BEST style blanks fitting multiple key ways

[daemondust]

I know an "FM" key blank will fit multiple key ways, but which? Are there other blanks that fit more than one key way (other than a "DD" key fitting a "D" core)?

[Dean W]

In the UK the UN 5 OR 6 will fit numerous as its universal.

[MBI]

I asked this same question once, not too long ago. Might have been on another board, I can't remember. I specifically asked about the FM key and someone answered and said it would fit keyways F through M, thus the name, although I haven't tried that out. No one ever spoke up and mentioned any other BEST blanks that fit multiple keyways as far as I can recall. I would have though there would be more than one.

[daemondust]

MBI:

I don't see how an FM key could fit F through M keyways. I can see a blank fitting in F, G, and H, but between H and J there are no common paths.

There is a common path through A to F, however. I thought it was F Master or something similar.

[MBI]

MBI:

I don't see how an FM key could fit F through M keyways. I can see a blank fitting in F, G, and H, but between H and J there are no common paths.

There is a common path through A to F, however. I thought it was F Master or something similar.

You may well be right. In this particular case I'm not speaking from experience, I'm just regurgitating the answer I received to this same question on another forum.

[daemondust]

I'm working off the following composites I made from the key way profiles in the 2001 version of HPC's depth and space book:

A-F key ways, white space in the middle is the common space.


H and J key ways, the gray parts are the profiles, the white hole in the middle shows the incompatibility.

[WOT]

I know an "FM" key blank will fit multiple key ways, but which? Are there other blanks that fit more than one key way (other than a "DD" key fitting a "D" core)?

Yes.

EF = E an F
ADG = A,D&G

JK = J&K, available from JET.

It should be possible to make a composite that fits J-M. The ILCO K enters Best K and some Best L&M cores, but not all. This is just a result of loose tolerance, so if it was milled down more, it should be doable.

[WOT]

A-G are common, except B and C are less common and these have a different groove height on finger side.

Best Access Systems makes several version of master blanks for A-G(less B,C). The FM should fit F,but machining variation from blank to blank and core to core makes the fit with F marginal. I have had one fit an H core, but it isn't consistently true across multiple samples, so it shouldn't assumed to be compatible with H.

This is just my personal grouping, but I group:

A,D,E,G together. Perhaps F too.

J,K,L,M together,. The group is easy to identify, but within the group, they're hard to determine even for trained eyes.

F & H have very similar profile.

TA to TE are similar to J-M but these groups are not compatible with eachother and trained eyes can tell the two groups apart.

[daemondust]

My key blanks got here so I've been able to try them on the cores I have. An FM blank will not fit in a J core, but will in a D and an E. These are the only three I've been able to find around my house. I know I have more, but for the life of me I can't remember where I put them.

This lends itself to the idea that an FM blank will fit A through F cores.

[WOT]

My key blanks got here so I've been able to try them on the cores I have. An FM blank will not fit in a J core, but will in a D and an E. These are the only three I've been able to find around my house. I know I have more, but for the life of me I can't remember where I put them.

This lends itself to the idea that an FM blank will fit A through F cores.

My experience tells me that don't write a book based on one sample observation. Mechanical tolerance and wear sometimes make a blank enter keyways it shouldn't fit.