Banhams locks

[joblackdog]

Ive just had a relatively new (within the last 4 years) banhams lock fail.

Its one of the relatively new ones with little holes in the key as opposed to the carved key ones.Has anyone else had a problem and what other locks are out there which people would recommend?

[PigletJohn]

from what you say, I deduce it is a cylinder lock of some kind, possibly a Eurolock.

I prefer a BS 5-lever mortice a cylinders have various weaknesses.

Is it a mortice lock or a nightlatch?

[PigletJohn]

...and does it have a Eurocylinder?

Are you willing and able to pay for an Abloy?

[joblackdog]

Thanks for all the above advice it appears it stuck with dirt...
I have now bought some upmarket lubricant - seems fine now. Scary how easy they are to fail

[FeelingPeaky]

I'm a locksmith by trade. Banham locks are not really fitted outside of London, but I have worked on them in the past.

I wouldn't fit them, myself. Some of them do have reliability issues.

I used to suggest Ingersoll for upmarket security, but again quality is not what it was in the past. The SC71 used to be my favourite rim lock, but not anymore.

My advice would be to go for Chubb/Union mortice locks. The detainer locks like the 3G110 are very reliable, inexpensive and extremely difficult to pick. The sort of lock a bank would have on its front door. Not insurance approved, but then neither is your Banham! The BS3621 approval thing is a bit of a joke really; some of the best locks on the market don't tick the boxes for insurance approval, while some truly awful things that can be opened with tools faster than they can with a key do. Find an insurer that isn't so lazy!

Oh, and tempting as it is, I wouldn't key all my locks to pass. It saves a lot of money if your cleaner loses their key, or if copies fall into the hands of people you don't know. You can take the lock to someone like me, and we can match it to new keys for much less than the price of a new lock.

[pommedeterre]

We have Banham locks. We have had to have it changed twice since we moved in. I find them annoying and the nearest place to go and get new keys done is miles away.
We're not London either, not really sure why the previous owners thought it was a good idea!

[cameramonkey]

We've always had Banham Locks but recently the metal finish delaminated and sliced open my thumb when turning the key. Its out of warranty but I expect these locks to last 50 years not four! Banham not interested.