LSDA Grade 3 Residential Solid (or Removable) Cylinder Deadbolt

Without a doubt, the most popular lock with many of my residential customers is the LSDA Grade 3 Residential Solid (or Removable) Cylinder Deadbolt, so I think it only fitting that it be the first lock that I discuss in the light of the aforementioned standards of quality.

With respect to affordability this lock receives 5/5. The single cylinder version of this lock, depending on the finish chosen, costs between $33.99 and $55.81. It is also very cost effective to maintain. A little Jig-a-Loo: Invisible All Round Lubricant on the bolt, and Lock Saver: Synthetic Lubricant for All Locks in the cylinder once or twice a year will help give this lock years of proper, reliable service.

With respect to strength this lock receives 4/5. It is only secured with two short wood screws and two thin machine screws, so it would be fairly easy to wrench or hammer it off a door. And because it does not come with either drill-resistant pins or plates, it would be fairly easy to defeat it with a good drill and a strong metal bit. It does however come with a 1″ throw bolt with a hardened steel rod insert.

With respect to aesthetics this lock receives a 4/5. It comes in a wide variety of finishes, including polished brass, antique brass, millennium brass, venetian bronze, antique nickel, satin nickel, and satin stainless. Its unassuming design means that it would look good on just about any door. It does however have the dealers initials stamped on its face though, which detracts from its physical appeal slightly, especially when they are stamped off level.

With respect to installability this lock receives 5/5. With the right tools, this lock is very easy to install. It fits a 2-1/8″ hole, which is standard on most factory prepped doors, and can be installed on doors both 1-3/8″ and 1-3/4″ thick. It also comes with an adjustable bolt that can be set to fit a hole with either a 2-3/8″ or 2-3/4″ backset. A lock install does not get any easier than this.

With respect to recombinability this lock receives a 4/5. It is not as easy to recombinate as a SmartKey deadbolt, but it is the next best thing. Rekeying this lock requires a pinning kit and a few special tools, like a plug follower for example. The repining procedure is relatively straight forward, provided you have the operating key, and usually only takes about ten minutes.

With respect to pick and bump resistance this lock receives a 3/5. It is very easy to pick and bump open. It is possible to make this lock bump proof and highly pick resistant though. This is done by replacing select driver pins with spool and bump-halt pins.