Losing the key to your home can feel like a major setback, creating both a security risk and a significant inconvenience. Your first thought might be to call a locksmith or even replace the entire lock, both of which can be costly and time-consuming.
However, there’s a more efficient and affordable solution: rekeying the lock yourself. Rekeying a Kwikset lock, even without the original key, is a manageable task that can restore your home’s security and give you peace of mind.
This guide on how to rekey a kwikset lock without a key will walk you through the entire process, empowering you to take control of your home’s safety without needing to call a professional.
What Will You Need?
Before you begin, gathering the right tools will make the process smooth and successful. Here is a list of everything you’ll need to rekey your Kwikset lock:
- A Kwikset rekeying kit (specific to your lock type, either standard or SmartKey)
- A cradle unit or plug follower
- A shim tool (often included in rekeying kits or can be a thin piece of metal)
- A key decoder
- A new key
- A flathead screwdriver
- A Phillips head screwdriver
- Needle-nose pliers
10 Easy Steps on How to Rekey a Kwikset Lock Without a Key
Follow these detailed steps carefully to ensure your lock is rekeyed correctly. This process involves disassembling the lock, so it’s important to keep track of all the small parts.
Step 1: Remove the Lock from the Door
Your first task is to take the lock cylinder off the door. Start on the interior side of the door. You will see two screws holding the thumb-turn mechanism and the interior housing in place. Use a Phillips head screwdriver to loosen and remove these screws. Once they are out, you can gently pull both the interior and exterior sides of the knob or lever apart and away from the door. The exterior handle, which contains the lock cylinder, is what you need for the next steps. Be careful not to lose the screws or any other small components as you disassemble the lock. Place them in a small container to keep them safe until it’s time to reassemble everything.
Step 2: Access the Lock Cylinder
With the exterior handle removed, you need to get to the core of the lock—the cylinder. Look at the shaft on the back of the handle. You’ll notice a small retaining clip, often C-shaped, that holds the cylinder in place. Using a flathead screwdriver or the tip of your needle-nose pliers, carefully pry this clip off. It can be a bit springy, so be gentle to avoid sending it flying across the room. Once the clip is removed, the lock cylinder should slide out of the handle housing. This is the part of the lock that you will be rekeying.
Step 3: Insert the Shim Tool
This is the most crucial step when rekeying without the original key. The goal is to separate the inner plug from the outer cylinder housing. Take your shim tool, which is a very thin, flexible piece of metal. You need to slide it into the keyway, right above where the key would normally go. The objective is to get the shim between the top pins (driver pins) and the bottom pins. Wiggle it gently and push it in slowly. You are trying to lift the top pins just enough to allow the cylinder to turn without a key. This requires patience and a delicate touch. You might feel slight resistance as the shim moves past each pin.
Step 4: Turn the Cylinder Plug
Once the shim is correctly positioned, you need to turn the cylinder plug. While keeping the shim in place, use a flathead screwdriver in the keyway to apply gentle rotational pressure. You want to turn the plug about 15 to 20 degrees. The shim holds the top pins up, allowing the plug to rotate just enough to clear the shear line. Don’t force it; if it doesn’t turn, readjust the shim and try again. The plug should move smoothly when the pins are properly aligned. This partial turn is essential for being able to remove the plug from the cylinder housing in the next step.
Step 5: Remove the Plug
With the plug slightly turned, it’s time to remove it from the cylinder. Grab your plug follower, which is a cylindrical tool designed to fit perfectly into the cylinder housing. Place the end of the plug follower against the back of the cylinder plug. Now, push the plug follower forward while pulling the plug out from the front. The plug follower will take the place of the plug, holding the top pins and their springs in place within the cylinder housing. If you don’t use a follower, these tiny parts will shoot out, and your lock will be ruined. Do this step over a clear, flat surface.
Step 6: Remove the Old Pins
Now that you have the plug separated, you can see the old bottom pins. Turn the plug upside down over your work surface, and the small pins will fall out. You can use your shim tool or a small screwdriver to gently poke them out if any get stuck. Make sure all the old pins are removed from the five or six chambers in the plug. This effectively “erases” the old key’s configuration, leaving you with a blank slate to work with. It’s a good idea to discard these old pins to avoid any mix-ups with the new ones.
Step 7: Decode the New Key
Take your new key and the key decoder tool. A key decoder helps you identify the depth of each cut on the key. Each cut corresponds to a specific PIN. Slide the new key into the decoder and read the numbers for each position, starting from the shoulder of the key and moving toward the tip. Write these numbers down in order. For example, your sequence might look like 5-2-4-1-3. This sequence is the “recipe” for your new key, telling you which pins to place in which chamber of the plug.
Step 8: Insert the New Pins
Using the sequence you just wrote down, it’s time to insert the new pins from your rekeying kit. The pins are color-coded or numbered to match the depths on your key. Following your sequence, use needle-nose pliers to carefully drop the correct pin into each chamber of the plug, starting from the front (closest to the keyhole) and working your way back. For instance, if your first number is 5, you’ll place a number 5 pin in the first chamber. Ensure each pin is sitting flush with the top of the plug; they should not stick out.
Step 9: Reassemble the Cylinder
With the new pins in place, you can reassemble the lock cylinder. Insert the new key into the plug. This will align the new pins perfectly with the shear line. Now, align the plug with the cylinder housing where the plug follower is. Carefully push the plug back into the housing, which will simultaneously push the follower out the other side. Turn the key back to its original vertical position. You should hear and feel a click as the plug locks back into place. Test the key by turning it back and forth; it should operate smoothly.
Step 10: Reinstall the Lock
You’re on the home stretch. Slide the rekeyed cylinder back into the exterior handle housing and secure it by reattaching the retaining clip. Now, re-insert the exterior handle into the door, connecting it with the interior handle. Secure the entire assembly by screwing the two long screws back into the interior side of the door. Tighten them until they are snug, but don’t overtighten. Test the lock one more time from both sides to ensure it latches and unlatches correctly with the new key. Congratulations, you have successfully rekeyed your Kwikset lock!
5 Things You Should Avoid
- Forgetting the Plug Follower: Failing to use a plug follower will cause the top pins and springs to fly out, making reassembly nearly impossible without a full repinning kit and a lot of frustration.
- Working on a Messy Surface: The pins and clips are incredibly small and easy to lose. Always work on a clean, clear, and well-lit tabletop or workbench.
- Forcing Components: If a part doesn’t move or fit easily, don’t force it. You could damage the delicate internal mechanisms. Re-evaluate your steps and try again gently.
- Mixing Up Pins: Keep the old pins and new pins separate. Mixing them up will result in a lock that doesn’t work with your new key.
- Overtightening Screws: When reinstalling the lock on the door, overtightening the screws can warp the housing and cause the lock mechanism to bind, making it difficult to turn the key.
Conclusion
How to rekey a kwikset lock without a key might seem like a daunting task, but it’s a very achievable DIY project.
By following these steps carefully and using the right tools, you can enhance your home’s security, save money, and gain a valuable new skill. Taking control of your own home security provides a sense of empowerment and ensures that you are the only one with access to your property.
So next time a key goes missing, don’t panic—just grab your rekeying kit and get to work.