impressioning

[Engineer]

On *most* (but not all, so be careful) triangular files, one corner is purposely dulled for just the reason you suggest. With a bit of luck, you should find one is already done for you on triangular files that are equilateral triangles in cross-section.

You might need to look carefully - Or make test cuts on a bit of scrap metal, as the difference is quite small and hard to see.

[Raymond]

Hey Tooly,

Removing or 'thinning' the blank is common and quite acceptable as a simple variation on the theme. Many people will only impression by filing the edge to a knife edge which will show good marks on the edge point. However, do not thin the blank all the way to the shoulder where the key applies the turning pressure to the lock. You need the full blank to avoid breaking. Most blanks naturally will have enough room to wiggle even if it is very very small. Remember that the bottom pin is spring loaded onto the blank and when torqued, will make at least a small dent when rocked.

You can try raising the blank before torquing and then move it downward and then reverse this by lowering the blank and raising it after torquing. This works very well when using the hammer method to get your marks.

The 'pull-out' method doesn't require iny keyway sloppiness to work.

For the key holder I also prefer a small (4") vise grip. I have ground the cutting edge flat and parallel with the jaws. This provides a positive grip in only two places and there is no pivot in the middle. The curve on the visegrips jaw just fits my hand and forefinger.

[raimundo]

Couple more tips,
impressioning a masterpadlock is unusual for a locksmith but not for a handyman or hobbiest,
To impression a master padlock that is a cylinder inside a laminated stack housing, you have to cut the shoulder of the key way down, but not off.
the shoulder indexes against the plug face, but the bottom lamination will will bump into the shoulder and make impressioning difficult if you dont reduce the shoulder of the blank.

Use of the file is very important in impressioning, with a pointed file like a rattail, you use the point to center the cut and follow through with the flatest stroke that you can. if your cut starts off with the point of the file tilted above horizontal and finish with the point lowered to horizontal, you may find that the bottom of your cut has two different surfaces, one tilted up and the other flater, its not as easy to be certain of weak impressions on this type of surface so practice the flatest, levelest file stroke that you can make. Practice will help and mistakes will teach.

after you are good at making flat strokes, you can learn the advanced stuff like a stroke with the rattail file that slides up the edge of the cut and makes ramps as well as any pippin if you are good with the file. this is a stroke that grooms the angle that the pins ride on the way in and out of the lock.

You will learn the impression that a pin makes when it climbs a steep slope and you will see this problem in other places like on worn or tricky working keys. you will learn to know when a key is cut to low, it only works when jiggled, and when its too high, it turns stiffly and makes impressions on the trouble spots.
To repair a key that is cut to low, wrap the bottom edge in a match book cover to raise it in the jaw of the copying machine just .025" and then put it in and read the impressions and cut where needed.

[ridderhenck]

Personally I use tapping a lot lately.I use a metal tube,a screw through the tube,on the other end a nut and left and right from the blank a nut as well.When I,ve inserted the blank in the keyhole I turn the tube up,this way there is an angle between the tube and the keyblank I can use to press the blank down,then i use a hammer to give small hits on the end of the tube,then I use the tube reversely and tap again on the tube,this way I get good markings.It is also a very cheap way to build yourself instead of buying a diversity of equipment when you don,t really have the money for it
I use a magnifier 10 and 20x,this works very well.I,m still experimenting with lightsources,most of the time I can see enough at daytime
I use a 4 inch file,works like a charm.
And to get those first marks,use a marker,it works and you will be needing a lot less blanks

Goodluck!

[maxxed]

You can also color the blank with a marker, the friction from impressioning will remove the ink and will be much easier to see the contact point in poor lighting.