hi guys
Sorry if this is a re post about bump keys
But i have been a member here for about a week ,and answered a fellow members question about bump keys ,since then i have had a few pms about keys ,now im no expert ,but i am willing to share what i have learnt
the first thing you should have is a space and depth chart like this one
http://web.archive.org/web/200502151024 ... pacing.htmthen get yourself a micrometer/vernier calipers .a vice and some files ,
now before you buy a triangle file like i did ( which makes a deep cut but don't take enough of the side in the valley) buy a square file ,for me it works better than the triangle, walk around the hardware store to were they keep the files and put the corner of the file into the valley of one of your keys and just see how it fits,the square file will fit better than the triangle.
Try and recycle your old pre cut keys,as the spacing is correct, only the depth needs to be corrected ,compared with blank keys as you have to best guess space and depth ,i suggest you learn to modify before you ruin a good blank , learn to look at your old keys i am sure ,at least one of them has the deepest cut in one of the valleys .if it has you can use this for reference.
Dont worry to much about the looks of your keys ,as long as the cuts are deep enough it should be fine ,i made some ugly looking keys ,and i did not think they would work ,but they did ,that is because the material used in keys is pretty soft compared to the pins in the lock ,and the more i used these ugly looking keys the pins in the lock was reshaping the keys into a usable bump key (took me a little while to figure that out ) that is why you dont practice on you front door ,you will get a usable bump key but compromiser you own locks.
And when you get that usable bump key ,make a copy of it,because what poeple don,t tell you is keys are soft ,have a bad Technic and a heavy hand the key and the lock with both be buggered
hope this helps
