Starting Key Blank Inventory

by **mattman** » 27 May 2008 15:08

I was wondering what types of key blanks are good to have in inventory when just starting a locksmithing business. I don't want to buy a whole bunch of blanks that I will hardly ever use. Does anyone have a list of a good starting inventory of commonly used key blanks? Thanks ahead of time for your help!

Matt

by **samfishers** » 27 May 2008 21:23

depends If you deal with high security : such as abloy/medeco.....

If not,
-weiser
-kwikset
-schlage
-master/american padlocks
-Maybe BEST

thats all I can think of

good luck, hope someone else give you more info

oh and don't forget a bunch of ilco's

by **WOT** » 28 May 2008 0:46

Perhaps start with these:
http://www.keymachine.com/order_forms/I ... _1-100.pdf

by **globallockytoo** » 28 May 2008 2:21

I'm in St Louis. I carry many blanks, but more common all over are Schlage, Kwikset, Weiser, Weslock, yale, Russwin, Chicago.

There are others.....if you do cars...you will need to invest in Toyota, Honda, Chrysler, GM, Ford, Hyundai, Kia etc....and transponder heads are almost a necessity today.

I also carry different safety deposit blanks and some Ace.

I have some Medeco (standard stuff), Assa Twin and of course Bilock (I'm a dealer).....(Only 3 in Missouri - 2 in St Louis and 1 in St Joseph)

by **mattman** » 28 May 2008 5:36

Thanks you all for your help, and especially for the ILCO top 100 key blank list. All of your input will help a lot in starting an inventory of blanks to have on hand.

Matt

by **Eyes_Only** » 28 May 2008 7:28

Don't forget transponders if you do a lot of automotive work.

by **Mutzy** » 28 May 2008 7:45

I'd probably research long and hard before getting into the transponder (or even just automotive) side of things. These days, you need diagnostic, programming and cloning machines, as well as the blanks. Then there's the machines that you need just to cut the higher-end keys. (Tibbe style, 2 & 4 track etc)

If you're starting out, play it simple. If you find that there is a market in your area that you can accommodate for, then go for it. I just wouldn't go spending thousands on machines and find that you only get 1 customer a month to use the technology for.

mah .05c.

by **freakparade3** » 28 May 2008 8:25

You really don't need to buy a big expensive "starter package" of key blanks either. Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at what locks are used most. Look at every lock you see and write them down. That is what you need to start with. As you progress and a customer needs a blank you don't have order 5 of them.

Those so called packages have tons of keys you will never use, it's not worth the money.

by **pickipook** » 28 May 2008 11:13

becomes more popular and also DND (do not duplicate)
is always good to have (sc and kw)

by **Simon Payne** » 28 May 2008 11:46

Assuming you are a mobile locksmith, I'd start by having blanks to all the locks you have in your van, including padlocks, garage doors etc, and build up from there.

by **keysman** » 29 May 2008 9:43

That list has a LOT of duplicates, this list is the shortened version .. you may not need all of these but this is a pretty good start .

I have found 250 packs are MUCH cheeper per key than buying by 5's or 10's or even boxes of 50

1 Taylor Line KW1-BR-250PK KWIKSET
2 Taylor Line SC1-BR-250PK SCHLAGE
7 Taylor Line M1-BR-250PK MASTER
8 Taylor Line WR5-BR-250PK WEISER
11 Taylor Line Y1-BR-250PK YALE
14 Ilco E-Z Line 1069L-NA14 NATIONAL (TAY 174B
15 Taylor Line CO106-BR CCL/HUDSON
18 Taylor Line Y11-BR-250PK YALE
25 Taylor Line NA12-BR NCL
27 Taylor Line AR1-BR-250PK ARROW
31 Taylor Line SE1-BR-250PK SEGAL
33 Ilco E-Z Line L1054B-IN8 INDEP. (L54B L54B)
37 Taylor Line WR3-BR-250PK WEISER
40 Taylor Line Y1-BR YALE
42 Ilco E-Z Line 1003M-CO106 CORBIN (O3M 22R14
44 Taylor Line XL7-BR XL LOCK
48 Taylor Line DE6-BR-250PK DEXTER
52 Taylor Line SC4-BR-250PK SCHLAGE
56 Ilco Long Line 1137B CHICAGO (TAY 137B)
57 Taylor Line SC9-BR SCHLAGE
59 Ilco E-Z Line 1069N-RO3 NATIONAL (H69 174J
61 Taylor Line WK2-BR WESLOCK
62 Look-Alike 1A1A1
65 Ilco E-Z Line 1092DS-M13 MASTER (MA5 92F)
69 Ilco E-Z Line 1043J-IL11 ILLINOIS
70 Look-Alike K2-A
71 Ilco E-Z Line 01122R-Y13 YALE (U122R T R7NX
76 Ilco Long Line 1502
84 Ilco E-Z Line A1054WD-FA3 FALCON (T F54GA)
89 Ilco E-Z Line 101AM-AP1 CHICAGO (41AC F41A
93 Ilco Long Line A1011-L4 CORBIN/RUSSWIN
95 Ilco E-Z Line 1041T-CG16 CHIC. (DL 41E T 41R
97 Ilco E-Z Line 1092-6000-M20 MASTER PADLOCK
99 Ilco E-Z Line 1045-AM3 AMERICAN

by **prag** » 31 May 2008 9:07

freakparade3 wrote

Take a walk around your neighborhood and look at what locks are used most. Look at every lock you see and write them down. That is what you need to start with. As you progress and a customer needs a blank you don't have order 5 of them.

Thats an excellent start to get an initial list of keys. Just make sure you have an answer ready incase the home owner ask why you checking their lock out????? :wink:

What you can also do is go to your local key supplier and ask what keys are popular in a specific area. I was taught that different areas have different lock( more upper class residences will sometimes have the more expensive locks)

What I also do is if I don't have stock of a certain key, I would tell the client I can order it. We have a same day delivery system with our suppliers. I also make sure I find it in the catologue, that way I learn about the key and the client can see I am trying to help them. Most key places just say they don't have it. I get complimented for my effort and a repeat customer :wink:

I also alway order a minimum of 5 key. That way if the same or another client comes for a copy, You'll always have it in stock.

by **assweasel** » 10 Jun 2008 11:16

Quick and dirty way of knowing what keyblanks you will need in a neighborhood is:

find the major keycutter in the area Home Depot or other large hardware store.

Go to their key cutting kiosk and tell tehm you would like to take all the miscut keys. tell them you want the keys to hang on strings over your garden or in a fruit tree to keep the birds away. The rattling of the key keeps the birds away.

They will be happy to give you the keys which to them are just garbage.

Sort through the miscuts and see what you have.

I do this at my local harware for other reasons. (I am a cheap scotsman)

You will have a good idea then what keys are getting cut and even the ratio of key types.

5 times more SC1 miscuts than WR1
means you'll be stocking up on that a lot more.

The list above (by the way nice list) is a good inventory use your findings at home depot to decide how many of each your going to want to get.

by **WOT** » 10 Jun 2008 12:27

assweasel wrote:Quick and dirty way of knowing what keyblanks you will need in a neighborhood is:

find the major keycutter in the area Home Depot or other large hardware store.

Go to their key cutting kiosk and tell tehm you would like to take all the miscut keys. tell them you want the keys to hang on strings over your garden or in a fruit tree to keep the birds away. The rattling of the key keeps the birds away.

They will be happy to give you the keys which to them are just garbage.

Sort through the miscuts and see what you have.

I do this at my local harware for other reasons. (I am a cheap scotsman)

You will have a good idea then what keys are getting cut and even the ratio of key types.

5 times more SC1 miscuts than WR1
means you'll be stocking up on that a lot more.

The list above (by the way nice list) is a good inventory use your findings at home depot to decide how many of each your going to want to get.

Doubtful. My local Home Depot has a tupperware labeled "no garbage" dedicated for storing key shavings and it was HEAVY. Given the volume of keys they make, I think they collect the shavings and miscuts for reclamation. Brass scrap in truckload is going for $2.50/lbs according to metalprices.com

Shooting clubs, indoor ranges actually have a bin dedicated for bullet shells...

by **MBI** » 11 Jun 2008 13:23

assweasel wrote:Find the major keycutter in the area Home Depot or other large hardware store.

Go to their key cutting kiosk and tell them you would like to take all the miscut keys. tell them you want the keys to hang on strings over your garden or in a fruit tree to keep the birds away. The rattling of the key keeps the birds away.

They will be happy to give you the keys which to them are just garbage.

Some key cutting places may be willing to give you their miscut keys, but not all.

While locksmiths generally own their key machines, many other (non-locksmith) places that provide key cutting services do not own their machines. Sometimes there is a lease arrangement, where the place that supplies the blanks also supplies the machine. Blanks are supplied at a much higher cost than locksmiths pay for their blanks, but as long as a certain minumum number of blanks are purchased each month there is no payment required on the lease for the machine. In these situations, the retailer usually doesn't have to pay for miscut keys. They are given credit for them off their bill as long as the miscuts are returned to the supplier as proof.

You won't see any store with this sort of arrangement giving out their miscut keys. Profit margins for the retailer are lower in this sort of arrangement, but many of them like it because there is less risk involved. They don't have to put money up front to pay for a machine, and they aren't penalized for the miscuts, which they are likely to have a large number of because of the poor training that is usually provided to their employees.