FAQ: The Fine Art of Impressioning (in a nutshell)

[globallockytoo]

Let me know how you enjoy the theory...and if its useful...
Thanks

[Shrub]

Thanks wil do i need to read it all when i get a spare 5 mins,

[Shrub]

For those with advanced section status Heres the impression tool i was meaning, the pictures are still on as well,

[globallockytoo]

And for the rest of us....?????

[UWSDWF]

And for the rest of us....?????

we wait

[franko452000]

you forgot the teardrop towle

[franko452000]

foley-belsaw feeds off grads, there road apples is always higher ! . lockmaster is always $10.00 CHEAPER. SPECEAL LOCKS LIKE TUBULAR LOCKS ARE BEST GOTTEN BY THE THE MANUFACTURE: : EXSAMBLE : A IMPRESSIONIG TOOL RUNS ABOUT $ 60-70 BUCKS. NUTS!!
LOCK PLIERS DON'T CUT IT, I HAVE A TUBULAR IMPRESSION TOOL I PAYED $25.00 for it, for thr price of a 10 cent hose clamp this will hold any-key.. wholesalers my donkey.

[franko452000]

had success with impressioning most all the disc cam locks i have at hand, now moving on too the pin tumbler lock. while back i was practicing Master-pinning and every door lock i have on hand has master pins in them. Q. will the master pins in the lock have any effect, ( good or bad ), during the impressioning process ?

[Shrub]

By master pinning your locks you have certainly lowered your security significantly and pick resistance will be much lower,

As regards impressioning them, well you could i assume get a wafer trapped or worse bend it but it depends how thin the discs were you used,

You shouldnt be practiseing on the door locks anyway,

[Shrub]

Edit,

Hmm maybe you meant that your practice locks are door locks but not your actual door locks,

If thats the case i would remove the master pinning from one of them and practice on that one, if you use them for picking practice remove all the master keying on them as they will be far easier to pick with the MK pins in and will be giving you false achievement feedback,

[franko452000]

LOL, yes i meant this locks are just practice locks. i know picking these locks are easier, twice the shear lines... right ! someone wrote don't impression key-in-knob locks..ok......why?. am working on a ford door-lock at the moment, i hear it's a good pin-tumbler lock to start off on. am using a apple-seed file, i put off impressioning for long enough i guess. been learning the trade for 3 years now, since am teaching myself i will get a basic understanding of a lock and move on to another. everything from safe manipulation to impressioning & re-pinning tubular locks, time too back track and master this fine ART of impressioning. thanks for your input.

[Shrub]

Hmm, i have no idea why a lock in knob cant be impressioned, maybe the tension or power on the pins damage them but i would like to hear if theres a certain reason myself,

[maxxed]

It does not seem to be standard practice to impression door knob or deadbolt locks but I can tell you that it does work. I prefer to tap the blank with a small hammer rather than wiggle the key by hand on these locks besause the keyways seem to restict verticle movement.

[d_goldsmith]

Can someone explain why the dots are left on the key? I also started off by thinking that shuving the blank up was what caused the dots, and then it seems that it is pulling the key out that causes them.

[globallockytoo]

Can someone explain why the dots are left on the key? I also started off by thinking that shuving the blank up was what caused the dots, and then it seems that it is pulling the key out that causes them.

On any tumbler, pin or wafer, when turning and pulling pressure is applied, the position of each pin or wafer will cause a brass keyblank to mark the position clearly on the blank, assuming the blank has been prepared properly in advance.

On a pin tumbler, it is similar to picking, with the binding causing the top pin to bind in each chamber. When the pin (spot) stops marking, you can usually be at the correct depth. If, sometimes there is not stopping in marking (spots) it could mean that you have impressioned too deep.

Does that help?