Schlage F605-238 Need to figure out replacement key

[iblackford]

Hi All,

I'm very much a newbie here, so please bear with me if my questions have been answered elsewhere. I'm always curious about how things work, and to that end i would like to figure out the key required for a lock I acquired. The lock is a Schlage F605-238, which is removed from the door and can be further disassembled to meet my goal of creating a replacement key. A few newbie questions/comments

1) I know I can use impressioning to learn what my lock needs, but from what i've read I need to procure a number of items first, and this seems like a lot of effort for only 1 lock.

2) I believe I can disassemble the tumbler and learn what my key cuts would be. Can anyone confirm this is possible with this model of lock? Are there any guides that are applicable to this? I have successfully disassembled and reassembled tumblers before, so i'm not a complete idiot.

3) Can anyone confirm what blank my lock would require? From what I have read, I believe it's an SC1, but I'm not 100% sure.

4) Are there places that I can go to where I can specify a "cutlist" and key blank, and they will produce a working key for me? I'd rather not have my first attempt at making a key be a hand-filed version.

Thanks!

[billdeserthills]

As the Schlage F605-238 appears to be an F-series lever handle you will either need a key that works in the lock or the ability to pick this lock open, in order to free the retainer that holds the lever handle on, before you can take out the cylinder for rekeying

https://schematicenginedoyle123.z22.web ... anual.html

[iblackford]

Ah, ok....this is where I have been getting hung up a bit, as I can't seem to remove the knob/lever in order to access the tumbler. I take it unlocking the lock from the privacy side isn't going to help?

Thanks, Ivan

[billdeserthills]

Ah, ok....this is where I have been getting hung up a bit, as I can't seem to remove the knob/lever in order to access the tumbler. I take it unlocking the lock from the privacy side isn't going to help?

Thanks, Ivan

Only way to remove the cylinder is supposed to be with a key, if it's a knob the A-1 Quick pull tool will usually take it off

https://www.lockpicks.com/quik-pull-too ... eries.html

Of course if you can pick the lock cylinder to the left or right, the handle will also come off

[Squelchtone]

[EDIT: Moving this from Ask Beginner Hobby Lock Picking Questions to Ask A Locksmith - This Old Lock]

[iblackford]

Hi All,

I picked the lock and manage to remove the tumbler. From there I took out the shell and plug pins, and measured them. All of the body pins appear to a fixed length (std pins?) so I didn't measure these. All measurements are in mm.



Can anyone help me identify what I need to do now in order to get a key cut?

Thanks for all the help so far, this has been a good learning experience.
Ivan

[Squelchtone]

Are you trying to make a working key for those exact pin heights or are you just trying to get a working key for your lock that does not have to match any existing keys at that property?

To determine the pins in your lock, you need a key gauge specific to Schlage, such as this one for $7.25 https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Lok-Schlage-SC1-Key-Decoder/dp/B073H2T1JS
*Remember, Schlage keys are read bow to tip.

The trouble is walking into a hardware store or local locksmith shop and saying cut me a key to this code won't work. hardware store person wont know how, locksmith wont do it because it may sound shady to them as that's not how people normally duplicate keys.

That leaves you with paying $9.49 on ebay and having someone cut you aa key by code and then mail it to you. https://www.ebay.com/itm/223705869417

You can get a kit on Amazon or Home Depot for $12 and rekey that lock to new keys that are included in the kit.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RIDQD0

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Line-Re-Key-A-Lock-Kit-Schlage-Type-C-5-Pin-Tumbler-Sets-w-Pre-cut-Keys-E-2402/100173492

You can always use this specification chart and convert your measurements to figure out the pins / key cuts. It looks like your key cuts may be something like 96953 or 86854

[iblackford]

Wow, thanks for that indepth help! I think I can absolutely get a working key now.

To answer your question, my goal is to learn and experiment, and get a working key for this lock. I'm not really in a rush. I'm not trying to make a key that will work in any other locks also.

I measured the pins a little bit more accurately with a better caliper, in imperial, and I have the following numbers, read from the back of the tumbler:

0.300"
0.269"
0.300"
0.240"
0.255"

I believe this means I need a key cut to 97954, based on that wonderful chart.

My std pins are 0.165, if that matters at all.

[billdeserthills]

If you want to make your own key, 'hands on' you can get an SC-1 blank & a file
I like to put the blank into the keyhole and mark where the spaces are with an icepick, then you know where to file

BTW your key code is 97956

[iblackford]

Thanks Bill for correcting my keycode! I put in an online order with a locksmith that will mail a key to me for a very reasonable price ($12 CDN total). So here's hoping my replacement key works.

I think it would be fun to be able to cut my own keys from blanks, and do general lock maintenance. I have a number of rental properties.

I can locally find keycutting machines on FB marketplace...old school ones that clamp the original key and the blank in place, and the machine follows the original to make the duplicate. The only thing I would be missing are depth keys, which i could use to cut keys from codes. Does anyone know a reasonably priced Canadian source for these?

All of my locks are either Schlage, Weiser, Kwikset...and maybe Defiant (Home Depot Canada house brand...).

Ivan

[iblackford]

Hi all, I got my key in the mail today! I test fit it in, and all but the last pin was perfectly flush with the tumbler...I swear I input the corrected keycode into their website!

Anyways...I didn't give up, I added a little bit of Solder to the last cut, and then shaved it down until the last pin was flush. I plan to get a couple of copies of this key made tomorrow, as I don't trust that the solder will hold up over time.

[GWiens2001]

Well done! We appreciate you letting us know that it worked.

Gordon