Rap Keys

[mbell]

Call it what you will - Rap keys, bump keys, 999 keys...

I tried to make a couple of rap keys a few days ago after seeing a few pctures in books and on the net & I just want to check with anyone who has a set of rap keys exactly how they are formed.

Looking from the two keys below, which is most like any professionally made keys you may own or have seen? (they're not perfect, I know). I've tried with both as shown below just for a few minutes with no success so I'm just checking which it should be.

From LSS, it sounds as though instead of the cuts in the key hitting the pins, the pointed bits are intended to push up the pins when the key is hit.

[WhiteHat]

are they supposed to work similarly to rake picks? it's not a bad idea except instead of being used in many keyways, they would only work in the keyway that they've been designed for....

[zeke79]

they do not function as rake picks and yes they will only function in the keyway that the key blank was intended for. The idea is to take a blank and cut to the deepest bitting the manufacturer uses. You then instert they key and using a rubber mallet, piece of wood, deadblow hammer you gently tap the bow of the key. This forces the upper pins to "jump" much as using a snap gun thus momentarily moving the upper pins above the shear line allowing you to turn your bump key(which is used to turn the lock not a tension wrench). The process is described in better detail in the lss+ manual and is simple in theory but takes practice to accomplish(for me atleast). Hopefully this is clear, if not let me know and I'll try to make better sense of it for you. It is a rather neat method and is fun to explore if you have become bored with other methods.

[mupet]

It helps if you cut the keys half a space out to the tip.
this will mean that when you put the key in the lock you will be bouncing pins not the face of the cylinder.

[mbell]

Thanks for the replys.

I think my technique at rapping seriously needs improving & also, as 'mupet' has said, I've discovered that it would be a good idea to cut out more of the shoulder of the key to be more effective.

[Houdini Locksmiths]

I'm looking to make some Rap keys and I have a question, how to I find out the manufacturers deepest depth for my keys?

Thanks

Harry

[mcm757207]

I made a few rap keys, fortunetly I have the luxery of a code cutting machine so I just used that to get the exact depths.