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Anti-Snap Cylinders: What They Are and Who Needs Them

Written by Mobile Locksmith Boksburg · Published

In short:

  • "Anti-snap" applies to euro-profile cylinders: the key barrel found in many aluminium, uPVC and modern front doors. It doesn't apply to lever mortice locks.
  • The best-known anti-snap marks, TS 007 three-star and Sold Secure SS312 Diamond, are UK schemes. EN 1303 is a European grading that doesn't on its own mean snap resistance.
  • None of these is a South African requirement. Locally sold cylinders are often described against EN 1303 with a feature list, so read the specification rather than the box.
  • An upgrade matters most where a euro cylinder is the main lock on an outside door, especially with no locked security gate in front.
  • The cylinder has to be the right size and fitted with suitable handles, or the rating counts for little.

Which locks this is about

A euro-profile cylinder is the keyed barrel with the familiar rounded-top, flat-bottomed outline, held in the lock by one long screw through the edge of the door. You'll find them in many aluminium sliding and hinged doors, uPVC doors, many modern front doors and a good number of shopfront and office doors. Swap the cylinder, and the rest of the lock stays put.

Anti-snap ratings don't apply to:

  • lever mortice locks, where the keyed parts sit inside the lock case;
  • padlocks, which have their own standards;
  • most rim nightlatches, which use a different type of cylinder;
  • electronic and keypad locks, unless they have a euro cylinder as a key backup.

If you're not sure what you have, a photo of the door edge and the key side of the lock is usually enough to tell.

What "anti-snap" means in plain terms

A cylinder is the part of the lock you can reach from outside, so it's the part a burglar works on. An anti-snap cylinder is one designed, and ideally independently tested, to keep the door locked when the cylinder is attacked by force. Makers describe features such as a sacrificial front section, reinforcing inserts, a concealed cam and a controlled-break design. Mul-T-Lock's MTL300 Break Secure 3XP Pro, for instance, lists an anti-snap sacrificial end, a concealed cam and a barrier plate.

We won't describe how attacks are carried out. What matters for a buyer is simpler: a claim of "anti-snap" on packaging means little unless it's backed by a recognised test, and a cylinder with a rating needs to be the right size and fitted properly.

The marks, and where each comes from

Cylinder marks you may see, and what they tell you
MarkWhere it comes fromWhat it tells youWhat it doesn't
EN 1303European standard for cylindersAn eight-digit grading covering things like durability, key security and attack resistanceASSA ABLOY notes that meeting EN 1303 doesn't by itself mean high security; the grade digits matter, and there's no snap test
TS 007 one-starUK Door & Hardware Federation specificationA basic cylinder approvalThe Master Locksmiths Association says one-star cylinders are not tested for snapping
TS 007 two-starSame schemeApplies to handles and security escutcheons, not cylindersDoesn't rate the cylinder
TS 007 three-starSame schemeCylinder tested for resistance to snapping, as well as other attacksDoesn't cover poor fitting or a weak door
Sold Secure SS312 DiamondUK Sold Secure test houseA cylinder standard built on EN 1303 and the BS 3621 vulnerability assessment, with a heavier tool list than TS 007Same caveat on fitting
BSI KitemarkUK certification bodyTesting was done by a third party, not just claimed by the makerIt's a mark of testing, not a grade in itself

You may also see BS 3621 mentioned. That's a separate UK standard for thief-resistant locks on external doors, which the TS 007 and SS312 schemes draw on. It is not a cylinder rating on its own.

Route 1 Three-star cylinder on its own Route 2 One-star cylinder + two-star handle set or security escutcheon Separate scheme SS312 Diamond rates the cylinder alone TS 007 three-star level overall Both still depend on correct fitting.
Illustration The two TS 007 routes described by the Master Locksmiths Association, with SS312 Diamond shown as a separate UK rating. These are UK schemes, not South African requirements.

What applies in South Africa

TS 007, SS312 Diamond, BS 3621 and the Kitemark are British schemes, and EN 1303 is European. None of them is a South African legal requirement for homes or businesses, and the South African product pages we checked don't use a star-rating scheme for cylinders. What you will find:

  • Cylinders described against EN 1303. ASSA ABLOY South Africa's Mzansi CYS00 euro cylinder, for example, is listed as tested to EN 1303:2015 with the grading 1 6 0 B 0 C 6, with anti-drill and anti-pick design and 15 kN anti-pull resistance. Its South African pages don't list anti-snap. ASSA ABLOY's page for the same range in another market lists an anti-snap design as an optional feature, subject to regional availability, which is a reminder to read the local specification.
  • Locksets marked SABS approved. UNION's euro-profile Gower locksets are listed this way. That approval is about the lockset; it doesn't tell you the cylinder has been snap-tested.
  • Cylinders rated overseas. Ranges such as Mul-T-Lock's Break Secure 3XP Pro (TS 007 three-star and SS312 Diamond) and Yale's Platinum three-star cylinder carry UK ratings. Whether a given model is available here, and in the size you need, varies.
  • Insurers' own wording. South African home policies tend to set their own security conditions, such as burglar bars on opening windows, security gates on outside doors and extra locks on sliding doors, rather than naming cylinder ratings. Read your schedule.

So the practical approach here is: look for an independent UK or European rating where one exists, read the local specification sheet line by line, and don't rely on the word "anti-snap" printed on its own.

Who actually needs one

A rated cylinder is worth it where the cylinder is what stands between the street and the inside:

  • an outside door where a euro cylinder is the main lock and there's no locked security gate in front of it;
  • side, garage and back doors that are out of sight, which tend to get less attention (see our guide to garage and side door locks);
  • aluminium shopfront and office doors that are locked overnight with a single cylinder;
  • homes in estates and complexes, where perimeter security can make the house door feel less important than it is;
  • any door where the old cylinder has been tampered with, or where you can't account for the keys.

It's a lower priority on interior doors, on doors already behind a locked steel security gate, and on doors secured by a good lever mortice lock rather than a cylinder. That's our reasoning rather than a rule: your insurer and your own risk come first.

Fitting matters as much as the rating

The Master Locksmiths Association warns that incorrect fitting can leave locks prone to snapping, and the general advice is to pair an upgraded cylinder with effective security handles or an escutcheon. In practice:

  • Size it to the door. Euro cylinders come in many lengths and are often off-centre. The right one sits close to the handle plate on the outside instead of standing proud of it.
  • Check the handles. A rated cylinder in a thin or loose handle set is let down by its surroundings.
  • Check the lock behind it. A multipoint or mortice lock that is worn or misaligned should be sorted out at the same time. Our article on whether to repair or replace a lock covers that decision.
  • Keep the documents. Rated cylinders often come with a key card or certificate. Keep it with your insurance papers.

A short buyer's checklist

  • Is the rating stated on the cylinder or its documentation, not just the box: TS 007 three-star, or SS312 Diamond, ideally with the Kitemark?
  • If it's an EN 1303 cylinder only, what are the grade digits, and does the specification sheet say anything about snap resistance?
  • Is it the right length for the door and handle set?
  • Does the key come with a card or a patented profile? ASSA ABLOY and Mul-T-Lock both describe patents as a way to control who can get more keys made.
  • Do you want several doors keyed alike? Order the cylinders that way from the start.
  • Has your insurer said anything about locks on outside doors?

Getting an upgrade fitted

Our lock replacement service covers fitting new cylinders and locks, for homes through residential locksmith work and for shops, offices and warehouses through commercial locksmith work. We're a fully mobile locksmith in Boksburg, available 24/7. There's an R250 call-out, the technician quotes on site before any work starts, and nothing is fitted until you agree. Payment is by EFT, cash or card.

We don't cut or copy keys. A new cylinder comes with its own keys from the maker, and extra keys for a patented cylinder are ordered through the channel the maker sets, usually against the key card. If you're upgrading before a holiday, our guide to securing your home before going away fits well alongside this one.

Questions

Do I have to replace the whole lock to get an anti-snap cylinder?

Usually not. A euro-profile cylinder can be changed without altering the rest of the lock mechanism, as long as the lock itself is in good order and the new cylinder is the right size.

Is anti-snap the same as anti-pick or anti-drill?

No, they're different features. Higher ratings such as TS 007 three-star and SS312 Diamond test a cylinder against several kinds of attack, including snapping. A cylinder sold as "anti-pick" or "anti-drill" may have no snap testing at all, so check the rating.

Will my insurer insist on a rated cylinder?

In the UK, UNION notes that most insurance policies require BS 3621 locks on ground-floor external doors. South African policies set their own conditions, which are more often about burglar bars, security gates and alarms. Your policy schedule is the place to check.

Need a locksmith to look at it?

If this hasn't solved the problem, our lock replacement service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Boksburg, so we come to your door.

Sources and further reading

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