Silly question about bump keys

[clearmoon247]

While looking around for various style locks on sites like ebay and I've come across depth key sets. In those sets just happen to be keys cut to the lowest bitting. To me, that sounds a lot like a bump key, but, I haven't heard anyone mention those before as a source of bump keys. It just seems like an easy alternative to having one cut or filing one yourself, plus, you have additional function when using locks. So, am I crazy on this thought or is that a valid idea and a simple route to getting a muti-function bump key?

[gloves]

Other than what you thought about, I think they'd be useful for foil impressioning too

[clearmoon247]

Well how would you go about foil impressioning using the depth keys? Would you use a single one, or a series of them to determine each pin?

[raimundo]

I don't understand how foil impressioning could use a depth key

bump keys emphasize the little peaks between depth cut spaces.

If a lock has 9 depths, a set of depth keys, nine of them each cut in every space to the single depth of that key can be used to
make keys by code, by changing the depth key for each space to the one of the proper depth,
say your code calls for a cut of 443579
you would put the four depth key in the machine and cut the first two, change to 3 for the next cut and change again to 5 etc.
Thats how it was done before the code cutting machines were common.
that method is now uncommon.

depth keys do have tiny peaks between the depths, but they are commonly cut with widened bottoms of the cut, where the pins rest,

the 8 cut or the 9 cut depth key could be used as a bump key, or copied for making a bumpkey, however keys that are intended as bump keys would have slightly larger peaks between the cut bottoms,

beating on a depth key to open a lock is a misuse of the depth key and if you own the depth key set for its real purpose, you will avoid beating on it.

Why do bump keys get so many people excited? I understand that its about opening a lock with no skill but it does require a special cut key for each keyway, and a snapper like deniro uses in the old movie midnight run from the 1980s can bump locks of many keyways and does not weight so much as 50 different bump keys to cover the commonest deadbolts padlocks etc.

[clearmoon247]

Personally, i find that bump keys are just a novelty. I have made a couple of them for a few of my cylinders that came with multiple keys and its just nifty to know. There is still that excitement (at least the first few times) when you take the time, file a key to the proper depths, then try it out on a lock and the key turns after that whack. I guess you could say it has a form of instant gratification when you are successful. Me personally, i prefer picking locks, especially single pin picking, which gives the real satisfaction of knowing how you are manipulating the pins within the lock and getting it right and having that plug turn. I have found one use for the bump key when practicing, when i have a lock cylinder that requires the lock to be unlocked and the plug removed to be repinned, if i pinned it in a way that i just cant seem to pick, i can use the bump key to unlock it so i can repin it to something simpler while practicing. Yes, using a depth key for a bump key would defiantly be misuse of those keys, but my original question was more of a thought experiment of hey, would that actually work, ya know?

[cledry]

I have had a few locks that just wouldn't pick in a reasonable amount of time. I'm talking 10-15 minutes. A bump key opened the same locks in seconds. These were Yale unit locks with a very convoluted keyway and locks that replacement locks or cylinders simply do not exist. If I can't pick a lock in 15 minutes an alternative has to be found, bumping, or impressioning and as a last resort drilling. Time is money.