What is a "scribe" ?

[fireware]

I was browsing around some locksmith supply stores, and I came aross a "key scribe" Does this allow you to mark the keys, like a stamp would?


http://www.lockpicks.com/locksmithspenc ... arbon.aspx
That's the product I found.

Thanks.

[lunchb0x]

These are used for scratching/marking in lines on metal instead of using a pencil or pen, this way the mark can't be rubbed off.

[jimb]

I have a couple of scribes left over from my printing days, which are basically a wood dow with a fat needle stuck in the end. They are handy to have and I still find many uses for them.

[fireware]

Do they function like stamps? Can I do labeling of keys?


Something like the MS26 label thing.

Sorry if these questions are dumb, but I'm new to lock stuff.

[lunchb0x]

all they do is scratch the surface of the metal to mark it, liek if you where using a pen or pencil but permanent, so they don't work like stamps, you could use them to lable keys but you could just use a small screwdriver to do the same thing as most keys are brass and can have a nickle coating on them so the metal is quite soft.

[fireware]

OK, thanks for the info guys. I guess this isn't what I need then.

[lunchb0x]

What your after is a stamping block like this

[fireware]

Thanks, I found what I need

http://www2.northerntool.com/hand-tools ... -15367.htm

[Safecrackin Sammy]

We do ALOT of key and lock marking and while stamps and a hammer are nice, we use a handheld electric engraver. Much quicker.

They are cheap and you can get em anywhere.

Most commonly used to mark your TV, stereos etc in case they are stolen.

[n2oah]

Dremel makes an excellent electric engraver. Like Sammy said, they are very quick, and you don't have to worry about alignment like you do with punches.

[ridinplugspinnaz]

I dunno about you guys, but I have absolutely miserable "handwriting" when it comes to engravers. Got any tips for improving that?

[raimundo]

For a few hundred dollars, you can buy a pantograph, and some alphabet fonts, the kind of thing that jewelers use to write sweetnothings inside of rings etc. (actually the inside of ring type is not what you want, you want the flat one.

[n2oah]

For a few hundred dollars, you can buy a pantograph, and some alphabet fonts, the kind of thing that jewelers use to write sweetnothings inside of rings etc. (actually the inside of ring type is not what you want, you want the flat one.

Where would one get one of these?