Burglar bars come in 2 different shapes. Are you using the correct one? Make no mistake and get burglar bars that will put your property and family at risk. Find out what common mistake people make.
Anti-theft bars must be made of steel tubes. Most customers automatically say they want “solid” bars because they think they are stronger. Solid does not always mean stronger. Solid bars can be easily cut with long-handled bolt cutters.
“What ?! How can that be?”
Bolt cutters are a tool that uses the physics of leverage. They use 2 very short blades, 2 very long handles, and compound hinges to maximize leverage. When you push the end of the handles together, the force multiplies exponentially. This means that the further the force is applied from the hinge, the greater the cutting force.
Typical bolt cutters can produce 4000 pounds of cutting force with only 50 pounds of force applied to the handle. That’s a lot of strength!
Combine this with hardened steel blades and you have a faulty cutting tool capable of cutting through solid steel bars.
“If bolt cutters can cut solid bars, then what good are anti-theft bars?”
This is where tubular bars come into play. When trying to use cutters on tubular anti-theft bars, the bar will pinch and collapse under the force of the bolt cutters, then continue to shred around the blades and never really cut.
Think about when you had to use boring scissors at school. When I tried to cut the paper, it would bend, stick to the blades, but never cut it cleanly. The same general principle applies here. You may eventually be able to cut tubular bars, but it will be a slow process that will frustrate intruders, cause a lot of noise, and break bolt cutter blades.
Cutting through solid steel anti-theft bars is a breeze. With a new set of long-handled bolt cutters and a little muscle, a thief could break some bars and gain quick access to your home and family. Don’t make the mistake of using solid bars because the word “solid” sounds safer. Knowledge is power.