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(323) 997-8867
Crenshaw Lock

Key Duplication in Pasadena · 24/7 mobile

Key Duplication in Pasadena, California

Crenshaw Lock Company offers mobile key duplication in Pasadena, California, cutting house, office, mailbox and restricted keys on location. We are available 24/7 and come to your home, office or storefront. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through the key you need copied.

  • Mobile to your Pasadena location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
Key cutting machine duplicating a brass key
Open now(323) 997-8867

Most people think of key copying as a trip to a hardware counter. In Pasadena, where so many homes were built between the 1900s and 1930s, the key in your hand may not be a simple modern blank at all. It might be an old skeleton key for a mortise lock, a worn brass key that has been copied from a copy for decades, or a high-security key that a hardware store will not touch. Crenshaw Lock Company brings the key machine to you, so the copy is made where you can test it in the actual lock.

We are a fully mobile locksmith. There is no storefront to visit, and that is deliberate: a technician who arrives at the door can see the lock, check how the existing key wears in it, and cut a copy that works smoothly rather than one that merely looks right. We have served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, under owner and lead technician David Shar, and we answer the phone around the clock at (323) 997-8867.

Key duplication covers more than a single house key. We copy residential keys, office and suite keys, mailbox keys, and many restricted keys, with the proper authorization where a key is restricted. If the original is badly worn, we can often cut from the lock or from a better reference, so the new key does not inherit the old key's flaws.

How it works in Pasadena

  1. 1

    Tell us about the key and the lock

    Call (323) 997-8867 and describe what you need copied: a front door key, a mailbox key, an office key, or something stamped with a restricted or do-not-duplicate marking. Mention how many copies you want and whether the original is worn or sticking. This helps us bring the right blanks.

  2. 2

    We come to your location

    Because we are mobile and available 24/7, we travel to your home, apartment court, office or storefront. You do not need to drive anywhere with your only key in your pocket.

  3. 3

    Inspect the key and the lock

    Before cutting, we examine the original key, identify the keyway and brand, and look at the lock itself. An old key that is worn or bent can produce a poor copy, so we assess whether it is a good pattern or whether the lock should be used as the reference.

  4. 4

    Cut and finish the copy

    We cut the new key on our equipment, then deburr and smooth it so it does not shed metal shavings or catch in the cylinder. Precision matters most with older Craftsman-era hardware, where tolerances have loosened over many years.

  5. 5

    Test in the real lock

    We try the new key in the lock it was made for, turning it repeatedly and checking the latch or deadbolt throw. If the copy binds, we adjust or recut it before you pay for it.

  6. 6

    Verify restricted keys and talk about next steps

    For restricted keys we confirm authorization before copying. If a lock is failing, or too many unknown copies exist, we can discuss rekeying so only the keys you hold will work.

Need key duplication in Pasadena?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • The type of key: a basic house key is a different job than a high-security, dimple, or restricted key that needs special blanks or verification.
  • The number of copies requested, since a single spare and a full set for a household or office are not the same amount of work.
  • The condition of the original key; a worn or damaged key may need to be reproduced from the lock instead, which takes more time.
  • Age and style of the hardware, such as antique mortise locks or skeleton keys that may need hand fitting rather than a standard blank.
  • The time and location of the call, including after-hours or overnight service, since we operate 24/7 and travel to you.
  • Whether related work is added, such as rekeying a lock, replacing a worn cylinder, or adding a deadbolt, which is quoted separately.

Why Pasadena chooses us

  • Fully mobile: we bring the cutting equipment to your door, and there is no shop to drive to.
  • Experience since 1987 with older residential hardware, including the mortise and rim locks common in Pasadena's early 20th-century homes.
  • We test every copy in the lock it is meant for, not just on the bench.
  • We do not push replacement when a careful copy or rekey will do, which matters in protected districts where original brass hardware is valued.
  • Restricted keys are handled with proper authorization rather than a quiet workaround, which protects you and your property.
  • Available 24/7 by phone at (323) 997-8867, so a lost spare or a key that snapped in the lock is not stuck waiting for store hours.

Key Duplication across Pasadena

Pasadena has a housing stock that makes key work interesting. In Bungalow Heaven, the landmark district of 1900s to 1930s Craftsman bungalows, many doors still carry original mortise locks, rim locks and brass escutcheons. Owners there often want a working spare of an old key, or a rekey after a sale, without disturbing the period hardware. The same applies to the 1910s and 1920s estates of Madison Heights and the Garfield Heights area, where a single front-door key may have been copied many times over the years.

Around Old Pasadena, the Playhouse District and along Colorado Boulevard and Lake Avenue, the work shifts toward commercial and multi-tenant keys: aluminum-frame storefront doors, office suites, and mid-century apartment courts near Caltech and PCC where tenants need extra keys for roommates or a landlord wants a clean set. In Hastings Ranch, newer family homes more often need spare house, garage-entry and mailbox keys cut for kids and visitors. We work throughout ZIP codes 91101, 91103, 91104, 91105, 91106 and 91107.

Whether you are near the Rose Bowl, the Norton Simon Museum, The Gamble House, Pasadena City Hall or Huntington Hospital, getting to us is simple: we come to you. Staff on a hospital shift or a resident coming off the I-210 or SR-134 late at night can call (323) 997-8867 and arrange a copy on location.

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 Pasadena locksmith services

See all of our Pasadena services, or our citywide key duplication page.

Key Duplication in Pasadena — FAQs

Can you copy a key at my home in Pasadena instead of me visiting a shop?
Yes. We are fully mobile and have no storefront, so we bring the key cutting equipment to your home, office or business. Call (323) 997-8867 to arrange it.
Can you duplicate old skeleton keys or keys for antique mortise locks?
Often, yes. Many Craftsman homes in Bungalow Heaven and Madison Heights still have original hardware. Depending on the key, we may cut a copy, fit a blank by hand, or recommend rekeying the lock while preserving the original brass.
What if my key says 'Do Not Duplicate'?
That stamp is not always a legal restriction, but true restricted keys need authorization. We verify authorization before copying and will explain what is possible. Call (323) 997-8867 to discuss your specific key.
Do you copy mailbox keys?
Yes. We can cut mailbox keys on location, which is handy for apartment courts and multi-unit buildings around Lake Avenue and near Caltech or PCC.
My key is badly worn. Will a copy work?
A copy of a worn key inherits its wear and may not turn smoothly. We can often cut from the lock itself or another reference so the new key works better. We test it in your lock before finishing.
Are you available at night or on weekends?
Yes, we are available 24/7. If you lose a spare or need a copy after hours, call (323) 997-8867.
Should I copy my keys or rekey after buying a home?
After a sale, rekeying is usually the better first step because unknown people may hold old keys. Once the lock is rekeyed, we can cut as many copies of the new key as you need.
Do you copy office and storefront keys in Old Pasadena?
Yes. We copy commercial keys for offices and storefronts along Colorado Boulevard and nearby, subject to any key control or restricted system requirements.
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