I need help impressioning warded keylock blanks.

[Neo]

The bottom two posts are the problem I'm having..

viewtopic.php?t=1073&start=300

I used a sharpie to 'smoke' the blank, you can put it on a lot easier and more even.

I using a permanent marker a good idea?? What bothers me is how is that sort of things going to show marks? I mean.. that kinda of thing doesn't just rub off a key does it? Plus if it's permanent marker and foley-belsaw look at it.. they might be angry that I cheated on it..

I just tried using a permanent marker on one of my keys I have laying around the house.. the marker ink just stood there. It didn't wipe off. I don't want to try this with my keyblanks..

I remember when I had the smoking thread open, people were talking about a few other methods.. aluminum foil, i think was one... hopefully I'll be able to get this lesson of foley-belsaw done.. i'll bust out my digital camera to give people pictures of what i'm looking at soon.

This looks like a very interesting art to me. I'd like to get better at it.

[MrB]

OK, I'm puzzled. Don't Foley-Belsaw teach you the theory before they set the practical exercise? Why would they ask you to do something without giving you a clue how to do it?

[raimundo]

smokey blanks have a coating of soot that marks too much, there are marks made when you put the key in and when you take the key out, as it passes the wards, it scrapes off soot. if its a lever lock, it will mark the lever that is bound as well as the lever that moves. marker sticks better, so you will have to try harder to get a mark, you will have to move the key a bit more, turning it, and then jabs back and forth when turned. If necessary after making the key with marker, you can smoke it for the foleybells people, then mark it again, or wirebrush all that stuff off.

[raimundo]

I didn't even realize that foleybels shipped to mars.

[Jimmie]

another trick is to use correction fluid (TYPEX) ... as it is white you see very well the marks ...

we don't have these F&B courses over here ... I believe they will not appreciate the use of a trick they don't teach

remove all the white correction fluid and blaken the key (not on the cuts where you have to file normally) before going to the course !!!

Jimmie

[Chucklz]

On Master Warded locks, only the tip section of the key causes the lock to open. You need to expand either one or two cotter pin looking springy parts. Other than that, you can be a bit sloppy with the back of the key... ie cutting most of the blank away without any ill effects on operation. Of course, the key may operate more than just one warded lock then.