Avocet ABS Lock Review

The Avocet ABS Mk3 has been around for a while now and is one of the most popular anti snap locks found around Yorkshire so I thought I would do a review.

How ABS Locks Work

As the name suggests the mk3 ABS is the 3rd generation of ABS anti snap lock. The ABS works in a different way to all other anti snap locks with its patented cam mechanism. The clever cam mechanism means that even if the cylinder is broken in the middle access to the multi point mechanism is still blocked. The ABS has been awarded the British standard kite mark and the BSI TS007 3 star rating, it also has the secured by design accreditation. It has 8 pins and a magnetic pin for pick resistance and unlike the mk1 and mk2 it also has pick resistant trap pins. The abs is also drill and bump resistant as well.

A lot of the earlier attempts to make anti snap locks by other company’s just involves a sacrificial cut in the lock cylinder meaning if the cylinder is attacked the front section will break off leaving the remaining part of the cylinder still locked and flush with or just set back slightly in the door so it’s not possible to get hold of the rest of the cylinder. Unfortunately it didn’t take long for people to work out that there are ways of bypassing the sacrificial mark and still snapping the lock at the cam. This is where the ABS seems to exceed other anti snap locks.

Avocet ABS Locking Cam

The Abs does still feature a standard sacrificial weak point like a lot of other cylinders but it also has a second weak point which is just before the cam. This means that if a more up to date snapping technique is used and both the first and the second weak spots are bypassed the cam mechanism will activate. Once the cam has activated it will seize the cam meaning it can’t be turned or removed from the outside. The seized cam will then block any access to the catch in the locking mechanism which is used to unlock the door. A nice feature is that if you are inside the property and the lock is snapped from the outside at the second weak spot even though the cam is seized the lock can still be operated with the key from inside which means you are not left locked in.

ABS Lock Sizes And Handing

The Avocet ABS is available in all the normal sizes and also all the normal sizes of thumb turn as well. They can also be ordered keyed alike and in brass or chrome effect finish. One thing to watch out for is the cylinder handing, as the cylinder will only provide anti snap protection if fitted the right way round. The lock is clearly marked EXT on one side meaning this is the external side and should go to the outside. When ordering make sure you get the handing correct, normally they are ordered by giving the internal measurement first and the external measurement second but make sure you check this first with whoever you are ordering your locks from. The Abs comes with 3 keys as standard and a registration card. The registration card must be retained in order to obtain duplicate keys.

For Avocet ABS MK3 locks fitted in West Yorkshire please see the links below.

ABS anti snap locks fitted in Leeds

ABS anti snap locks fitted in Wakefield

All in all I think this is probably the most secure cylinder on the market today. All the views and opinions in this post are my own.