Any suggestions for impressioning medium?

[gremtech2002]

Hey All!

Just wondering if anybody out there has any ideas for an impressioning medium.

Figured I would try my hand at this and see where it goes.

Thanks in advance.

[digital_blue]

What type of impressioning have you got in mind? If you're referring to impressioning a lock with a key blank you'd look to brass key blanks. If you mean impressioning a key for duplication, there are a lot of methods out there. You need to impression into something, usually clay. Then you can cast a key out of any low melting point metal. They key will be too soft for use, but can be duplicated on a key duplicator quite easily.

db

[gremtech2002]

Thanks Dude!!

I'm not sure....... maybe will try a little of both. But my main goal is to try and cast a key.

I'm just wondering..... wouldn't clay shrink a bit once it dries?

Cheers!

[digital_blue]

Yes. Also, the metal will contract some as well. Fortunately the tolerances will usually allow for it. There's a good section in LSS about key casting. There are some ways you can compensate for the size variations, but it's probably not needed. Also, I am of the opinion that the whole process is probably not needed. The way I see it, a key duplicator is only looking for a 2 dimensional profile of the key. The warding is not needed. So, it would be easier to trace the profile to some heavy plastic, cut with an exacto, and use that for duplication. Also, if you use a thinner plastic, you can often avoid the need for duplication all together, as the thin plastic can often avoid any warding. It's too thing to provide enough strenth to turn the plug, but that's where Mr Tensionner comes in.

Cheers!

[Ben WV]

Cerrosafe is an excellent medium for key casting. It's used for casting slugs in ammunition reloading. It's easy to get, and only contracts by .001 inch. It actually is the medium recommended in an old CIA book on key casting.

[Ben WV]

Also, You can take the impression in modeling clay from any hobby store, and pour the melted cerrosafe into the cold clay without even firing the clay first to harden it.

[digital_blue]

Is that the Paladin Press book on CIA Key Casting? You know, there's not many books I can say this about, but I think after reading that one I actually got a little bit dumber. No, really! I can't imagine a book more poorly written. I think it was directed at some half-bred hillbilly who's been over-exposed to karosene fumes. I really, honest-to-goodness, felt dumber for having read that.

db

[Varjeal]

db is right...just look at what happened to his spelling.

[treboR]

You can also trace the profile of a key onto a key blank. And then use a file or dremel to cut the shape out. You will probably have to make some small adjustments to your new key, but as long as you cut conservatively, you should be fine.

[digital_blue]

Aw come on. Do I have to break out the dictionary again? Sheesh. Give half a man a chance....

db

[Ben WV]

OMG, Maybe it was written for stressed out secret agents behind enemy lines who were half crazed with with fear and needed really repetitive instructions!!

orrrr... maybe not.


But cerrosafe did sound like a good thing to use because of that low contraction. Your cast will be useless if it shrinks too much.

[funboy79015]

Cerrosafe contains cadmium so if you are going to use it make sure you do your casting outside or in a very well ventilated area.

[raimundo]

I have some wire made of bysmith or however thats spelled, you can melt it on a stove or over a candle. (its a basic element, if your interested in the spelling, look in table of elements) This cerro whatever probably contains it. Impressioningcasting keys would not come up in most locksmith circumstances, probably would in relation to antique locks though, The product is not used as a key, but as a master to copy a key in harder metal. If you press a key into the soft underside of your forearm, the impression will stay for about 5 minutes, and could be inked or dusted. you can press a key into metal foil over a pad of paper like a newspaper and it will leave a clear shape not very deep, low melt metal poured over that will have the outline and could be cut to the outline with jewelers saw and files, for the spy type impressions, you cannot anticipate when you will have the opportunity, and would be a fool to carry around that cia type casting box, any mint tin or an altoids breathstrips tin filled with fimo (available art supply store) will impression one key, one side, but my favorite is the pack of chewing gum, easily available on short notice, you can press a key into the foil wrapped around the gum, and put the stick back in the middle of the pack to preserve the impressions til you carry them to where you will measure them for copying. just a caliper and a code cutting machine will give you the key, if you were smart enough to note the type of blank, One stick of gum will impression two keys one on each end, blades only, not the bows, and a pack of five sticks will hold ten impressions, put the outer ones back with the impressions facing inside the pack. For a medeco key, you fold the stick of gum over the keyblade and press both sides at once. obviously you do not carry these impressions in your pants pockets, and protect them til they are decoded. not that I have ever done anything like this of course.

[freakshow]

I believe it's bismuth, Which looks like this:

It's a low melting point, brittle, but fairly durable metal, and it's diamagnetic (Repels magnetic fields, very cool stuff)

[Keyring]

Oh, I've got a piece of that on my shelf, and I'd forgotten what it was. I've always thought how cool the crystalline form is. Thanks for reminding me.