Drawn a Blank

[SteveW]

If i am starting my own domestic mobile service, to me logic dictates that obviously i need to stock the corrisponding blanks for the locks that i am fitting. But what about all the others, no ones gonna pay me to turn up at their house just to cut a key (well hey never say never), do i need to carry a huge assortment of blanks ?

[Shrub]

Only if your going to be cutting keys, if you are only going to offer to replace keys after rekeying locks (if you do) then you obviously need those key blanks and as you say keep blanks in for the locks you fit.

Always ask if the customer wants extra keys cutting for the locks youve just fitted.

Places like sks will put together a general bundle of common keys and its a good idea to get a decent key catalogue.

I wouldnt go and buy every blank out there as its not going to help, youll have some of them never used.

With next day delivery, if you get a mass order for key cutting from a local council for example you just order then and arrange an appointment the next day for you to do the job, order 50 each time and youll end up with boxes of stock that you will dip into time and time again.

Its a good idea to ask any local key cutting places the most common keys they sell and get 50 of each of those to begin with.

[SteveW]

John Richards in Manchester has done me a nice selection which i think will cover most of my initail needs, but i will order more blanks as i order more locks( if you get what i mean). My next question is about the makes of blanks available Silca, Orion Kiosk etc, They all use different coding systems. Am i better of sticking to one manufacture and learning their system, or just sticking with original blanks ( but these are more expensive) Cheers!

[Shrub]

Well i use sks for my keys and they are jma ones, it doesnt really matter whch ones you use as long as like you say you know which ones are right.

There are key blank comparison books and although i dont own one i believe the one sold by sks is a very good one, its like a yellow pages

To me it doesnt matter if they are original blanks or not and neither do the customer care, a key is a key its only if they are renown for being weak metal ithat you should stay away from them but the main brands are all ok and its down to choice.