Key making problem.

[WolfSpring]

I ran into a small problem copying keys. I have a very cheap ILCO machine and have made maybe 50 key copies with not one problem till last week. I know for a fact I need to get a new clamp for the key getting copied, and my wheel is already wearing down, I had to adjust to original trace piece twice already, but here is my wierd problem.

It is only on the best keys I've copied with an F keyway. The copies only work one way. Our locks if you turn them clockwise it will unlock the door, counter clock wise will just move the lock to open the door. The key will only turn counter clock wise. I've checked the copies best I can and it is exactly how it should be cut. All the other keys i've made work perfectly, mainly kwikset KW1 and American lock keys. I'm a little rusty on proper terms, but I think I used understandable words. Thank you in advance.

[MacGyver101]

Is it possible that the blanks are slightly twisted when they're clamped... with the result that the cuts are on a bit of an angle (i.e., not "twisted", but cut deeper on one side of the blank than on the other)?

I've had that exact experience when impressioning a key before: I was filing on a slight angle by accident, and the cuts ended up shallower on the left than on the right... and the key would only turn one way as a result. Depending on the shape of the warding and the jaws on your key machine, I could imagine the same problem happening when you clamp the key in place. (And, if that's the problem, you can probably shim something like a paperclip under the key to keep it "flat" when clamped in place.)

[Evan]

Wolfspring:

What BEST keys are you attempting to copy ? Are they original keys? Are they first generation dupes ? Second generation ? As you get further from a key that was originated by code with BEST keys you are less likely to get a working copy of the key...

Another consideration is what MacGyver101 was talking about with the keys not being properly clamped in the vises while cutting them and you are getting an "angled dupe" where the seats of the key bittings are not flat on the key...

It is more likely that your problems are resulting from a combination of the clamping problem AND attempting to make a BEST key from a non-original key...

BEST keys should be "originated" using either a code machine or a key bitting punch to ensure optimal performance of your locking hardware... The tolerances used in BEST locks are such that duplicating keys by means of a tracer duplicator even if it is perfect and only out by a few thousandths of an inch quickly create problems...

~~ Evan

[mtcrowe]

You need a special jaw to copy best keys. If you use a standard jaw it will cause the key to clamp at an angle (as said earlier). Duplicators made by companies like Rytan and HPC come with reversable jaws for this reason.

[WolfSpring]

Thank you for the resposnes, I had looked at it and thought it might be something like that. I do have "standard" jaws, it's a basic machine and the width hits right one one of the key way grooves in the key putting it at a slight angle. As far as original, first gen dupes, I'm a little green to even know that. I'll look into that and see if I can learn that and figure it out. My machine is an el cheapo, can't even find the exact model, it's an old ILCO I bought for 75 bucks at a flea market jsut to play around with and learn. I"m in no way into the "buisness" end yet, but I posted in here because I figured it was more of a buisness type question. Thank you again for the knowledge, and I have some things to research now.

[Wizer]

There was a tread about very similiar problem, and the answer seemed to be shims.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48385