Impressioning For Beginners

[gotta]

I'm not not sure why you would need to make a new key from code. As long as you haven't weakened the key too much, and it doesn't stick, who cares what it looks like?

The key will be weak even if it's not cracked. Code cutting a new one saves being called back to extract a broken key from the lock a few days later. Likely free of charge and at the risk of losing a customer.

Especially after impressioning a car. Since most are wafers, you need the flat spot of the wafer to land on the flat spot of a machine cut key. If your spacings off on your impression key, you'll end up with a knife edge wafer which will always wear out faster and start hanging up. Toyota did this by design with their laser cut originals and ruined a lot of locks in the process. I always cut an impressioned auto key back to code. You'll also have trouble duplicating whether it's a shoulder stop or tip stop key.

[samfishers]

I tried impressioning a wafer lock, for automobiles, but the wafers are so fragile, they are a pain to impression, you need to go very easy and smooth.


and what about the foil impressioning, any tutorials?

[Wrenchman]

Impressioning is one of my favorites too! I use a round saw file, in lack of
a better one, to make the cuts! When I bought my dublicator I changed
the metal brush wheel with a nylon wheel, it's perfect for polishing the
key after it's cut. I use the following method to prepare the key 1)polish
the blank using said nylon wheel and 2)sanding with 240-300 grit and
then step 1) + step 2) until you get perpect smoothness, should take you
about 1min. I prefer to end the process with sand paper! Now put the
blank in the lock and wiggle a few times, I don't use clamps too much, it
tends to break to blank too fast, there should now appear 5 clearly
visible marks, let me ad, you should if possible, check the pin heights
before impressioning to see if there's any zero cuts, you now file on
the marks and here's where my trick comes in, after using the file you
take a nail and wrap a small piece of 240 grit sand paper (that's what I
use) around it and sand the vallyes, sideways, after each file down, to
always have perfect smoothness which makes it about 20 times more
easy to see the upcoming marks!



Wrenchman

[Jaakko]

I tried impressioning a wafer lock, for automobiles, but the wafers are so fragile, they are a pain to impression, you need to go very easy and smooth.

When impressioning wafer locks, it is best to file a good knife-edge to the blank. This will aid in gettings marks and not messing up the wafers.

[greyman]

If wrecking the tumblers is a problem, why not use a softer blank? You could probably make one out of lead or tin or even copper and it would mark more easily. You'd need a separate tensioner to apply decent torque to the plug.

[raimundo]

wrenchy, are you saying that you impression while pinching the blank between thumb and forefinger? wow,
of course, gripping the blank with a visegrip plier was not how impressioning originally started out, they were putting the file tang through the hole in the key bow when the technique was invented.

but your use of sanding is a good new idea, however I regard 240 grit as pretty rough. on the other hand if it leaves an even background of sandmarks, that would take an impression well.

[yoyoboy]

Thanks for it info Gotta, makes sense.

[maxxed]

When impresioning wafer locks I will try to read the wafers first, if there is any doubt about the depth of the wafer cut the shallower, and then verify with impresioning.
Wafers can bend during impresioning (I know I've done it) so don't use any more preasure than absolutely necesary
When I was learning I would not remove enough material while fileing because I didn't want to go too deep so I would also suggest putting a scribe mark on the blade of the key at the 2 and 4 depths on one side and a 3 and 5 if necesary on the other . This way you know how far to file down to reach the next depth. Wafer locks will use a depth incriment of about .025 so use something that is that thick as a guide.
.

[globallockytoo]

freakparade said that he sharpens his blanks to a knife edge. Do you do this for pin tumblers too? I have never had to for pin tumblers. Wafers, yes but not pin tumblers.

A pippin file is the best in my opinion but the Swiss #2 or #4 is also great. I do use a round needle file sometimes too.

Impressioning tibbe keys is fun and not that hard as one would expect.

Impressioned a Chubb Ava deadbolt once...took a while but was straightforward.

Impressioned a few 6 and 7 lever safe locks...they are time consuming but beats drilling the lock any day. Best to use a 4" or 6" file for those.

Impressioned an old Lancia years ago, using a drill...that was a toughie.

And who says GM sidebar (P53A) cant be impressioned?

[freakparade3]

freakparade said that he sharpens his blanks to a knife edge. Do you do this for pin tumblers too?

I put the instructions how to knife edge with my post because when I first started impressioning I used that method. I do not knife edge blanks now, I just use a file to take off the shiny outer coat and then use sandpaper to smooth out the blank.

[Wrenchman]

wrenchy, are you saying that you impression while pinching the blank between thumb and forefinger? wow,
of course, gripping the blank with a visegrip plier was not how impressioning originally started out, they were putting the file tang through the hole in the key bow when the technique was invented.

but your use of sanding is a good new idea, however I regard 240 grit as
pretty rough. on the other hand if it leaves an even background of
sandmarks, that would take an impression well.

Yea, I prefer to do it with my fingers!

Sometimes I put a long thick nail through the key-hole(the hole that's in
the key), to help me turn but I try to be gentle, the nail is also perfect
for the POM!

I love the POM, oh btw, let me say that I mostly use horizontal pressure
only, and not so much vertical pressure!

I also do not use knife edging, I leave that for the butcher!

As far as 240 grit goes, it's ok, and after a few strokes it pretty much
becomes a 400 grit by itself, giving it a nice and smooth, non shiny, dull
texture!



Wrenchman

[Eyes_Only]

For anyone that uses a fine cut file, how do you clean them? I have a file card/brush to clean regular files but I don't think these things will work well on a fine cut file as you would probably just wind up scoring the file and maybe even filing down the metal brush part.

[gotta]

For anyone that uses a fine cut file, how do you clean them? I have a file card/brush to clean regular files but I don't think these things will work well on a fine cut file as you would probably just wind up scoring the file and maybe even filing down the metal brush part.

I use a Grobbert #4 Swiss 6". I don't use a file card, I simply wipe the file with a shop towell. It picks up the brass filings and does a nice job of cleaning.

[Eyes_Only]

Thanks, that helps a lot. My own personal swiss file at home, like the one at work, is starting to slip a little lately. Any need for a cleaner solution or anything to help pick off the brass bits?

[MBI]

If my files get some material embedded really bad, like a soft metal, then I use a file card to clean them up. Most of the time though I just liberally squirt them down with some WD40 after using them, then prop them up with the tips laying on a rag or paper towel and leave them overnight. The next day I wipe them down a few times, going from handle to tip. I usually find that it removes most of the junk, plus it helps keep them from getting rust spots when sitting in the drawer.