ERA Fortress BS 3621 2.5-inch/ 64mm 5 Lever Maximum Security Mortice Deadlock - Chrome Effect, Grey

These are very substantial locks, with a good key action and they're very easy to install. I used a 22mm wood drill (Bosch Pro range, as for sale on Amazon) and got the frame and door apertures cut quickly. The lock itself comes with a front cover plate so you don't actually see the red body paint when installed, just a bright chrome plate which matches the one you fit to the door frame. A very smooth key-turn action, and the bolt has a LONG travel that means it goes into the door frame a long way. The lock comes with a keyhole plate for the inside of the door, and a covered key plate for the outer door face to keep the rain out. The lock has an extra quarter-turn at each end to retain the keys in the lock in either direction. The screws supplied for the lock and frame plate are also substantial. Nice and long, with a large diameter but they didn't split the wood in the frame or door when I installed them. They seem to go in really tight, adding to the impression that you've purchased a very high security lock. It's got to be 5 stars for how substantial this unit is, how easy it is to fit, how smooth the lock action is and the overall impression of added security you're getting.

Good lock for the money. Replaced an old lock with this new one. The lock fitted in the door without any modification to the wood. The other metal part the lock turns into was bigger than the old one so the door frame needed chisling out a little bigger. Basically just a few mm along the top and down one side so the plate would sit in flush as it is slightly taller and wider than the old plate it replaced. It came with 2 keyhole covers and some screws. The big screws I replaced with some bigger ones with stronger heads as the supplied screws rounded out on me as I didn't have a drill. I used bigger and longer screws for better strength.You really should have a mortice lock on a door if you only have a Yale type lock then I suggest you should get a mortice lock if you don't have one. Yale locks can be broken into far too easily in a few ways. A mortice lock is a lot more secure and stronger.For the money it's a really solid lock. You'd have to break the whole door down to get in now.I would also advise to have half decent chisel and a hammer so you can do a neat job of fitting it. It's not hard to do. Easy with a sharp chisel say about a 1" width will do just so you can fit the side plate on. If it's the same size as the old plate then you can do a straight swap or just leave the old plate fitted.The lock fitted solidly and my door is very solid and secure now.If fitting from scratch you'll obviously need all the proper tools or a lock smith or carpenter to do it for you.It arrived quickly in only a few days time. I ordered from Richards Builders Merchants based in the UK here on Amazon UK. I choose these as it was the best price and I did not use Prime.The item was new, boxed, complete and it came supplied with 2 keys.

Bought to replace exactly same item which sadly conked out after 8 years. I can't complain, as my old lock was used constantly 3\4+ times every single day.Occasional use will obviously extend lock life cycle.To change over new lock from the old was a 2 minute job. Easy.Only negative is 2 keys. I would have preferred 3 but can get one cut relatively cheap locally.The price for this item was the best I could find anywhere here on Amazon...Great deal.

Like the mortice sashlock this is a cheap but decent quality 5-lever ERA lock to replace older ERA locks - though again don't expect to just remove the old lock and screw in the new one...Yet again the locking box is bigger so make sure you have your chisel and make the hole bigger - you cannot use the old locking box. Is there some conspiracy to give jobs to carpenters so that normal people cannot just DIY? I really don't know.Also it comes with only 2 keys - not 3 like other locks so make sure you budget for that.

Good quality and easy to install.

I wanted my shed to be extra secure as it is a small workshop and the tools in there are expensive. So I bought two of these and one of the Era locks that are the same but also supports a door handle. My intension was to put all three on my shed door and link them together such that using the key on the lock with the handle would open and close the two other locks at the same time (which are placed at the top and bottom of the door).To link them meant that I had to cut holes in the side of the casing (on the internal side of the door) and drill mounting screws into the sliding lock mechanism.With a dremel tool it took me more than an hour to cut into the side of each and I only needed a relatively small slot in each. To actually cut enough into it to access the mechanism would take hours. To drill holes in the sliding mechanism was actually impossible in the sections that an intruder would be able to get to. It is made of layers which alternate between something that looks like stainless steel and layers that are black. My drill would go through the first steel layer no problem, which is a couple of milimeters. But when it hits the black layer the drill will not go through no matter how hard you press or how long you try. I did find a very small section inside the lock that I could attach to in the end and my triple lock system is now working well.My difficulties in modifying these locks has left me confident in their strength against a brute force attack. Nobody is going to succeed with an attack on these with hand tools and power tools. The only way to open the door would be to either smash the door or pick the lock. I can't say how hard it would be to pick the lock, but I suspect that is a skill few intruders would have.

Clear fitting instructions - chisels required. Simple, robust, with fittings stronger than the ERA version sold 15 years ago. However, it slotted into the same position as the old one, so that's an indicator of the lasting strength of the design. Current keys are steel rather than brass too.

Key shaft snapped on first turn… absolute rubbish