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Crenshaw Lock

Master Key System in San Marino · 24/7 mobile

Master Key System in San Marino, California

Crenshaw Lock Company designs and installs master key and restricted key systems in San Marino, California. We are a fully mobile locksmith available 24/7, and we come to your property. To plan a system with real key control, call us at (323) 997-8867.

  • Mobile to your San Marino location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
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A master key system lets different keys open different doors, with a small number of keys opening many. A restricted keyway adds a layer on top: keys cannot be copied at a hardware-store kiosk without authorization. In San Marino, these tools matter more than most people expect. Large estates, gated gardens, guest houses, pool houses, garages and staff entrances can easily add up to a dozen or more locks, each one with its own key floating around among family members, housekeepers, gardeners, and contractors.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and David Shar leads the work. We are mobile only. There is no storefront to visit, so we plan, pin and install the system at your property. That means we can look at the actual doors, the actual hardware and the actual way your household or office moves through the day before we recommend anything.

San Marino is mostly residential, with modest commercial space along Huntington Drive. So our work here usually falls into two groups: private estates that want one clean hierarchy of keys, and small offices, practices and shops that need staff keys, a manager key and a controlled owner key. Either way, the goal is the same: the right people open the right doors, and you always know who holds what.

How it works in San Marino

  1. 1

    Walk the property and list every lock

    We start by going through your home or building and recording each lock: front and service doors, garden and side gates, garages, guest quarters, offices, safes rooms and storage. We note the hardware type, including original mortise sets common on 1920s and 1930s homes, and whether each lock can be re-pinned or needs a new cylinder.

  2. 2

    Define who needs access to what

    We sit down with you and map out access levels. A family might want one key for the whole house, another for the garden and garage only, and a limited key for a cleaning crew or gardener. A business might want an owner grand master, a manager master and individual staff keys. This hierarchy drives the entire design.

  3. 3

    Choose the keyway and level of key control

    We discuss standard keyways versus restricted keyways. A restricted system limits unauthorized duplication, which helps when staff change or keys have been handed out over the years. We explain the tradeoffs honestly, including how master keying affects the overall security of a lock.

  4. 4

    Install, re-pin and fit cylinders

    On site, we rekey suitable existing locks and install new cylinders where needed. On vintage mortise hardware, we work to keep the original brass and finish intact while upgrading what is inside the lock. Every door is tested with each key level that should and should not open it.

  5. 5

    Cut keys and document the system

    We cut and label your keys and give you a clear key schedule showing which key opens which doors. That record is the backbone of key control, and it makes future additions or staff changes much easier to handle.

  6. 6

    Ongoing changes and additions

    Systems grow. When you add a guest house, hire new staff or need to cancel a lost key's access, we can extend or revise the system. Call us any time at (323) 997-8867.

Need master key system in San Marino?

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 locks and doors in the system, including gates, outbuildings and interior doors
  • The number of access levels you want, such as grand master, master and individual change keys
  • Whether existing locks can be re-pinned or need new cylinders, which is common with older or mismatched hardware
  • Standard versus restricted keyway and the level of duplication control you want
  • The type of hardware involved, including original mortise sets, high-security deadbolts, or smart-lock systems
  • The number of keys to be cut and whether a written key schedule and later additions are needed
  • Timing and location, such as an after-hours or urgent call versus a scheduled visit

Why San Marino chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: we plan and install the system at your property rather than asking you to bring locks anywhere
  • In business since 1987, with owner and lead technician David Shar involved in the work
  • Comfortable with period hardware: we try to preserve original brass mortise sets while upgrading the cylinder inside
  • We design the key hierarchy around how your household or business actually works, not a one-size template
  • We give you a written key schedule, so you know exactly which key opens which doors
  • Available 24/7, which helps when a lost key or staff change means you need to act quickly

Master Key System across San Marino

San Marino's housing makes master keying a natural fit. Around the Huntington Library district and the streets nearby, many homes are large period-revival estates from the 1920s and 1930s, in Spanish Colonial, Tudor and Georgian styles, with solid-wood doors and original mortise hardware. Owners here often want to keep that vintage character while quietly raising security. A master key system can bring front doors, service entrances, garden gates and garages under one organized scheme without replacing handsome original hardware.

In the Lacy Park neighborhood and elsewhere in ZIP code 91108, we often see properties with several outbuildings, side gates and staff who come and go. After a staff change or a lost key, many owners prefer to re-pin everything to a tidy hierarchy instead of just replacing one lock. Typical examples include a whole-house rekey with a safe deadbolt upgrade, or rekeying every exterior door and the garden gates to a single key, then adding limited keys for service providers.

On the commercial side, the Mission District along Huntington Drive has small, neighborhood-scale offices and shops where an owner key, a manager key and staff keys make sense. We reach properties off Huntington Dr, Sierra Madre Blvd, San Gabriel Blvd, Del Mar Ave and Los Robles Ave, and near landmarks such as Lacy Park, El Molino Viejo and the Crowell Public Library. We are mobile only, so we come to you.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

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

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Other San Marino locksmith services

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

Master Key System in San Marino — FAQs

What is a master key system?
It is a lock arrangement where each lock has its own key, and one or more higher-level keys can open several or all of them. For example, a family might have a key that opens only the garage and garden gate, while another key opens the entire house.
Can you master key the original mortise locks on my San Marino home?
Often yes, depending on the condition of the hardware. We aim to keep the original brass and finish while adjusting or replacing the cylinder inside. We look at each lock in person to say what is possible. Call (323) 997-8867 to arrange a visit.
What is a restricted key system?
A restricted keyway uses key blanks that are not freely available, so copies generally require authorization. This helps with key control, especially when many people have had keys over the years.
Does master keying make locks less secure?
Master keying adds some complexity inside a lock, which can slightly change its security profile compared to a single-key cylinder. A well-designed system with good cylinders and restricted keys manages that tradeoff. We explain it plainly before you decide.
Can you include gates, garages and outbuildings?
Yes. Many San Marino properties have side gates, garden gates, garages and guest houses. We can bring all of them into one system with different access levels for family, staff and service providers.
We had a staff change. Should we replace everything?
Not necessarily. Often we can re-pin existing locks to a new key hierarchy, which cancels old keys without replacing hardware. We can discuss the best option over the phone at (323) 997-8867.
Do you work with small businesses on Huntington Drive?
Yes. Offices and shops commonly want an owner master, a manager key and individual staff keys. We design the levels around your staffing and doors.
Do you have a shop I can visit?
No. We are fully mobile and available 24/7, and we do the work at your property.
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