How I impression an American 5200 Lock -Pictures

[jos weyers]

Does anyone make "Impressioning Keys"?
A Key where the blade is narrower, and Lines perpindicular to the biting.

If your key has more room to move, you increase the chance of getting marks even when you reached the correct hight. Not recommended.
I've seen people use perpindicular lines. Could be usefull. I sometimes use a filed down core, so i can check if marks are where they should.

[raimundo]

those locks that only turn in one direction could be affected by several things, perhaps the drillings are just off top dead center so one side is actually lower at the shear,

or more likly this, the cuts or one of them is slanted to one side and with the tolerance in the keyway, the pin is slideing down on that side.

almost certainly the pins have very little chamfer to help them push past this, or a steep chamfer.

if it only turns one way, turn it and then while its turned with the cylinder wall blocking the pins, bump it again and see if any of the positions gets a heavy mark. cut this mark and see if it then turns both ways.

[SALocksmith]

I like to cheat and use a code machine to impression, HPC Codemax or Blitz (CMB 1200). Start out by cutting shallowest depth, the code machine makes a nice flat perfect cut, so it makes the marks extremely easy to see. Honestly though, I find pin tumbler locks difficult enough that I normally just sell the customer a new lock. In a shop enviroment you tend to get people walking in with padlocks and they want a key made for it. Since impressioning a pin tumbler padlock can take me anywhere from 20 to 90! minutes I typically don't do it. There is the odd situation where a customer has 30 keyed alike locks back at the ranch and needs a key made, in that situation I will do it.

Wafer locks are another deal altogether, I often can impression them in 3-5 minutes no problem. Tend to do this for truck tool boxes, sentry fire safes, lockboxes, chest, file cabinets, furniture locks etc. Even there though, I rarely actually have to do it, they typically have a code on the lock that I can just look up and code cut. Even when I have to impression a lock I typically go back and code cut it once i've found the bitting so the customer has a "pretty" key.

If your in a situation to impression with a code machine I suggest giving it a try sometime!

[SALocksmith]

A correction for the above I said a code machine makes the marks extremely easy to see, that is an overstatement, it can still be very difficult, but i've found that if I can't do it with a hand file alone, that I can still sometimes do it with the code machine. Also, a tip, if the lock is lubricated it makes it very hard, especially if someone sprayed WD-40 or any kind of Teflon lubricant in it. I keep some Carburator cleaner on hand to flush the lubricant out, so that you get maximum binding force.

[WeedIsMyCheat]

Awesome graphics, very helpfull!!

[GWiens2001]

Very nice. I do knife the blade a bit, to about half the original width. It helps me to see the pin marks better when starting out. I do not continue to knife the blade as I go. I have also used candling with some success when I have a hard time finding the marks. Use a candle to put a little soot on the top of the blade. The soot will be knocked down, and I can see the brass showing through the black soot. I don't know if this is a recommended practice or not. First learned candling for warded locks.

[jfw]

Great post! I plan on giving this a try when I accumulate more equipment. Thanks.