How Rekeying Works, Step By Step
A rekey pulls the cylinder, swaps the pin stack inside for a new combination, and puts it back — the lock body, the door, and the finish never change. It takes 15 to 25 minutes per cylinder, and at the end you get a new key that works and every old key that stops working immediately.
People rarely ask what a rekey actually involves until it is happening in front of them, and then it looks like less than they expected. That is because it is a small, precise job — not a renovation.
The five steps
| Step | What happens | Roughly how long |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Remove the cylinder | The lock cylinder comes out of the door — the rest of the lock body stays put | 2 to 3 min |
| 2. Extract the old pins | The pin stack that matched the old key comes out | 2 to 3 min |
| 3. Fit new pins | A new combination of pins, cut to match a fresh key | 5 to 10 min |
| 4. Test the new key | Turned several times to confirm smooth operation | 2 min |
| 5. Reassemble | Cylinder goes back into the same lock body | 2 to 3 min |
What does not change
- The lock body, handle and finish — exactly the same hardware as before
- The door itself — nothing is drilled or altered
- The grade of the lock — rekeying does not upgrade or downgrade security level
What does change
Only the pin combination. Every key cut to the old combination — including any copies you do not know about — stops working the moment the new pins go in. There is no transition period; it is complete the moment the cylinder goes back in the door.
Why this differs from a DIY rekey kit
Rekey kits exist and work on the right lock, but the tolerance is small — a dropped spring means the lock stops working entirely, and the kit is brand specific, so it needs to match your exact hardware. A professional rekey uses the same principle with practice and the correct tools, which is the difference between fifteen minutes and an afternoon of troubleshooting.
What you get at the end
- A new key, or several cut to the same combination if you want spares
- Confirmation the old key no longer works
- Keyed alike across multiple doors, if you asked for it
Booking a rekey
Tell us how many doors and whether you want them keyed alike. Full overview of the service is on rekey locks in Kenner, and ranges are on the prices page.