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(323) 997-8867
Crenshaw Lock

Key Duplication in Santa Monica · 24/7 mobile

Key Duplication in Santa Monica, CA

Crenshaw Lock Company provides mobile key duplication in Santa Monica, cutting and copying house, office, mailbox and restricted keys at your door. We are available 24/7, with no storefront to visit. Call (323) 997-8867 to describe your key and arrange a visit.

  • Mobile to your Santa Monica 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 quick errand to a hardware counter. In Santa Monica that errand often goes sideways. Keys worn down by years of salt air don't copy cleanly, restricted keystamps can't be duplicated at a kiosk, and the one working key to a rent-controlled apartment may be the only thing standing between you and a lockout. We bring the key machines to you instead, so the copy gets made where the lock actually is.

Crenshaw Lock Company has been serving Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and owner and lead tech David Shar has spent decades around the kinds of locks Santa Monica is full of: older deadbolts on 1920s beach bungalows, mid-century courtyard apartment hardware, mailbox locks, and the keyed cylinders on commercial doors. We are fully mobile and work around the clock, so a copy can happen at your kitchen table, in your office, or beside your car.

A good duplicate is more than a matching shape. A key cut from a tired, worn original passes along that wear, and a copy of a copy can stick or fail within weeks. When the original is in rough shape, we will tell you plainly and talk through options, such as cutting by the lock's code information where it applies or rekeying the lock so a fresh key fits cleanly.

How it works in Santa Monica

  1. 1

    Tell us about the key and the lock

    Call (323) 997-8867 and describe what you need copied: a house key, office key, mailbox key, or a restricted one. Tell us the building type and how many copies you want so we arrive prepared.

  2. 2

    We come to you

    Because we are fully mobile, there is nothing to drop off. We drive to your home, apartment, office or storefront in Santa Monica, any hour of the day or night.

  3. 3

    Inspect the original key

    We check the key for wear, bends, and salt-air corrosion, and confirm the blank type. If the original is badly worn, we explain whether a clean copy is realistic.

  4. 4

    Verify authorization for restricted keys

    Restricted and patent-protected keys are controlled for security reasons. We ask for the proper authorization before duplicating them, which protects you and your building.

  5. 5

    Cut, test and adjust

    We cut the copy on site and test it in the actual lock, not just against the original. If it drags or catches, we fine-tune it before we leave.

Need key duplication in Santa Monica?

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 standard house key is a different job from a high-security, restricted, or transponder-style key.
  • How many copies you need, since multiple cuts in one visit are handled differently from a single copy.
  • The condition of the original key, because worn or corroded keys may need extra work or a different approach.
  • Whether authorization is required for a restricted keyway and how quickly it can be verified.
  • The time of day and location of the visit, given that we are mobile and available 24/7.
  • Whether the lock itself needs attention, such as a sticking cylinder or a rekey to match the new keys.

Why Santa Monica chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: the machines come to your door, so you never have to leave a property unsecured to get a copy made.
  • Available 24/7, including nights and weekends, for the times a spare key can't wait.
  • In business since 1987, with David Shar leading the work and bringing long familiarity with Southern California locks.
  • Honest advice on worn keys: we will say when a copy is likely to fail and suggest a rekey or fresh cut instead.
  • Testing in the real lock, so the copy is confirmed to turn smoothly before we leave.
  • Responsible handling of restricted keys, with authorization checked rather than skipped.

Key Duplication across Santa Monica

Santa Monica's housing stock shapes the key work we see. In Ocean Park, many 1920s Craftsman and Spanish bungalows sit a few blocks from the water, and the salt air is hard on exterior deadbolts, padlocks and gate latches. Keys that have turned in those locks for years pick up wear, and a corroded cylinder can make even a good copy bind. We often cut a fresh key and check the lock in the same visit. In the 90405 area around Ocean Park and Sunset Park, courtyard apartments and older single-family homes tend to have keys that have been copied several times over.

North of Montana, period-revival homes near Montana Avenue often have older hardware and several doors keyed in different ways, such as front, side, garage and gate. Near the 90402 ZIP, we can bring spare keys into line so a household isn't carrying a heavy ring. Rent-controlled apartments around Pico, Wilmont and the Montana corridor see regular tenant turnover, so landlords and property managers often need extra keys cut or a rekey before a new tenant moves in.

Downtown, around the Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Place and the 90401 ZIP, newer mixed-use condos often rely on fobs and intercoms, while retail units and offices use keyed cylinders on aluminum storefront doors. We handle the keyed side, including office and mailbox keys. Whether you're near Santa Monica College, Bergamot Station, or just off Lincoln Boulevard or Wilshire, call (323) 997-8867 and we will come to you.

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 Santa Monica locksmith services

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

Key Duplication in Santa Monica — FAQs

Do you copy keys at a shop in Santa Monica?
No. Crenshaw Lock Company is fully mobile and has no storefront. We come to your home, office or building anywhere in Santa Monica and cut the key on location. Call (323) 997-8867 to set it up.
Can you duplicate a key stamped 'Do Not Duplicate'?
That stamp is often a marketing mark rather than a legal barrier, but truly restricted keyways are different. We confirm which kind you have and check authorization where needed before copying.
Why won't my old beach-area key copy well?
Salt air and years of use wear down key cuts, and a copy inherits that wear. If your original is badly worn, we will talk through options such as a fresh cut or rekeying the lock.
Can you copy a mailbox key?
In many cases yes. Mailbox keys vary by lock type, and some are controlled. Call (323) 997-8867 with a description and we will tell you what is possible.
Do you make extra keys for rental apartments between tenants?
Yes. Property managers and landlords often need extra keys or a rekey at turnover. We can cut copies and rekey cylinders so old keys no longer work.
Can you copy office and storefront keys?
Yes, including keys for aluminum storefront doors and commercial cylinders. Restricted commercial keys may require authorization from the person or company in control of the system.
Are you available late at night or on weekends?
Yes, we are available 24/7. If you need a spare key outside normal hours, call (323) 997-8867.
What if the key doesn't work smoothly in the lock after copying?
We test each copy in the actual lock before leaving and adjust it if it sticks. If the lock itself is the problem, such as a corroded cylinder, we will tell you and suggest a repair or replacement.
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