects the price

  • The number of doors and cylinders in the system, since each lock must be rekeyed or replaced to fit the plan.
  • How many levels the hierarchy has, such as individual, floor or building group, and master, which affects design and pinning work.
  • Whether you choose a standard keyway or a restricted keyway with controlled duplication, which uses different cylinders and a stricter key-control process.
  • The condition and type of existing hardware, because worn locks, security screen door locks or older storefront deadlatches may need replacement instead of rekeying.
  • How many keys you need cut and for how many people, including spares for maintenance staff and management.
  • Scheduling and site logistics, such as working around tenants in an occupied apartment building or after business hours at a shop.

Why North Hills chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: we come to your North Hills property and do the work there, with no storefront trip.
  • In business since 1987, so we have worked on the older apartment and commercial hardware common in the San Fernando Valley.
  • The owner, David Shar, leads the work, so the person who designs the system understands your property.
  • We explain the design tradeoffs honestly, including when a simpler setup serves you better than a complex one.
  • We can handle residential-style cylinders and commercial storefront hardware in the same project, so one visit can cover the apartments and the front door.
  • Available 24/7 for urgent needs, such as rekeying after a break-in or a lost master key.

Master Key System across North Hills

North Hills, ZIP 91343, splits naturally into two kinds of locksmith work. North Hills West is mostly 1950s and 60s single-family tract homes, where security screen doors and older deadbolts are the usual concerns. North Hills East is denser, with extensive 1960s and 70s dingbat and garden-apartment buildings and higher tenant turnover, and that is where master key systems pay off most.

Picture an apartment complex in North Hills East after a wave of move-outs. Nobody is sure how many old keys are out there, and maintenance is carrying a ring of mismatched keys. A master key system with rekeyed units fixes both problems: each tenant gets a key to only their door, staff get one key that works across the property, and cluster-box or mailbox locks can be included in the plan where appropriate.

On the commercial side, shops along Nordhoff Street, Roscoe Boulevard and Sepulveda Boulevard often have aluminum-frame glass doors with Adams Rite-style deadlatches. Those can be rekeyed into a system, or replaced after an attempted break-in. Whether you manage a building near North Hills Community Park, an office close to the VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center, or a business a short drive from the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area or I-405, we come to you. Call (323) 997-8867.

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Other North Hills locksmith services

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

Master Key System in North Hills — FAQs

What is a master key system?
It is a lock arrangement where each lock has its own key, and a higher-level master key opens a defined group of locks. It is common in apartment buildings, offices and multi-door businesses.
Can you set up a master key system for an apartment building in North Hills East?
Yes. Multifamily buildings are a natural fit. Each unit gets its own key, while a master key can serve management or maintenance. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your building.
Can you reuse my existing locks?
Often, yes. Many cylinders can be rekeyed into the system. Worn or incompatible locks may need replacement, and we tell you which is which after inspecting the doors.
What is a restricted-key system?
It uses a keyway that is not freely available, so keys generally cannot be duplicated without authorization. It gives you tighter control over who holds working keys.
How do I handle a tenant moving out?
A well-designed system lets us rekey just that unit's lock without changing the rest. We explain how this works when we hand over the system, and you can call (323) 997-8867 for turnover rekeys.
Do you work on storefront doors along Nordhoff or Roscoe?
Yes. We work on aluminum-frame glass doors and Adams Rite-style deadlatches, and can rekey them into a system or replace damaged hardware.
Do I need to come to a shop?
No. We are fully mobile with no storefront, so we do everything at your property.
Are you available outside business hours?
We are available 24/7. For urgent issues like a lost master key or a break-in, call (323) 997-8867.
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