Smart locks
House lockouts
Re-keying
Deadbolt upgrades
Schlage
Kwikset
Car keys & fobsNon-destructive entry first, always - and we re-key Schlage, Kwikset, and Baldwin locks on the spot while you watch
You get a price before we start. It does not change when we arrive. No surprises.
Get your free estimateLocksmith in Pasadena, CA
When a lock needs rekeying in Pasadena, you’re usually not dealing with a standard modern door. You’re more likely standing in front of a 1920s Craftsman with its original mortise lockset, wondering whether the hardware can even be saved. True Blue Locksmith has served Pasadena since 2017, and we have yet to meet a lock we couldn’t bring back to smooth, secure working order. Whether it’s a century-old skeleton key system in Bungalow Heaven or a tired Kwikset deadbolt on a 1960s ranch near Eaton Blanche Park, we give you an honest quote before any work begins. Call (877) 358-5506 and we’ll talk through exactly what you’re dealing with.
Why Pasadena Homes Are Different
Pasadena’s housing stock doesn’t age the way the rest of Southern California ages. The core of the city, especially around 91103, 91104, and 91105, is dense with Craftsman bungalows and Revival-style homes built between 1900 and 1929. Those houses came with solid-core doors, original mortise locksets, and skeleton key systems that most locksmiths today have never disassembled. Swapping one out for a modern deadbolt isn’t always possible without real carpentry, and it isn’t always permitted when you’re in a historic district. The right fix is often a careful rebuild of the existing hardware, keeping the original faceplate and adding a modern cylinder only where it makes sense.
Climate makes it worse. Pasadena summers routinely push past 100°F, and that dry heat pulls moisture out of wood door frames. Frames swell, then shrink, then swell again. Deadbolts that lined up fine in March suddenly bind in August. Add Santa Ana wind events and the occasional tremor that shifts a doorframe by a quarter inch, and you get hardware that slowly works itself out of alignment. The east side and 91107 have a different mix: 1940s and 1960s ranch homes, plus newer multi-family buildings near Old Pasadena, where the challenges lean more toward worn Schlage cylinders and stripped screws than vintage lockwork. We carry the parts for both.
Styles & brands we work with
Our Main Pasadena Services
Two calls dominate our Pasadena schedule: drivers who need a key made or replaced, and people locked out who need a tech now. Here’s what each one looks like in this city.
Car Key Replacement in Pasadena
Pasadena drivers lose keys in Old Pasadena parking structures, break fobs in the driveway, and discover their only transponder key stopped working right before the morning commute down the 210. We cut and program replacement keys and fobs on site, no tow truck required, for most domestic and import models. On a 100°F day in a Pasadena parking lot, that matters. You don’t want to wait for a dealership appointment that’s three days out. For the full rundown on what we cover, see Car Key Replacement in Pasadena.
Emergency Locksmith in Pasadena
Locked out at 11pm near Caltech. Keys locked in the trunk before a flight out of Hollywood Burbank. A deadbolt that snapped while turning. That’s emergency locksmith work, and it’s a different job in Pasadena because these old doors don’t respond to a quick credit-card jimmy or a bump key. Vintage mortise locks need a tech who can open them without chewing up the strike plate or splintering the jamb. We get there, get you in, and tell you the full price before a tool touches the door. Details are on Emergency Locksmith in Pasadena.
What happens when you call
- 1
A real person answersNo phone trees — you reach a local pro.
- 2
You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
- 3
A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
- 4
You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Rekey Locks in Pasadena
Rekeying a lock in Pasadena is rarely a five-minute swap. In the Craftsman core, we’re often rekeying an original mortise lockset that needs its cylinder pulled, cleaned, and re-pinned while the faceplate stays in place. In the ranch homes and newer builds east of Lake Avenue, it’s more straightforward: Schlage and Kwikset cylinders come out, old pins come out, new pins go in to match a new key. Either way, the goal is the same: old keys stop working today without replacing hardware that still has decades left in it. For a deeper look at how rekeying compares to other options, start at Rekey Locks.
Lock Rekey
Signs you need it
You’ve moved into a new place, lost a key, or had a tenant leave and you honestly can’t say who still has a copy.
What it costs in Pasadena
Our standard knob or deadbolt rekey runs between $65 and $120 per cylinder, with a flat trip charge that we state before leaving the shop.
How we do it
We remove the cylinder, replace the pins inside so the old key no longer turns, cut new keys, and test the lock in the door before we pack up.
Rekey Service
Signs you need it
Your key turns stiffly or only works at an exact angle, and you know at least one spare key is floating around somewhere in Pasadena.
What it costs in Pasadena
Rekeying an entire matching set of locks in one visit typically lands between $95 and $220 depending on how many cylinders are involved.
How we do it
We re-pin each cylinder to the same new key, lubricate and adjust the hardware so all locks turn cleanly, and leave you with the number of copies you need.
Keyed Alike
Signs you need it
You carry three different keys for your front, back, and side door and you’d rather carry exactly one.
What it costs in Pasadena
Keying multiple locks alike costs from $85 to $180 depending on brand and cylinder count, with no charge for advice on whether your hardware is a good candidate.
How we do it
We match the pinning across each cylinder so one key operates every lock you choose, then test each door and hand you the finished set.
What Rekey Locks Costs in Pasadena
| Item | Typical range in Pasadena |
|---|---|
| Single cylinder rekey | $65 – $120 |
| Whole-home rekey (matched set) | $95 – $220 |
| Keyed alike across multiple locks | $85 – $180 |
Two things push these numbers up fast in Pasadena: first, vintage mortise locks that need a full disassembly and cleaning before re-pinning, and second, houses where four or five locks have to be keyed to match. We tell you the price on the phone before anyone is dispatched, and that’s the price on the invoice, no call-out surcharge added at the door.
What is the difference between rekeying a lock and replacing it?
Rekeying changes the internal pins so old keys stop working, while the lock body stays in place. If the hardware is sound, especially original Pasadena mortise hardware, rekeying saves money and keeps the original look. Call (877) 358-5506 and we’ll tell you which makes sense for your doors.
Can you rekey a mortise lock in an old Pasadena home?
Yes. We rebuild and re-pin original mortise cylinders regularly in Pasadena’s Craftsman neighborhoods. The lock body stays, the cylinder gets new pins, and the key changes. Estimates are free at (877) 358-5506.
Brands We Service in Pasadena
We rekey and service Schlage, Kwikset, Medeco, and Yale hardware across Pasadena, and we keep the common pins, tailpieces, and cylinders for those brands ready to go. A Medeco or keyed-alike job may take an extra day for parts. See our brands for the full list.
Pricing for Locksmith in Pasadena, CA
| Service | Typical range in Pasadena |
|---|---|
| Lock Rekey (per cylinder) | $65 – $120 |
| Rekey Service (matched set) | $95 – $220 |
| Keyed Alike (multiple locks) | $85 – $180 |
| Rekey Door Lock | $65 – $120 per cylinder |
| Locksmith Rekey (callout) | Quoted before dispatch |
In Pasadena, the big price variables are lock age and door condition. A straightforward Kwikset deadbolt on a newer east-side home stays at the low end; a sticking mortise lock on a 1915 Craftsman takes longer and costs more. Whatever the job, the phone quote is the invoice price, and no one adds a surprise trip fee when they arrive.
Neighborhoods We Serve in Pasadena
We work across the city, and the neighborhoods below each bring a different lock profile. Bungalow Heaven and Madison Heights lean heavily toward vintage mortise work. Linda Vista and the neighborhoods along Orange Grove mix 1920s homes with 1950s builds. East Pasadena and Hastings Ranch trend toward Schlage and Kwikset on ranch-style doors.
- Bungalow Heaven
- Madison Heights
- East Pasadena
- Linda Vista
- Hastings Ranch
Response time across Pasadena runs faster in the flat core than it does at the far north or east edges, but we cover the whole city and we’ll tell you the exact ETA when you call.
Service Area – Cities Near Pasadena
Most of our Pasadena regulars point neighbors our way, and we cover the surrounding communities. South Pasadena, CA has the same Mission-era bones and mortise-heavy housing stock. San Marino, CA adds more estate-size properties and high-end hardware. Altadena, CA mixes 1920s cabins with post-war ranches, and East Pasadena, CA is where we see the most Schlage and Kwikset work on newer builds.
Serving Pasadena, CA — Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Pasadena area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage — if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs About Locksmith in Pasadena
Call (877) 358-5506 and we’ll give you an honest ETA for your specific neighborhood. Response time in the central core and around Old Pasadena is typically quicker than the far north or east edges, but we cover the full city and we don’t pad the estimate.
Rekeying does not require a permit. If you’re in one of Pasadena’s historic districts, we recommend keeping original hardware in place and rekeying the cylinder rather than swapping the lockset, which can trigger design review concerns.
Most original mortise locks in Pasadena can be rekeyed and tuned to work reliably for years. We’ll tell you honestly if a lock is too worn to save, and the phone quote is the final price either way. Call (877) 358-5506 for a free estimate.
Need a Pasadena locksmith who gives you a straight answer and a real quote? Call (877) 358-5506 and tell us what you’re dealing with. We’ll tell you the price before we arrive, and we’ll leave your locks working better than we found them.
What happens when you call
- 1A real person answersNo phone trees — talk to a local locksmith pro.
- 2You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched. No surprises.
- 3We come out and measureLicensed & insured, at a time that suits you — the visit and the quote are both free.
- 4You get the price in writingLine-itemed, yours to keep, and nothing starts until you say go.
What Pasadena Customers Say
"Got me back in and the price was fair for the hour. He did arrive closer to 45 minutes than the 20 he estimated, which felt long standing outside, but he was honest that traffic was the problem."
— Chris Meyer"Rekey was done properly. One of the keys he cut was slightly stiff in the back door and I had to call him to swap it, which he did without a fuss."
— Doug Ziegler"Programmed a transponder key for a 2014 model that the dealership wanted an absurd amount for. Same key, fraction of the price, took him twenty minutes in my driveway."
— Gilbert Herrera