Fun with code machine and schlage MACS

[zeke79]

Just for fun tonight after cutting some sargent keys I tested s theory I have had for sometime now. Using the 76 degree sargent cutting wheel I was able to cut a schlage key in the following combo 190919 (effectively a new MACS of 9) and it worked flawlessly. The flat for the 0 cut between the two 9 cuts is just as wide as a schlage pin tip. Key inserts and removes no different than a key cut with the standard schlage cutting wheel at a MACS of 7.

Throw a couple serrated top pins and a couple of spool top pins and this lock may become a little monster .

[Schuyler]

hah!

That's awesome. Got a picture or 2? Isn't a schlage typically cut at 100 degrees? I'm a little surprised the steeper angle doesn't have a more negative effect at those heights.

[zeke79]

Seems to work just fine.

[Schuyler]

yeah, I didn't get it before. I didn't quite realize how tight those points were going to be. Couldn't visualize it.

[zeke79]

Yes the 0 cut is fairly narrow but there is a decent flat there. Just about enough to cover the point on a schlage OEM pin.

[freakparade3]

Any bets on hoe long it takes someone to look at the picture, skip reading the posts and offer you advice how to fix your bumpkey?

[zeke79]

Hehehe .

[Shrub]

Zeke, you havent removed enough from the tip or shoulder

[raimundo]

Now thats a real do not duplicate key, after one or two generations of copies on machines other than the one Zeek made that on, the tips will be half that height,

key machines are adjusted for height, but often make the width of the cut larger, so tips like that get whittled away pretty fast as the side slopes are cut into when duplicating.

check your machine by making a copy of a copy of a copy.

[zeke79]

Ray,

That was a great thought so I gave it a try. I used the original and duped a single key. That key worked as well as the code cut key. I then duped that second key onto a third. This key works but a bit tight. I think it would take another generation or two to make it inoperable.

As a reference I was using an ilco 040 duplicator. I can easily dup a schlage key 5 generations with this duplicator and the keys still function decent. Other duplicators may not fare so well or a similar duplicator may not fare so well if not in perfect adjustment.

[Eyes_Only]

Take it to a locksmith shop, ask them to duplicate it and watch their reaction.

[maxxed]

I have cut Schlage keys to patterns like this one, it has worked well one original cylinders but was a little tricky in one of the off shore cylinders I used.. The problem seemed to be the 0 cut between the nine cuts would slide off the flat of the cut onto the slope, I replaced the pin with a 0 weiser pin and a little graphite and everything seemed to work well. This lock was never field tested, so I don't know about long term durability but I don't think that there should be any problems in a light or medium traffic application.

[zeke79]

Well, I believe this cylinder is a US locks cylinder so it is not oem schlage. I have ran it through 1000 cycles so far and plan on testing to 10,000 if I maintain the drive to do so. So far there is zero wear on the key that I can measure with my calipers and the lock works as good as when it was first pinned up.

[maxxed]

I only had any trouble with one of the off shore cylinders I tried this on, I should have also mentioned that I didn't have a cutter that was as steep as the one you used so the flat of the cut on the 0 was very narrow. The cut angle combined with a possibly less than perfect cylinder made the key a little sticky to turn.

[zeke79]

Ah, that makes sense then Maxxed. The cylinders you were using were likely enough off on spacing that issues arose. I am pretty excited about playing around with this and am looking into other cutters.

The other curious thing I have been playing with is using an assa cutting wheel with a .032" flat and making one of the #9 cuts at a medeco angle. This so far has stumped one of my duplicators and it cuts too shallow as the stylus is too wide to drop in all of the way so it makes the cut more around an 8 depth when the cut on the original is a 9 cut. I think I need to get a slightly smaller flat though to make it fool proof .