Cothron's Lock Installation & Lockout Tools

Cothron’s custom tools include those for installing latches, swing bolts, and bored-in locksets, as well as those for difficult-to-pick locks.

As a leader in locksmithing and security, Cothron's makes and sells custom tools. These can be used for installing:

• latches
• swing bolts
• locksets
• paddles and levers
• ​as well as for opening door knobs and lever sets

The Aluminum Glass Mortise Lock - Installation Jig was designed for use by professionals for the installation of latches and swing bolts on 1 ¾” thick aluminum and glass doors. This reversible jig is factory set so that the backset is gauged from the center of the door edge and will work with 1 1/8” or 31/32” backset locks by simply flipping the jig.

It secures to the door using self-drilling self-tapping screws so it can't slip like other jigs. Screw holes are where the AR-style universal mounting tab screws go after the jig is removed from the door.

The Pro Installer Cylindrical Lock Installation Jig was designed by locksmiths with over 80 years of experience and is intended for use by professionals for the installation of bored-in locksets with either 1-1/2” or 2-1/8” cross bore holes and 2-3/8” or 2-3/4” backsets. 

​The handle of the Pro-Installer has a raised ridge on the inside that sits against the door, ensuring the backset is gauged from the center of the door and not affected by the bevel. The scale etched into the handle makes it easy to position the jig above the existing lock by simply centering the latch of the existing lock at the desired measurement. The cross bore guide plates are held in place by magnets, making it easy to change backsets by flipping them around from 2-3/8”  to 2-3/4”. ​

The Around-The-Door Tools were made for difficult-to-pick locks and were part of "Best of 2022: The Year’s Top Products," a list from Locksmith Ledger. It’s released each December, looking at the year’s most notable and most viewed new products, and Cothron’s was honored to be included.

All of these tools were created by John Ray, Cothron’s director of education, and came about as workarounds after being in the locksmith industry for 40 years. Ray’s also working on a couple of other designs, but the details are being kept under wraps for now. As he told Locksmith Ledger, though, “I haven't seen anything else quite like it out there available.”

​Check back often for further updates, learn more about Cothron’s current tools here, and call 512-459-2875 for current pricing.