Foils and Master Keys - know how to rekey. Help!

[slant6mopar]

Hey everyone,

I've lurked this site a few times but I need help. I'm sure an article has been written on this subject, but I can't find it only because my terminology is wrong, and I hope someone can point me to it.

I work in the hardware department of a very large chain of Canadian home improvement stores. I know how locks work and I know how to rekey them. I feel like I'm missing something very simple.

We constantly get returned deadbolts, entrance sets and gripsets with no keys. I can usually disassemble to get the actual lock out, but most of ours have pressed-in plugs holding in the top pins so I cannot remove the top pins to free the cylinder and rekey normally. I have the vendor-supplied (in this case, Weiser) set of ten "master keys" (00000-11111... ...99999) and two tools that a fellow employee calls a "foil" but doesn't know how to use, but assures me I can get the cylinder out with them, because he's seen it done.

Both "foils" appear to be very thin pieces of spring steel designed to go between the cylinder and the body of the lock and hold pins in place as you set them. So... now what do I do with the master keys? Logic says after I set the first pin with the foil, I won't be able to set the second pin because the foil will keep the bottom pin from moving.

Unless.... [lightbulb lights up over Lawrence's head]... unless the foil has to be inserted from the rear of the cylinder, which is no problem if I take off the pinned nut.

Am I on the right track?

Lawrence

[Raymond]

Sounds very simple. What your friend refers to a foils are actually commonly known as shims. There are thousands of topics regarding shims. Yes, remove the back cap, insert shim, use the 00000 depth key (also research depth keys) to raise all pins except the last. Now as you gently push the shim into the space betreen the plug and the bible and apply continous gentle pressure when it stops, push the depth key in further until the ramp on the end raises the bottom pin to the shear line. At exactly thim moment, the shim will slip further in between the top and bottom pins and stop again on the next-to-last pin. Back out the 00000 depth key and repeat the process on the next-to-last pin and so on. When all pins are shimmed, the plug will turn or push out. Turn it but leave it in and remove the shim. Then push the plug out with a plug follower and rekey or decode the plug.

[NanoDuke]

Since you've got those ten "master keys", what you can do, is push the shim in the back until it hits the rear pin. Put in each of your keys until it lines up and you can push the shim further.
Then repeat for the next pin, and work your way out. Swapping keys each time.

[slant6mopar]

*THANK YOU ALL*

OMG, it was so ridiculously easy. I slid in the shim ("foil", as I'd been told to call it) from the back, and then tickled the lock with a blank key. (The blank was my call - I still don't understand the roles of 00000-99999 keys I have.)

I pull out the blank and the shim advances a pin. I pull out the blank and the shim advances another pin.

The first took me about 2 minutes. The second, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th deadbolts piled on the bench took me less than 10 seconds each to break into so I could re-key them.

Wow.

My boss now kisses my ass because we're no longer throwing out locks with missing keys. I love my boss and will teach him, even if I have to drag him kicking and screaming.

ONE DAY!

Thank you all.

This former lurker will become a learner and then a poster.

Lawrence

[thelockoutguys]

"My boss now kisses my donkey because we're no longer throwing out locks with missing keys. I love my boss and will teach him, even if I have to drag him kicking and screaming."

If you teach your boss he will no longer wish to KISS your donkey. Your donkey will most likely become lonely and then depressed. Not a good thing. Keep your donkey happy!

[slant6mopar]

If you teach your boss he will no longer wish to KISS your donkey. Your donkey will most likely become lonely and then depressed. Not a good thing. Keep your donkey happy!

I like to keep my donkey happy (LOL... I did use a three-letter synonym, but it was automagically changed for me when I posted.).

Here's the deal. I like retail (except for the pay and the hours). I like my boss, and I really don't want him to kiss my donkey. I'm there. Together, we keep that department from falling apart.

It's pretty apparent that I only work retail because I love the sense of empowerment I see on a customer's face when I've taught him/her that you can change your kitchen faucet by yourself. I also like technical sales - there's no BS where some idiot hausfrau quivels over whether or not a floor tile will match her harvest gold refrigerator ("Ma'am, as far as I'm concerned, NOTHING goes with a harvest gold refrigerator.")

Before the 2001 tech meltdown, I managed a flight information system at the 5th biggest airport in North America. Unix and Linux were everywhere. The openness was astounding. When I had a problem, thousands of Linux users came to my rescue in forums like this, and they helped me do my job.

I don't believe in security through obscurity. I believe in security through knowledge and understanding.

When I rekey a lock for someone, I well expect them to watch as I do it. And I show them how it works and what I'm doing.

In that vein, I've taught three people at work what you've taught me. And I will teach my boss, against his will if necessary. But oh yes, he will learn.

I like to keep my donkey happy. My donkey might have a slight exhibitionist streak.

Thank you all.

Lawrence

[thelockpickkid]

Those keys that you have, the 0-9 keys, they are most likely depth and space keys, used mostly for code duplicating keys, if you know the code for the same manufacturer as those keys you can generate a key for a lock that is missing keys if you decipher what all the pin lengths are.

[Squelchtone]

I slid in the shim ("foil", as I'd been told to call it)

Please go back to who ever told you to call it a foil and correct them so they don't keep spreading the wrong terminology around. They are called shims as someone already mentioned. The 0 to 9 keys you have are for cutting a key to code and they can also be used to decode an existing key. As someone said they are called depth and space keys, never call these master keys, a master key is something totally different. Knowing the proper terminology can help you find answers much easier. I'm also weary of what you call a pinned nut? Very creative of you guys to come up with interesting in house names, but I can't believe Weiser/Schlage/Dexter or whatever brand you sell didn't provide a service manual with diagrams and part names along with their repinning kit.

Happy Halloween,
Squelchtone

[slant6mopar]

Please go back to who ever told you to call it a foil and correct them so they don't keep spreading the wrong terminology around. They are called shims as someone already mentioned. The 0 to 9 keys you have are for cutting a key to code and they can also be used to decode an existing key. As someone said they are called depth and space keys, never call these master keys, a master key is something totally different. Knowing the proper terminology can help you find answers much easier. I'm also weary of what you call a pinned nut?

LOL... It's used in deadbolts only. Without knowing the correct name, it's the nut that holds the plug in, and requires the tool to hold down the spring-loaded pin. (Or a lot of patience and a pair of tweezers.)

As for terminology, you're exactly right. I'm correcting mine as I learn.

Very creative of you guys to come up with interesting in house names, but I can't believe Weiser/Schlage/Dexter or whatever brand you sell didn't provide a service manual with diagrams and part names along with their repinning kit.
Squelchtone

Dude, if they did, they're long since lost. Only those readers who have worked in big box stores can truly appreciate the situation. Stuff tends to get lost somewhere in the 145,000 square feet. My one document is a Schlage guide to repinning their locks - it assumes you have working keys and there's absolutely nothing beyond how to disassemble an entrance set.

We carry Weiser, Schlage, Kwikset, Dexter (Schlage), Master, Faultless and Forge. The locks I was specifically asking about were Faultless - there was a big pile of them on the desk - but I've now used techniques from this site to open other (clearly better) locks.

I have a lot to learn, but I like intricate machines, and I'm really enjoying learning about locks.

Thanks, guys.

Lawrence

[MacGyver101]

We carry Weiser, Schlage, Kwikset, Dexter (Schlage), Master, Faultless and Forge.

These links may be of some use then:

• Kwikset Rekeying Manual
• Schlage Rekeying Manual
• Master Lock Tech Manual

Hope that's of some help!

[Squelchtone]

LOL... It's used in deadbolts only. Without knowing the correct name, it's the nut that holds the plug in, and requires the tool to hold down the spring-loaded pin. (Or a lot of patience and a pair of tweezers.)

cylinder cap.

Dude, if they did, they're long since lost.

Not anymore! http://consumer.schlage.com/installations/P513-325_Rekeying_Manual.pdf (print it out, punch some holes in it and throw it in a 3 ring binder, everyone at work will appreciate it, but in all honesty you should be able to ask your buyers/reps to supply you with the literature for every brand you sell, as well as replacement plug followers, cap removal tools, etc.)

Page 16 has the cylinder cap and cylinder cap removal tool instructions.

Protip: If you don't have the proper tool, but you have a set of lock picks, using the tip of a hook pick works great to hold down the spring loaded pin, while you unscrew the cap.

keep up the good work,
Squelchtone

ps. I wish MacGyver101 wasn't such a night owl! he just posted some manuals before I got to press Post. enjoy!

[straightpick]

I slid in the shim ("foil", as I'd been told to call it) from the back, and then tickled the lock with a blank key. (The blank was my call

Congratulations! You learned the proper way of shimming the plug, using a keyblank!

[Tyler J. Thomas]

I prefer using hook/rake picks to shim, especially on oddities like Schlage's LFIC cylinders. Just something to consider OP, might want to try that out and see if it's for you.

[I Pik U]

There are times when you have to use a pick to help you to shim.
Sometimes you can't get a blank in because of a stuck pin or foreign object, whatever.
Or you don't have the correct blank but do have a cut key (which you can sometimes use as well).
Whatever works, use it.

[unlisted]

Mind the language you use on here please- we try to keep this site family friendly.