er... holes.

[vector40]

Messing around with my Kwikset practice cylinder (yes, the one I cut out), I noticed that the plug seems to have an extra row of little holes cut parallel to the actual pin chambers. It's not an extra set of chambers, because the pins wouldn't actually fit in there, and they don't fully penetrate to the keyway anyhow; they just sort of bump as you twist the plug past them. Can anyone tell me what these are for? Is it just something vestigial from the manufacturing process?

I can snap a picture if nobody knows what the clue I'm talking about, but I assume this isn't a one-of-a-kind thing.

[WhiteHat]

from that description - the only thing that I can think of is that they're for
builders keying (terminology?) - where the builder get's a key to the
building while they're working, when the owner uses his/her key, then the
builders key ceases to work.

This happens because while the builder is using their key, there are ball
bearings in the pin chambers between the driver and the key pins - when
the owners key is inserted, the ball bearings are lifted past the shearline
and when the plug is turned, the ball bearings drop into the holes in the
plug, never to return. i.e. the builders key has deeper bitings than the
owners key. - sort of like temporary master keying.

a picture would be great - since, although I've heard this described quite a
bit, I've never actually seen any pictures. and I'm sure other people
would also appreciate it.

WH.

[vector40]

Sure, here's a shot.

http://berkeleyhigh.org/provinggrounds/holes.jpg

Again, they aren't actually "holes" in the sense that they go all the way into the keyway (and they'd be "off axis" from the key, anyway); they're more just like ditches.

[Eschatos]

On a similar note, my Kwikset locks have the same, very shallow cuts in the cylinder. Also, I use Burt's Bees. Good stuff!

[thertel]

I'm gonna go with WhiteHat on this one, I've been thinking thats what they were for ever since I first noticed them in some of the one's I've been rekeying this past week.

Thomas