American Lock restricted keyways

[Rusty_Shackleford]

On of my friends recently got a keyless old american 700 at a secondhand store, he picked it and gutted it, and planned on making a key for it. However it looks like the keyways is restricted [Picture of Keyway]. Does anyone know of a blank that fits in the WR1 American lock keyway?

[GWiens2001]

If the keyway is restricted, it may be the easiest thing to do is get a key blank catalog and find a key blank that is at least close, then file the blank to fit.

Making a key blank from scratch is possible, and I do it from time to time. But it is less effort (since I don't have a milling machine) to get one close and make it fit.

Good luck,

Gordon

[peterwn]

Looks like the blank for this profile is thicker than normal thus making it difficult to file down a near matching blank. Using thicker blanks also increases the number of available profiles. Keymark is an extreme example.

[cledry]

Change the cylinder to a regular keyway.

[Divinorum]

I hate to nerco an old thread but rather than make a new post about the same thing I'm just going to post it here for future reference. I have an American lock with the same restrictive key way and blanks seem non existent. I would like to swap out the core as suggested, this way it will take an standard A1045 blank. I took one of my other older American's apart and the figure 8 cylinder that takes an A1045 does fit and work nicely.

Is there anywhere I can purchase stand alone american lock cores (Keep in mind the core is the figure 8 style)? I have doubts a locksmith shop near me would have any.

[jeffmoss26]

The figure 8 cylinders are very old and hard to find. I managed to get a couple from a hardware store near my work that is now out of business.
An old-time locksmith may have something.

[Divinorum]

Thanks for the response Jeff. I will check with the smiths in my area then as that seems to be the best bet since they are discontinued.

[billdeserthills]

I would begin with a schlage c blank. I like to turn it over and cut .020 off the bottom of the blank. Keep cutting until the key enters your cylinder, some filing may be required.