What is the diffrence between "Axxess keys and Hillman keys?

[sheldonl]

What is the diffrence between "Axxess" keys and "Hillman" key blanks ?

Their website indicates that they are both manufactured by the: "Hillman Corperation" Why do some blanks say "Axxess" while others say "Hillman"? Is their a diffrence in quality? Please explain, thank you.

Also Axxess blanks appear to be much more common than Hillman blanks in general.

Again, thank you for your input regarding my question.

Best,
Sheldon

[jeffmoss26]

Axxess is the name Hillman gives their system that is used at big box stores like Home Depot, Walmart, Lowe's. The key is attached to a piece of paper and inserted to a machine sort of like a tape cassette.

They also sell normal key machines and blanks to independent hardware stores. Those keys just say Hillman.

Both keys are of equal quality, the only difference is the name and the stamping on the bow.

[2octops]

I disagree that they are the same quality. Axxess keys are pizz poor alloy that is very soft, wears quickly and breaks easily. The Hillman keys are actually not to shabby.

[phrygianradar]

I have never had a Hillman key, but I do agree that Axxess keys are not very quality--to say the least. I have had many of them wear out at work. Granted we use them every day at least a couple of times, but still. This should go without saying, but Home Depot does not make keys very well. There have been many times where the person making a key for me has had almost no idea what they were doing. They are sloppy and the keys don't work, so they have to do it again. Or better yet, they tell me to, "just jiggle it and it will work", or, "It will work if you just pull it out of the lock a little bit...", Pathetic. Home Depot should just stop making keys and leave it to people who want to work for a living, instead of some "entitled to the world" teen ager who doesn't get paid enough to work hard or know what they are doing.

Whoa, sorry for the rant, bad experience flashback.

[2octops]

You can not really blame the Home Depot employe's for the crappy machines they have to deal with to cut keys.

The Axxess "system" is a sales tool that generates great profits for both the end users that are contracted to lease the system as well as the company they are contracted from.

The machines are placed in the stores, the key blank inventory is placed in the store on consignment and the stores (their corp) does not pay for anything that they do not sell. The machines are actually not horrible by the standards of being able to cut a key properly. However, they are abused by people that have little or no training and are not serviced or calibrated until someone actually submits a request and many times the machine is simply replaced.

The interesting part of the entire deal is the end users are reimbursed at retail price for any miscut keys that they turn in. So, if the store cuts a key and it does not work and the customer returns it, the store still gets paid the same amount as if the key was simply sold and never returned. This gives the stores very little incentive to actually cut a key that actually works since they get paid the same either way.

The Axxess system makes it's profits from volume.

[phrygianradar]

You can not really blame the Home Depot employe's for the crappy machines they have to deal with to cut keys.

The Axxess "system" is a sales tool that generates great profits for both the end users that are contracted to lease the system as well as the company they are contracted from.

The machines are placed in the stores, the key blank inventory is placed in the store on consignment and the stores (their corp) does not pay for anything that they do not sell. The machines are actually not horrible by the standards of being able to cut a key properly. However, they are abused by people that have little or no training and are not serviced or calibrated until someone actually submits a request and many times the machine is simply replaced.

The interesting part of the entire deal is the end users are reimbursed at retail price for any miscut keys that they turn in. So, if the store cuts a key and it does not work and the customer returns it, the store still gets paid the same amount as if the key was simply sold and never returned. This gives the stores very little incentive to actually cut a key that actually works since they get paid the same either way.

The Axxess system makes it's profits from volume.

Yeah, I know that's true. Must have just been the attitude I've gotten in the past that grinds me. Most of the time H.D. folks are nice and helpful, but occasionally you will get a real piece of work. I've cooled off.

[sheldonl]

I disagree that they are the same quality. Axxess keys are pizz poor alloy that is very soft, wears quickly and breaks easily. The Hillman keys are actually not to shabby.

So, the "Hillman" keys are better? All the stores (Home Depot, Walmart, etc) seem to only have the Axxess keys.
Are the "Hillman" keys still sold at any stores? If so, do you know of any where I might look?

Thanks.

[jeffmoss26]

Try a local, independent hardware store. Most carry a mix of Ilco, Jet, and Hillman.

[Evan]

I disagree that they are the same quality. Axxess keys are pizz poor alloy that is very soft, wears quickly and breaks easily. The Hillman keys are actually not to shabby.

So, the "Hillman" keys are better? All the stores (Home Depot, Walmart, etc) seem to only have the Axxess keys.
Are the "Hillman" keys still sold at any stores? If so, do you know of any where I might look?

Thanks.

@sheldoni:

The difference is in the skill level of the operator of the duplicating machine...

A store which uses an AXXESS+ system has limited key blank selection and allows unskilled workers with little experience in making keys select the blank using the profile selector tool (trial and error, does it fit into any of the little plastic holes) then pick the blank and cartridges for the machine based on the blank number and color of the selector tool slot, then place the cartridges into the automatic machine to magically duplicate the key without any knowledge of how it is done nor the experience of being able to visually inspect the resultant key and assess its viability and whether or not they should allow the customer to leave the store with it...

Common issues which plague the AXXESS+ system are:

incorrect cartridge selection for the blank being used -- it won't hold the key correctly
worn cartridges -- won't hold the key correctly
damaged/worn key cutter wheel -- it is hidden in the machine and no one ever sees it
poor quality of the keyblanks -- garbage in, garbage out
operator error in not seating the blank or original key fully into the cartridge -- keys won't work

A hardware store which sells Hillman keyblanks (or a mixture of many keyblanks) has invested in an hour or two of training for the people using the duplicating machine and after a little while of making keys those employees can begin to get a feel for when a key just "doesn't look right" and is less likely to work properly...

~~ Evan