Repairing and Protecting Locks, Keys and Safes

Practical Methods Locksmiths Use to Cut Keys

9 February 2022

Duane Ramirez

Imagine a situation where you have lost or misplaced the only key to your man cave in the basement, depriving you, albeit temporarily, of the serenity and silence you yearn for at that particular time. You think about knocking the door off its hinges, but the prohibitive repair costs prompt you to think otherwise. The only other option is to call a professional locksmith to get you out of the jam. However, most people wonder how locksmiths can make keys for locks without the original. Here are techniques locksmiths use.

Using a Key or Lock Code — It is arguably the simplest technique locksmiths use to make a new key without the original. Notably, all keys and locks come with stamped codes; therefore, a locksmith first looks for the code on a lock's cylinder. Once they find the code, locksmiths feed it to a manufacturers' code system and look for a match. The system automatically downloads instructions on cutting a new key using a key cutter after getting a hit. However, you should understand that key/lock codes often overlap from one manufacturer to the next. In such cases, a locksmith carefully inspects a lock for insight into the correct code to use. The final step is to print a key's schematics on a card and feed it to a key cutter for precise cutting.

Scoping the Lock Cylinder — Another technique locksmiths use to create a new key without the original is scoping the lock cylinder. The process involves inserting a scope inside a lock to understand what the key should look like. Since a lock scope has a camera, a locksmith can examine the wafers inside a lock cylinder and use the information to determine cut depths on a key. That said, the method can take time, particularly for newbie locksmiths. However, an experienced locksmith who has worked on many locks and keys finds the technique effective and accurate. The best thing about scoping a lock cylinder is that it allows a locksmith to identify issues within a lock system and resolve issues in the process.

Impressioning — For a key to unlock a lock, it must systematically press against the metallic pins in the cylinder. The pins often leave impressions on a key; hence, locksmiths can rely on the markings to cut a new key. They manage it by inserting a blank key in the lock several times until they see pins markings on the surface. The impressions are so light, in most cases, that a locksmith must trace them using a felt pen. The trace marks act as a guide, allowing a locksmith to file down a blank to a working key. Unfortunately, the method takes the longest time and effort.

For more information, contact a locksmith near you.

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