Can you open a locked drawer without damaging the furniture?

In most cases yes, particularly for furniture worth preserving — we choose an approach suited to protecting the piece rather than defaulting to the fastest possible method.

Do you carry replacement locks for common filing cabinet brands?

Yes, we carry or can source replacement locks for most common office furniture and filing cabinet brands.

Is a community mailbox lock something you can service, or does that need the property manager?

For cluster mailbox units, coordination with the property manager or relevant authority is usually required, since these are often shared infrastructure rather than something an individual resident can have serviced independently.

How much does a small-format lock job typically cost compared to a full-size door lock?

Generally less, given the smaller mechanism and typically faster job — we'll give you an accurate number based on the specific lock and situation when you call.

Can old, discontinued cabinet locks still be serviced?

Often yes, though very old or unusual hardware sometimes requires more time to source compatible parts or an appropriate replacement.

Can you install a lock on furniture that's never had one?

In many cases yes, depending on the material and construction — we'll assess whether the piece can accommodate a proper lock installation.

Do you carry replacement keys for older, discontinued cabinet lock brands?

Often yes, though very old or unusual brands may take extra time to source a compatible blank or replacement cylinder.

Can you service locks on antique furniture without damaging the piece?

We take extra care with antique or valuable furniture, choosing methods specifically aimed at preserving the piece.

Do you offer bulk pricing for servicing many small locks at once, like an entire office?

Yes, we can quote efficiently for multiple small-format locks serviced in the same visit.

Do you service the small locks on jewelry boxes or other personal items?

Yes, small personal-item locks fall within the same category of work, though very delicate or antique pieces get extra care in how we approach them.

Is there a reason to upgrade a mailbox lock beyond just fixing what's broken?

If your area has seen mail theft, a higher-security mailbox lock can be a reasonable upgrade even when the existing one is still technically functional.

Mailbox & Cabinet Locks in Ottawa

Security lock installed on a retail display cabinet

Mailbox and cabinet locks

Mailbox and cabinet locks are small hardware with an outsized impact when they fail — a jammed mailbox lock means mail piling up or a trip to the post office, and a broken cabinet lock can mean medications, documents, or valuables sitting unsecured. Can-Lock Security handles both across Ottawa and the GTA, though it's worth knowing upfront that not every mailbox lock is something a locksmith is permitted to touch.

What We Can and Can't Service on Mailboxes

This trips up a lot of homeowners, so it's worth explaining clearly. Canada Post community mailboxes — the shared neighbourhood boxes with individually locked compartments — are Canada Post's own equipment. Their keys are stamped "Do Not Duplicate," and by design, no locksmith has the authorization or parts to service, rekey, or duplicate keys for them. If your key is lost or the lock isn't working, that has to go through Canada Post directly, either online or at the post office indicated on your service ticket.

What we can service:

Private mailboxes at single-family homes, including post-mounted and wall-mounted units
Apartment and condo mailbox banks, when authorized by the building owner or property manager
Business mailbox panels
Rural mailboxes and mailbox posts, including replacing damaged locks after vandalism, which unfortunately isn't uncommon in rural Ottawa Valley areas

If you're not sure which category your mailbox falls into, we're happy to take a look and point you in the right direction even if the fix itself has to happen through Canada Post.

Common Private Mailbox Issues

Lost keys with no spare available — usually solved with a rekey rather than full lock replacement
Rusted or seized locks, common after a full winter of exposure without lubrication
Vandalism or forced entry, which sometimes damages the lock cylinder beyond repair and needs a full swap
Property changeovers, where a new homeowner wants old keys retired and a fresh lock set installed for privacy and security

Cabinet Locks

Cabinet locks cover a much wider range of hardware than most people expect, and we work with all of it:

Cam locks, the small cylindrical locks common on filing cabinets, desk drawers, and display cases, usually secured with a rotating cam behind the panel
Medicine cabinet locks, increasingly requested by households wanting to secure prescription medication, particularly homes with teenagers or with visiting grandchildren
Display case and glass cabinet locks, common in retail settings and for homeowners securing collections
Filing cabinet locks, both single-drawer and full-column mechanisms
Liquor cabinet and gun safe secondary locks, where an existing lock has failed or a homeowner wants an upgrade to a more resistant mechanism

Rekeying Cabinets to a Single Key

Offices and homes alike often end up with a mismatched set of cabinet keys accumulated over years of furniture purchases. We can rekey multiple cabinet locks to work off a single key, or set up a small keyed-alike system across a bank of filing cabinets, which is a common request from home offices and small businesses looking to simplify day-to-day access without weakening security.

Cam Lock Sizing

One detail that trips up a lot of DIY cabinet lock replacements: cam locks come in a range of cylinder lengths to match different panel thicknesses, and the cam itself needs to be oriented correctly for the drawer or door mechanism it's engaging. A mismatched length either won't seat properly or will protrude and interfere with the drawer's movement. We carry a range of cam lock sizes on the truck specifically so a cabinet lock replacement doesn't turn into a second visit.

Business and Office Applications

For offices, medical practices, and retail spaces, cabinet and file lock security often intersects with compliance requirements around securing patient records, financial documents, or controlled inventory. We're glad to walk through an office's filing and storage setup and recommend where a simple cam lock is sufficient versus where a higher-security mechanism makes sense — for instance, HR files or financial records may warrant a more resistant lock than general office supplies.

Same-Day Service

Most mailbox and cabinet lock jobs are quick, straightforward visits — rekeying, cylinder replacement, or new lock installation, usually completed same-day. We carry a wide selection of cam locks, mailbox cylinders, and cabinet hardware on our service vehicles, so most calls don't require a return trip to source parts.

Serving Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley

Can-Lock Security services private mailboxes and cabinet locks across Ottawa and the GTA, with Renfrew and Arnprior as priority service areas.

Call our Ottawa line at 613-908-8815 or our GTA line at 647-975-1702, and if your issue turns out to be a Canada Post community mailbox, we'll point you toward the right process to get it resolved.

Common questions

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