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Crenshaw Lock

Master Key System in Ojai · 24/7 mobile

Master Key System in Ojai, California

Crenshaw Lock Company designs and installs master-key and restricted-key systems with key control for Ojai, California properties. We are fully mobile and available 24/7, coming to your building rather than a shop. Call (323) 997-8867 to plan a system for your business, rental portfolio or estate.

  • Mobile to your Ojai 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 convenience, and it is, but its real value is control. One key opens many doors for the people who need that access, while every other key opens only its own door. Done well, you know who holds what, you can pull access from one person without rekeying the building, and you can add doors years later without starting over.

Ojai is a place where this matters in a particular way. The Arcade on Ojai Avenue and the shops, galleries and offices around it sit in historic Spanish Colonial Revival buildings, many with original mortise hardware. Just outside downtown, the Arbolada's wooded streets and the East End's ranch and estate properties bring outbuildings, gates and guest houses. Vacation rentals add another layer, with cleaners, managers, owners and guests all needing different levels of access.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and David Shar leads the work. We are mobile only, so there is no storefront to visit. We come to the property, look at the doors, talk through who needs access to what, and build a system around the way you actually operate.

How it works in Ojai

  1. 1

    Walk the property and map the doors

    We start on site. We note every door, gate, cabinet and outbuilding, the hardware already installed, and the condition of cylinders and strikes. In older Ojai buildings that often means mortise locks, period trim and doors that have been painted or adjusted over many decades.

  2. 2

    Define who needs access to what

    We sit down with you and sort people into levels: individual doors, groups of doors, and full access. A shop owner, a rental manager, a cleaning crew and a ranch caretaker usually need very different things, and this step is where the system takes shape.

  3. 3

    Design the key hierarchy

    We lay out the structure of change keys, sub-masters and a top master, and decide whether a restricted keyway is worthwhile. Restricted keys can only be duplicated through authorized channels, which makes key control far stronger than with common blanks.

  4. 4

    Install or pin the cylinders

    We fit new cylinders or rekey existing ones to the planned hierarchy. Where hardware is historic or visible hardware is limited by design review, we work to keep the look of the door intact and pick compatible, discreet cylinders.

  5. 5

    Test every key on every lock

    Before we leave, we test each key against each door to confirm it opens what it should and nothing else. A master system fails quietly when a pinning mistake goes unnoticed, so this check is thorough.

  6. 6

    Document and hand over control

    You receive a clear record of the key schedule, who is issued what, and how to request additional keys. We explain how to add doors later and how to handle a lost key without rebuilding the whole system.

Need master key system in Ojai?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • The number of doors, gates and other locks that need to be included in the system.
  • Whether existing cylinders can be rekeyed or new cylinders and hardware are needed, which is common with older mortise locks.
  • The depth of the hierarchy: a simple master and change keys, or multiple sub-master levels for different groups.
  • Whether you choose a restricted keyway with controlled duplication rather than a standard keyway.
  • The number of keys to be cut and issued, and whether keys need to be stamped or tracked.
  • Add-on work such as gate, keypad or intercom integration on a rural property, or time-of-day service outside normal hours.

Why Ojai chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: we work at your property, look at the real doors and install on site, with no shop visit required.
  • Experience since 1987 across Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County, including older buildings with original hardware.
  • We design the system around how you operate, whether that is a retail strip, a rental portfolio or an estate with outbuildings, instead of selling a standard package.
  • Respect for historic character: we aim for discreet, period-appropriate solutions where visible modern locks would clash with the building.
  • Honest advice on key control, including when a restricted keyway makes sense and when it would be overkill.
  • Available 24/7, so a lost master key or an urgent change of access does not have to wait for business hours.

Master Key System across Ojai

In downtown Ojai, the Arcade along Ojai Avenue and the businesses near Libbey Park, Bart's Books and the Post Office Tower share a distinctive character. After the 1917 fire the town was rebuilt in Spanish Colonial Revival style, and that look is still protected. A master key system for a shop or office in the 93023 area often has to work with original mortise hardware and avoid adding conspicuous modern locks, so cylinder choice and finish matter.

The Arbolada is a different case. Its 1920s custom homes on wooded lots may have a main house, a guest cottage and a studio, and owners sometimes want one key for family and a limited key for a housekeeper or contractor. Where design review limits visible modern hardware, we focus on cylinders that fit existing period locks rather than replacing them.

Out in the East End and across the valley, in 93023 and 93024, ranch and estate properties often have gates, barns, workshops and intercom systems. A master key system there can tie gate and building access into one plan. Vacation rentals near the Arcade or the Ojai Valley Inn benefit too, since managers, cleaners and owners can each hold the right level of access. We also serve nearby Meiners Oaks, Mira Monte and Oak View, reached along SR-33, SR-150 and Grand Avenue.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

Other Ojai locksmith services

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

Master Key System in Ojai — FAQs

What is a master key system?
It is a lock arrangement where each door has its own key, while a master key opens a defined group of doors or all of them. It lets you control access by role instead of handing out a key ring to everyone. Call (323) 997-8867 to discuss what structure suits your property.
Can you install a master key system in a historic Ojai building?
Often yes. Many downtown and older Ojai buildings have mortise locks that can be fitted with compatible cylinders, which keeps the original look. We inspect the doors first and tell you honestly what can be kept and what should be replaced.
What is a restricted keyway and do I need one?
A restricted keyway uses blanks that are not freely sold, so keys can only be copied through authorized channels. It adds key control for businesses and rentals where unauthorized duplication is a worry. For a small, low-turnover property, a standard keyway may be enough.
Can a master key system work for a vacation rental?
Yes. You can give cleaners access to the units they service, keep guest keys limited to one door, and hold a master for yourself. If you use keypad locks, we can also reprogram or rekey them to fit the plan.
Can you include gates and outbuildings on an East End estate?
We can include padlocks, outbuilding doors and other locks in the key plan, and discuss how gate and intercom hardware fits with it. The details depend on the equipment already installed, which we check during the site visit.
Can you add doors to the system later?
Generally yes, if the system was designed with growth in mind. That is why we document the key schedule and hierarchy at the start. Call (323) 997-8867 when you are ready to expand and we will review what you have.
What happens if someone loses a master key?
A lost master is serious because it opens many doors. Depending on the system, we can rekey the affected locks or reissue keys at the proper level. Acting quickly limits risk, and we are available 24/7.
Do I have to come to a shop?
No. Crenshaw Lock Company is fully mobile with no storefront. We come to your Ojai property, do the work on site and test everything before we leave.
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