impressioning tools ?

[pickersRus]

Hi , just a quick question for the more advanced / experianced locksmiths / pickers. As I have said in an earlier post I am taking a course on locksmithing and in one of the lessons I have recently read A mention is made of a "IMPRESSIONING TOOL". My question is this......Is the tool really any help in impressioning ? All it appears to be to me is a FANCY vice-grip pliers. Is this basically what it is and if so would vice grips not do the same job for a lot less money ? Thanks for the advice

[pinky]

yes its just a handy grip for the blank.

[Varjeal]

I actually use "specially modified" vise grips for impressioning. Actually, they're nothing more than vise grips with smoothed jaws so they don't mark the key, but yeah...they work well.

[Romstar]

You want to do this cheap, quick and dirty?

Buy a turnbuckle, and a thumb screw that fits the turnbuckle. You may need a washer or two for those keys that don't have round holes.

Look around in your local building supply place, and you will find them.

Looks something like this:



Happy impressioning.
Romstar

[Mad Mick]

You could also use a small G clamp, such as a carpenter would use.

[S3rratedSp00L]

Great turnbuckle idea. I'm gonna try that... My hand always hurts after I do any impressioning.. I never liked vice grips, but Varjeal's idea sound good as well! Using your bare hands can be painful if you impression a lot.. The gripping tools give you better torque, better control of the key, and mainly less pressure on your hands to make them ache.

The commercial tools are overpriced, but they do work pretty well! If you do a lot of impressioning the price starts looking a little better!

[skold]

i use a small pair of vise grips, similar to varjeals

[Mad Mick]

I don't want to split hairs here, but does marking the bow really matter if the key is going to be replaced due to the weakening process of impressioning?

[skold]

got a point there mick

[Romstar]

A properly impressioned key, done with the proper skill is not weakened by the process.

Yes, it might be a good idea to make a new one, either by duplication or by code.

Still, a properly impressioned key when finished should be as strong as a normally cut key.

Romstar

[skold]

true..unless you get impatient..or angry..i just impressioned a lockwood 234 with impossible macs..

pin1 = green (#7)
pin2 = red (#4)
pin3 = green (#7)
pin4 = red (#4)
pin5 = green (#7)

really streches your patience

[HeadHunterCEO]

You want to do this cheap, quick and dirty?

Buy a turnbuckle, and a thumb screw that fits the turnbuckle. You may need a washer or two for those keys that don't have round holes.

Look around in your local building supply place, and you will find them.

Looks something like this:



Happy impressioning.
Romstar

thats a cool tool right there

[Hojo]

I just did work experience with a locksmith and I had a go at impressoning and they have a tool that looks similar to a pick gun, it has a triger and a little gripper at the front, basically you put the blank in and then you put it in the key hole and turn till it binds, and squeze the trigger and release and repeat, what happenes is when you squeez the trigger it pushes this litte bar out and pushes the key out of the keyhole, easly makes the marks, Ill look for a picture....Nope I cant find one, but I have never heard or it untill I saw it, the problem is, is that if you squeeze to hard say goodbye to the head of the key, and there is a chance you can bend the pins