Bump Key HAMMERS--please post ideas, designs, pics, info etc

[Shrub]

Dark, yes that was the old way and never seemed to be up to the quotes of 95% succesful,

Bumping is the new craze and is very succesful, have a look at the vid on the toool website,

The other main differance with the few keys is that you would mostly put the key in and pull it out one pin space and then hit it in,

With bumping you have the one key, you fully insert it and hit it once to 3 times to open the lock (once good at it)

Zeke, i know where that key bow comes from, was that key sent to you or do you have access to that machine?

Ive made a tomahawk from a number plate cut down with a mallet head screwed on the end, the numberplate is the clear polycarb front before the plate is put together, after reading this thread i think it must be to floppy so will either try some upvc door frame (with a web down the middle) part of a car bumper or go to my local pvc fatory (2 miles down the road) and look through the scrap bin,

Ill try a rubber door stop for the end, some kevlar, some poycarb block, some bits of upvc glued together or anything else i can find,

ive been thinking of making a gun simular to a rubber sucker dart gun (toy) but with a adjustable spring, its got to look somwhere professional if im using it for work as its a little differant than picking at home for fun,

FYI pvc can come in any shape or form you want,

[zeke79]

Shrub,

That key was sent to me . I wish I had access to that machine .

[freakshow]

That key's from one of those E-Z entry key cutters, right? Anyways, another question... Is it possible to accidentally break a key of in the lock, because I'd think it would be much more likely, since there's little material left on the key, and you're hitting it with a hammer.

[Shrub]

Zeke, you me both

Im just getting into this bk'ing so it could be a heavy hand but i noticed on the key i finally got working quite well (6 cut for a euro cyl) there are fracture lines at the point it starts to go into the lock, i shouldnt think you will manage to break them anywhere else and think you will only break them where mines going if not hitting straight each time,

Incidentally i accidentally got the webbing of my hand (im not a freak, the bit between finger and thumb) just infront of the shoulder before hitting it, ouch

[Dark Angel]

Shrub
Maybe i jumped the gun then i will take a look at the video and see what you mean?.
As for rapping i have only ever tried it on standard european locks ie yale,union,viro etc.
Never tried a schlage?

[Shrub]

Im not doing you down mate, you havent been around for a while and maybe missed some of the new hype, this bumping malarkey is stunning, im only just getting into it myself,

I will say though that you need broad band to download it unless youve got all night and Barry Wells make it look very easy,

If on dial up have a look at the white paper first

[zeke79]

Dark Angel,

I just used schlage as I knew the pinning numbers off the top of my head and I do not know viro pinning specs. Hopefully the example I used still gives you the idea of the point I was trying to make. If not I did write a short bumpkey tutorial that can be found at http://nickz.homeunix.com/lockpicking/bumpkeys.pdf username lockpicking password 101 . It gives a brief description of why we only use the deepest cut or lower keys while bumping.

[Dark Angel]

Interesting stuff?
The reason i have not posted for so long was because i started to lose interest as most of the topics kept being repeated.
But now i am intrigued with this method i thought i knew most lockpicking tricks obviously not.
Has anyone here actually made a good bump key that works well on diffrent locks.?

[Shrub]

Im quite new to this process but i think as long as the spacing are quite simular you could make for example an A1 yale blank work on most of the A1 keyways, its the spacing and no of pins that decide how many it would work on, the only one ive got to work so far is a UD-1 (i think) which is just auniversal security blank, i am going to try it in various locks tomorrow to see how the pins line up,

Im sure zeke etc will be able to comment much better than i can on this though but obviously wont be uk based.

[Dimmy Locks]

Rapping V's Bumping.

I'm sure I'm just repeating what has been said before but thought it worth a brief description of the differences in the methodology of both ideas.

Rapping has been around for quite some time. The basic principle being, for each lock type u get blanks cut to each depth of pin.i.e 111 222 333 etc etc.

You then start with the blank with the shallowest cut. i.e. 111. (000 usually being no cuts required so no rap key).
you then insert that rap key all the way into the pin lock and extract it, usually quite quickly and smoothly whilst apply slight turning pressure to the core.. The idea being u are trying to catch any no.1's at the sheer line.
repeat with all rap keys upto the 9's. If the lock didnt spring, you'd use a pick to finish the job.

Was often claimed that rapping had a high success rate, I see it mentioned here of 95%. Personally I dont know any locksmith that uses rap keys anymore other than for depth and spacing these days lol. A clue to the true success rate people had.

Bumping is different in that you use only 1 bump key cut to 999 or "101010", inserted into the lock only upto, but not passed the last pin. the bump key is then struck percussively to shock the pin stacks into seperation, followed by or whilst applying gentle turning pressure to the bump key.

Personally, I'm having more luck with bumping than I ever had with rapping, but I'm still not satisfied upto yet, which doesnt mean I disbelieve the 70% success rate claimed in the video, just means I've still to find the right way to cut the key so it will cope with the no.9 pin problem I've discussed in another post earlier.

[Dark Angel]

[quote="Dimmy Locks"]Rapping V's Bumping.

I'm sure I'm just repeating what has been said before but thought it worth a brief description of the differences in the methodology of both ideas.

Rapping has been around for quite some time. The basic principle being, for each lock type u get blanks cut to each depth of pin.i.e 111 222 333 etc etc.

You then start with the blank with the shallowest cut. i.e. 111. (000 usually being no cuts required so no rap key).
you then insert that rap key all the way into the pin lock and extract it, usually quite quickly and smoothly whilst apply slight turning pressure to the core.. The idea being u are trying to catch any no.1's at the sheer line.
repeat with all rap keys upto the 9's. If the lock didnt spring, you'd use a pick to finish the job.

Was often claimed that rapping had a high success rate, I see it mentioned here of 95%. Personally I dont know any locksmith that uses rap keys anymore other than for depth and spacing these days lol. A clue to the true success rate people had.

Bumping is different in that you use only 1 bump key cut to 999 or "101010", inserted into the lock only upto, but not passed the last pin. the bump key is then struck percussively to shock the pin stacks into seperation, followed by or whilst applying gentle turning pressure to the bump key.


The description that you have given as to the use of a rapp key is competley diffrent from how i was told to use a rapp key.

I was taught to use a rapp key by using almost the same method as you would for a bump key.Ie you insert your first rapp key into the lock then pull the key back from the last pin apply a slight turning tension to the key and strike with a soft mallet or hammer.
If the lock does not give then you should repeat this method with the next rapp key.
I am no expert on rapp keys so i stand to be corrected but this was how i was taught to use the rapp keys.
And this was how i was shown to use them in a demonstration.

[capt.dunc]

i had a yale that just wasn't bumping with a 999, but it popped open when i used a 777 with the minimal movement technique. this can be the equivalent of adjusting when you apply your turn to the key.
i've also had unions that wouldn't open for me using the minimal movement, but have worked using the "one notch pull back and whack technique" something that i'd never managed untill i'd had success with the new methods.
it's a useful extra skill to have as a locksmith since you can make a bump key for a particular lock at the door if you have the blank.

[amc31b]

fellow lock pickers! we all have seen the amazing results of these bump keys. we all also know you need the correct hammer for it to work. i have tried to be clever and make the tomahawk out of various materials: just like you guys are now. keep it up!

Anyways my point is i think i have found the perfect hammer for bump keys! after getting tired of having no results with my previous inventions. i went to sears (sorry if you're not in the usa you might not know what that is) and got a small plastic and rubber hammer. it weighs 6 oz, has a red oak handle, one size has a bright yellow plastic strike surface, the other has a red rubber strike surface and is made by craftsman. of course the lifetime warranty comes with it! it costs about 10 dollars and i have had great results. i have opened 2 cheap 5 pin tumbler no name locks. a master lock with 5 serrated pins, and a schlage premium (7 pins). all i did was file the keys down to 999, take a bit of the shoulder and the tip, and with a good swing of this little hammer. all of them opened with one or two hits! guys(and gals), please trust me on this! someone tell me how to post pics and i will post pics of this awesome little hammer! *please note i am not affiliated with sears or craftsman tools and this is not an advertisment of any type.*

[Mad Mick]

someone tell me how to post pics and i will post pics of this awesome little hammer!

Click me.
(Second one tonight. )

[wraith]

Okay, maybe i'm retarded (or just slow), but does anyone have an actual picture of one of these "bump keys"? I know a few local lockies that have the right key machine, but they need a picture, and instructions to make sure they are making it correctly.

So far, I understand the cutting halfway between a 9 and a 10 all the way across, using a SC1, and a KW1 key (as I mostly see Shlage and Kwikset locks), and that's about all I can personally figure out.

I really want to try this, but it seems like a typical "eastcoast/westcoast" thing - no one around here either knows, or are faking not knowing how to make the keys properly.

Thank you.

Trey