Trying to make bumpkey

by **dmux** » 28 Jun 2006 20:20

can someone please post pictures of bump keys and maybe a small piece that shows the different depths of the cuts i.e 1-9 so we all can visualize the difference between them

by **Shrub** » 2 Jul 2006 16:32

Andy, i think the thing worrying to the lockies is that give someone a bump key and you loose a load of callouts!

by **doggy1** » 2 Jul 2006 18:52

Just being new to lock picking, i found that you can make a bump key
from a set of depth keys.
You just take the key which is cut the lowest and file the tip back 0.50mm, the shoulder back 0.25mm. You then have your bump key.
But if your into lock picking as a hobby, you don't really need bump keys.

by **Woglinde** » 5 Jul 2006 17:21

doggy1 wrote:Just being new to lock picking, i found that you can make a bump key
from a set of depth keys.
You just take the key which is cut the lowest and file the tip back 0.50mm, the shoulder back 0.25mm. You then have your bump key.
But if your into lock picking as a hobby, you don't really need bump keys.

How do you make it? I didn't understand.

by **doggy1** » 6 Jul 2006 5:27

Hi Woglinde

A way of making a bump key is to use a key from a set of depth keys.
Depth keys are a set of keys that have been cut to each depth of a type
of lock.
ie: depth keys for standard yale Ilco #Y1 keyway have ten keys. The keys
are numbered from 0 to 9. The key marked 0 is the key which has the
highest cuts on it, with 5 spacings. This means the 0 depth key would lift
all the pins in the lock to the highest position (DO NOT try this with any depth keys because the pins in locks are different lengths, and you would
damage your keys and lock).
The key marked 9 is the key which has the lowest cuts on it, with 5
spacings. This means the number 9 depth key would lift all the pins in the
lock to the lowest position.
These depth keys are used by locksmiths to cut keys who don't have a
code machine for originating keys.
When making a bump key from depth keys, you use the key marked 9
(you could make the bump key from this key or file down a blank key the
same as the number 9 depth key). From the tip of the key you file 0.5mm
(0.020") from it, but keeping the shape of the tip the same.
Taking 0.5mm (0.020") from the tip is so when you bump the key it
doesn't hit the back of the lock.
Next take 0.25mm (0.001") off the shoulder of the key. This is the
distance the bump key needs to go into the lock to bump and make all the pins jump.
When you have made your bump key, you insert the key until you feel
the key just touch the pins. there should be a gap between the key
shoulder and the face of the lock. This space is the space the key moves
when you bump the lock, and make the pins jump.

To buy depth keys a good place to look is on ebay.

Good luck with your bumping

-john

by **doggy1** » 6 Jul 2006 5:51

The (0.001") should have been (0.01") in the last post i did.

by **Woglinde** » 21 Jul 2006 17:31

Thank you Doggy1

by **Bud Wiser** » 24 Jul 2006 15:51

I've been received pretty good so far in my journies at hardware stores on a couple of locksmiths. But of course I have a long sales background too so I know how to defuse a situation or make people feel comfortable (usually).

When i went shopping for locks to practice picking on I was asked if I needed help. I said yes, what locks do you recomend for a beginner to practice picking on? Well of course he looked at me suspciously and asked why I want to pick locks. I told him I've been a postman for too long and don't feel appreciated enough so I decided a carrier change is in order and was considering a life of crime. Well the guy just busted up laughing. Great ice breaker!

As we talked some more and I told him I'm just intersted in picking right now as a hobby and found out he visits this forum on occasions too, he was very helpful to me! He suggested I learn locksmith and consider a course. He informed me it's legalized crime

I was the one who was shocked when I visited one of the largest well known locksmith shops in our area and spoke to a lockie who was in business for 35 years and had no clue what a bump key was. Even after I explianed what it is, he said he never heard of such a thing. Is bump keys a relatively new thing?

by **p1ckf1sh** » 25 Jul 2006 4:59

Bud Wiser wrote:Is bump keys a relatively new thing?

No. I think Barry mentioned references to bumping that date back to end WWII. It just being hyped recently. But I agree, a lockie of 35 years should at least heard of it, irregardless of how he view this personally.

Maybe he was playing dumb because he did not want to give any info away, or wanted to have you talking to measure how much you know?

by **Bud Wiser** » 25 Jul 2006 9:25

I thought that at first too, that he was playing dumb, but I don't think so. I been thinking about that and here's what I came up with. The shop I went in was a very popular which means a verry busy shop. I'm sure they get hundreds of standard jobs and requests that keep them pretty busy. May be he has been so busy with normal standard routine jobs and calls that this has simply become a regularly 9-5 job for him and he has little time or interests in things not pertaining to his work.

Also, while the conceit of bump keys may be old like you point out, perhaps it only recently resurfaced with great interest? I watched a Toool video and after they ran a story about bump keys it was picked up by Nova TV. It was also in the video and the Nova report made it seem like this was some thing really new. In the same video, many lockies remained skeptical that the techniques could work, or was of the opinion it was too difficult for the average person. So it seems it really has not been that hyped before 2005.

I'm just trying to give that guy every benefit of doubt I can. Either that, or he was very good at playing dumb

by **p1ckf1sh** » 25 Jul 2006 10:02

Bud Wiser wrote:I'm just trying to give that guy every benefit of doubt I can. Either that, or he was very good at playing dumb

I have two more options for you:

1) He knows the tech not as bumping (or bump keys) but some other term. Others I have heard are 999 key and rap key (rapping), this may not be the full list of synonyms this is known as.

2) This guy is pretty long in business you said? 35 years. Assuming he went into it really early, aged 15, he would be 50 now. This is the time Alzheimer's could start to kick in...

by **Bud Wiser** » 25 Jul 2006 11:07

yea sounds good accept now you got me worried too! I'm 50!!!
what were we talking about again?
Gotta go now, Matlock is on tv..

by **raimundo** » 26 Jul 2006 8:24

does anyone know of compatable locks, for example, someone in this thread said that he had made a bump key for schlage C and for schlage E, well if you have a depth key for C, you can just copy it on the E blank and thats a bump key, I have tried to make a bump for chateau, by copying an american padlock depth key on the abusyale blank that chateau uses, but it was cut too low, so that for one is not interchangeable. There probably are a lot of interchangables though, how much difference is weslock from wieser or kwikset anyway, if the depths are the same, spacing isnt as critical in many cases, spacing would only be critical if there are some long pins in the lock.
If you have a six pin best depth key you can make depth keys for best in any key blank. if the tips on your bump key are low, and spacing is good enough so that every pin gets hit during the strike, thats enough to make it work.

by **keysman** » 31 Jul 2006 5:25

raimundo wrote:does anyone know of compatable locks, for example, someone in this thread said that he had made a bump key for schlage C and for schlage E, well if you have a depth key for C, you can just copy it on the E blank and thats a bump key,

Yes , the spaces and depths are the same for all schlage pin tumbler locks

There probably are a lot of interchangables though, how much difference is weslock from wieser or kwikset anyway, if the depths are the same, spacing isnt as critical in many cases, spacing would only be critical if there are some long pins in the lock.

Yes I tend to agree with you.. I use a KW key on westlock , wieser, and some imports.... if it will fit in I use it.....it works most of the time..

I never checked to see why it doesn't work ALL the time ,they usually just fall open with a pick any way.
Next one that won't bump in a few trys, I will inspect more closely.

If you have a six pin best depth key you can make depth keys for best in any key blank. if the tips on your bump key are low, and spacing is good enough so that every pin gets hit during the strike, thats enough to make it work.

True.. there are a lot of 7 pin Small format IC ( best type) you may want to make it a 7 pin .
Same with MOST best , the spacing is the same across keyways and brands ( arrow, falcon, ESP ect) there are a few exceptions in the restricted keyways.

by **Bud Wiser** » 31 Jul 2006 11:09

Although it's pretty easy making a bump key from a existing copy of a real key, the extra filing required to make it a bump key may take a couple of tries to do. Before you try go make a few copies at a hardware store.

Another alternative is to buy depth keys off of ebay dirt cheap! Some call them bump keys but they are not, they are just depth keys. But depth keys are pretty easy to make in to bump keys and much less work involved!

I would still have some cheap copies made from a hardware store too!

I'm a total noob! I've had pretty good success with making bump keys from copies and depth keys. Even from copies I got a working bump key made in about 20 minutes. I've also found that the tolorances is not nearly as critical as I expected it to be after all the reading about it! My first bump key was ugly and rough yet worked. I did fine tune it and smoothed the edges.

Don't expect to make a bump key right your first time, it may take a couple tries! Also, after you make it, and you don't think it works, try bumping it a few times with diferent degrees of force. Technique is important too, or at least it was on my first bump keys. Could be due to my loose tolorances

Trying to make bumpkey

spacedepth

Re: spacedepth

Depth Keys to Bump Keys

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