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

[globallockytoo]

I'm curious; is impressioning a technique which is commonly used 'in the field' or is it more of a bench locksmithing technique?

I can see the value of impressioning on site as an NDE tool, but it seems like it would be unecconomical compared to picking and replacing the cylinder, unless there are numerous keyed alike cylinders or the cylinders are particuarly pricey/difficult to replace.

Very commonly used in the field....especially by trained locksmith professionals.

Actually picking and replacing the cylinder would be more expensive than impressioning....so the more economic option would be to impression.

[Shrub]

Impressioning is used all the time by services not wanting to show a new lock has been fitted,

A lot things that can be done with locks are only done by certain people or used by certain types of work its just that we like them all on here

If you start thinking about impressioning cars then you get more of an idea just how useful it is when the lock isnt quite so easily removed from its door,

[mhole]

Interesting.

Cars seemed an obvious example of where it would be useful, since the locks are expensive and often fiddly to remove and replace.

Actually picking and replacing the cylinder would be more expensive than impressioning....so the more economic option would be to impression.

Well, obviously it's less expensive in materials, but I was thinking of time. Can a well practised lockie impression a lock faster (on site, in less than optimal conditions ie: bad light etc) than they can pick it, remove the cylinder and repalce it, or strip it and repin or make up a key to fit?

thanks for the replies.

[Wrenchman]

Bad move, could we talk about something else?



Wrenchman

[globallockytoo]

Interesting.

Cars seemed an obvious example of where it would be useful, since the locks are expensive and often fiddly to remove and replace.

Actually picking and replacing the cylinder would be more expensive than impressioning....so the more economic option would be to impression.

Well, obviously it's less expensive in materials, but I was thinking of time. Can a well practised lockie impression a lock faster (on site, in less than optimal conditions ie: bad light etc) than they can pick it, remove the cylinder and repalce it, or strip it and repin or make up a key to fit?

thanks for the replies.

It depends on how you value time. In a car, the time to pick the lock, strip down a door, remove lock, strip down lock, make key and then put everything back together might be longer than just impressioning alone. And that is only if you have to make the original key.

Some lockies think the opposite. In the case where you need to open somebody's house....picking and replacing the lock can be faster than impressioning. But that may be because the majority of house locks are simple to pick open and most customers dont mind having a new key for their cylinder especially if all their locks are NOT keyed alike.

[mhole]

Cheers for the reply - that fits with what I was imagining.

[poor paperclip picker]

I was wondering if you could go into more depth on the marker part. Do you just color the key with the blue sharpie? Or do you highlight the markings? If you could be more specific that would help a lot.
Thanks

[jacknife]

impressioning always seemed impossible to me until a couple days ago...what about the clam...could you use sauter as the metal

[samfishers]

Wow, very good tutorial....
But I do have a few question....

What about foil impressioning???
I don't get the marker part, if you put some ink on you keyblank, wouldn't be all removed, when you enter it??

[freakparade3]

I don't get the marker part, if you put some ink on you keyblank, wouldn't be all removed, when you enter it??

If you wait for the ink to dry before you insert the key into the lock it's not typically a problem. The only place the ink rubs off is where the pins maek the blank. That's where you file.

[samfishers]

well I tried it, and let the ink to dry but it didn't work, maybe it's just my markers or my locks.... bah anyways, I see the marks pretty good just with the conventional method

[tazman]

power point was very cool 4 me to under stand thanks for post.

[ToolyMcgee]

No Idontknow, using key impressioning to burglarize a building isn't that simple.

I know this jerk is long gone, but I had to say something. [quote="idontknow"]2) Using your stealth sneak up to the door you want to crack. Then insert
the blank key into the lock.[/quote]

[FrenchKey]

The link for the Ilco catalog is down, but here are the new links :

2004 Key Blank Directory 60 Catalog - North American Cylinders A to K [PDF]
http://www.kaba-ilco.com/key_systems/ke ... hment=True

# 2004 Key Blank Directory 60 Catalog - North American Cylinders K to Z [PDF]
http://www.kaba-ilco.com/key_systems/ke ... hment=True

# 2004 Key Blank Directory 60 Catalog - International Cylinders [PDF]
http://www.kaba-ilco.com/key_systems/ke ... hment=True

And the main page :
http://www.kaba-ilco.com/key_systems/li ... aspx?id=55
where you can find those 3 catalogs but also sevral more or less interesting ones.

In France, it's quite hard to obtain blanks, you need to become friend with a locksmith or a supplier. Moreover, brass blanks are very hard to find, even for locksmiths themself. But Impossible is not French ;)

[NKT]

[quote="idontknow"]Is it really this simple????

1) Take a candle light it and hold the blank key above it until it is
coated with soot.

2) Using your stealth sneak up to the door you want to crack. Then insert
the blank key into the lock.

3) Using the pliers twist the key left and right with alot of pressure.
Make sure not to damage the key.

4) Bring the key home. Notice how the pressure rubbed away the soot and
left indentions in the key. Using the file file down the areas where the
markings are. You may have to impression the key once or twice more untill
the key works.

I got this from totse.[/quote]
And that's all he'll get from TOTSE, as it has now passed away. Sort of a shame, but hey...

Just went and actually tried again (not tried impressioning a cylinder lock in about 6 months, since Sneek) and I got a 3 pin cylinder after a while! I'm going to go and try my new method on a 5 pin lock in a bit. I'm very happy, though. I finally worked out what I'm looking for, and suddenly, it seems easy!