Filing Cabinets, Locks, And You

There’s no piece of office furniture more boring than a filing cabinet. Right? Well, no. If you’re concerned about safety, boring isn’t in your vocabulary. And you should be concerned. In these uncertain days of computer crashes, prying eyes and corporate espionage (or even well-intentioned employees mixing up your documents), a good filing cabinet may be a form of solid defense against the loss, theft or misuse of your valuable data. This article sums up a few of the more common locking options available to you.

For many consumers, a filing cabinet doubles as a convenient and accessible form of vault. Filing cabinets may lack the inch-thick steel and complex security locks of a storage safe, but for the casual user, a good filing cabinet should have all the security and protective features you’ll need in the day-to-day workings of your office.

The first and foremost security feature of a filing cabinet is the lock. The vast majority of filing cabinets feature pin tumbler locks, either in standard or tubular form. Standard pin tumblers are the locks you see every day in doors and cabinets. Tubular locks, with their small stubby keys, are more common on bike locks, smaller cabinets and, yes, filing cabinets.

These two types work much the same, without much difference in security, though the specifics vary by manufacturer. No filing cabinet lock is one hundred percent secure from a dedicated lockpick, but to keep the casual snooper out of your business, a functioning lock is a vital component. Most filing cabinets these days are lockable with one of the two systems mentioned above, but some brands are available either with or without locks, so you should always double-check before purchasing.

As well, many office filing cabinets feature a single-lock system that locks all drawers or just one, depending on how the locking bolt is turned. Some systems lock one drawer only, so it’s always a good idea to ask your supplier about these details before you buy.

You may also want to inquire about filing cabinets set in old-fashioned furniture styles, such as those of the Victorian era. These cabinets may feature classic-style escutcheons and keyholes. In the old days, these keyholes were made for warded locks, commonly seen in historical films with the accompanying skeleton keys. Nowadays they’re obsolete and very rare. On modern furniture, these keyholes are merely decorative, without any security function at all. Buying a Victorian-style cabinet may get you stuck with a good-looking yet vulnerable piece of furniture, so if you’re not sure, ask!

The locks described here aren’t the only options – they’re just the most common. Many cabinets feature systems such as combination locks and even various kinds of electronic lock, all with varying features and security functions. Many filing cabinet retailers have different types of lock options available, enabling you to choose the lock that’s right for your needs and have it installed on a specific model of cabinet.