American 3700 Master Keyed workings

[picpower]

I have a noob question, I am buying 12 American 3700 series locks with a CSA keyway cylinder. Each lock will have a key that just works for that lock and I am getting one master key that will work on all 12 lock with it.

So how does the master key work. Will they put in a 6th pin that the master key works off of to open??

I just can picture how that will work in my head.

thanks for the help on this.

[Anero]

Master Keyed systems use a third set of pins in the stacks.

I found this link with pictures from the search button at the top right of the page

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?t=12121&highlight=master+keying

in the top left side of the first picture you can see the small pins used for the master key system.

[webidiot2]

Seek and ye shall find. This is a forum with a search function, and all of the basics have been covered.

[Schuyler]

Well:

Normal pinning:

| | | | | (driver [top] pins)
| | | | | (key [bottom] pins)

The key pins are, of course, of different heights. Then the key goes in, lifts all of the key pins up so that their tops are at the sheer line, and the lock opens.

Master pinning:

| | | | | (driver)
= = = = = (master wafers)
| | | | | (key)

So, the master wafers are also of different sizes. In this way you can have 1 key that lifts the pins up to 1 sheer line and another key that lifts it to another sheer line. Get it?

you don't have to master every chamber, not at all.

Here's some good info with animations/illustrations: http://deviating.net/lockpicking/14.01- ... eying.html

enjoy!

[picpower]

Thanks for all the info and I can picture it now.