MacGyver101 wrote:Kwikkey wrote:Suppose I want to make a bump key, but I do not know if the lock uses a Kw1 or Sc1 key. Would I have to determine that beforehand?
Well, yes: a Kwikset key won't fit into a Schlage lock, so you would need to match the key blank to the lock.
Kwikkey wrote:Lets say I wanted to break into my brothers room (just a scenario
) and obviously I do not have the key . . .
Breaking into your brother's room doesn't have anything to do with lockpicking as a hobby (which is what we do here)... and you'll find that even joking about that (especially in your first post) is a quick way to get people's backs up.
If you're interested in finding a new hobby, then great, and welcome: you'll find lots of people here ready to offer advice, and lots of threads with good information about how locks work. (And, based on your questions, you should take some time first to read some of those threads -- you'll learn a lot, and you'll quickly find the answers to your questions about how bump keys work.) If, however, you're simply looking for some quick advice to break into your brother's room, then you're in the wrong place.
Thank you very much for your reply Macgyver. I apologize for offending you and anyone else in my first post, I promise that was certainly not my intentions. I only used breaking into my brothers room as an analogy, and now that I re-read it I agree it was a dumb analogy to use. I do NOT want to break into my brothers room, as a matter of fact I dont even have a brother :hehe: I was just trying to use an analogy because I lacked the right words to ask my question. So again, I do apologize for that. I hope I did not ruin my reputation here already.
I work at an auto parts store that is family owned and operated, it is my uncles and has been in business for close to 30 years. We make keys there, all sorts of keys, regular keys like Kw's and Sc's, Medeco Keys, car keys, transponder car keys, etc etc etc I consider myself a pro at duplicating/cutting keys and being able to match up just about any key with the blanks that I have in stock (and we have over 100 different blanks). I make close to 100 duplications a day and I know this may sound strange to people outside of those with an interest in keys, but I really enjoy making keys. I love the challenge of a customer bringing me an obscure key, I love the challenge of having to find the right blank amongst the huge selection I have; of course the challenge come with being handed a key that does not have the identification on it and so I have to find the right blank. Also, I am known in the neighborhood to be able to duplicate broken keys; I can duplicate virtually any key no matter how broken the key is. Again, I am known in the neighborhood (my nickname is keymaster LOL I was going to use that as my username here but it was already taken
) I am NOT a locksmith and I admit I do not know it all, as a matter of fact I learn something new almost everyday. But when it comes to duplicating keys, I can pretty much duplicate any one of them with my eyes closed! I am extremely fast at cutting keys too, fast and accurate. We keep track of how many keys come back due to it not working for the customer. My return rate is less than 2%, and to be honest the majority of the keys that I cut that come back due to not working is usually not because my cut was off or because I chose the wrong key blank, but because the lock the customer has is an extremely old lock (most in this situation is clear that it is not my cut that prevents it from opening the lock, but rather for the reason that the customers lock is the same lock that has been on the door of their house for 3 generations. So as a suggestion to them I will offer them a bottle of lock grease.
And of course if I get a key to cut that looks very old I will ask them if it works perfectly on the lock the key was intended for? Does it stick sometimes? is it tight inside or is it extremely loose to the point that the key falls out if not holding it?
I am sure I do not have to tell all of you how satisfying it is to cut a perfect key. I love doing it, I really do.
The store I work for has 2 other employees and I try to teach them the art of duplicating but it is as if they have no interest in learning. Their return rate is high too, above 15%. But I do teach them little by little they grasp the idea of how to cut a better key and be more accurate in choosing the correct blank to begin with.
One thing that bothers me however, and I cannot say I am surprised at all because any one who works in the retail business can relate I am sure, but most of the people complain about the price and threaten to go to Home Depot, all of this crap just because we charge $2.99 a key for standard keys like the kw1, sc1, y1, sc4, ar1. $3.50 for more obscure keys like na14, sc9, c01, etc etc and $5.99 for non-transponder CAR keys, and only $69.99 for vehicle transponder keys.
I only bring this up because I despise those customers who bust my chops about the price of a duplication and you know what I say about that;
1. if you are concerned over a $3 item sir and have no idea how much a duplication cost, then you should have simply asked me before having me cut those keys
2. Sir/maam, I fix home depots mistake at the very least literally once a day. I cant believe how many bad duplications home depot makes. but they do, and i make the customer a new one and it works no problem.
3. I cant stand those customers who complain about the price, when I tell them $2.99 they almost fall over. I get so offended by it sometimes because they make such a huge deal out of it, so I sometimes explain to them (even though it is none of their
business) that we have to pay for those key machines and the regular one cost over $3 grand, the transponder reader for car keys was over $1 grand, the Medeco cutting machine was close to $5 grand.
So i explain to them, if you are unsure what the going rate to duplicate a key is nowadays ask before we cut them. I cannot tell you how many times a customer will have me cut the key and when i go to ring them and request the money they refuse to pay. I have to call the cops sometimes.
If you made it all the way to the end of this post, I thank you very much for your advice and I am looking forward to learning alot in this community! I want to make this a hobby!! Thanks again!
Kwikkey
So, here goes.
