My Very First Impressioning Attempt

[mechanical_nightmare]

Hello,

I was finally able to procure blanks by befriending my local locksmith, and gave impressioning a try. I chose a cutaway Euro cylinder (Sabre brand) to better associate the positioning of the pins in respect to the shear line, torque and force applied and the marks that are produced. Here are the results:



The blank beginning to take its shape; I used a marker at first because the marks were very difficult to see, but then alternated between the marker and bare metal method.



Inserting, turning, wiggling... I will try the pull-out method next time I try to impression a lock.



Here you can see the pins approaching the shear line. Obviously looking at the pins is a cheat, but I wanted this to be a morale builder and practice run before the real deal.

And here it is, after 1 broken blank and some very sore fingers:



Machine-cut key, broken/half-finished blank, and the impressioned key, top to bottom:



I must say I really enjoyed this, and will practice it as much as work/time allows me. Can't wait until I *truly* impression my first lock..

[GWiens2001]

Nice work! It sure feels great when that key first turns, doesn't it?

Looks like the #2 cut has pretty steep sides. Be careful of canyoning, as your key can get stuck, and that ain't good. You can try to flatten out the angles on the sides slightly, especially if the key seems to get stuck.

Keep up the great work!

Gordon

[Achyfellow]

Looks great, contrats

I have to try befriending the local locksmith too, I want some blanks to try out some things but I can't just go to the store and buy them...

[GWiens2001]

A good way of getting to know a locksmith is to go in when there is not a line at the counter and get a couple of keys cut, whether you need keys cut or not. Then you can ask if they have any used locks for sale, preferably without keys. Tell them you want to try learning to impression locks. You can even ask for any tips they may have, especially if you show up again having made a key.

Don't ask for free locks, because there are lots if people who want free stuff. But someone who is offering to buy used locks without keys is less common. They are likely to give you a lock or two free, or maybe for five dollars, with a couple of blanks each, just to see if you can come back with an impressioned key. They are likely to be curious. And, by all means, if you succeed in impressioning a key for a lock they gave you, bring it back for them to see! Even if it is a simple lock, they will be impressed. As a general rule, only locksmiths impression keys, and it is an art that they will respect.

Many locksmiths may become worried and close-mouthed if you tell them you want locks for picking practise. After you get to know them a bit, then it is OK to tell them of your interest in picking, but by then you should have been in a half dozen times to get a used lock or two and a cut key. Let them offer free stuff.

Good luck, and keep us informed!

Gordon

[Achyfellow]

As always thanks for the tip Gordon, I really appreciate it. The locksmith family I'm talking about has been in this city for more than a century, he certainly knows his stuff very well and I'd love to go hang out with him one day and learn stuff, but small cities are a pain in the ass for this things.

I'm trying to avoid making my hobby public because I don't want to be marked as a burglar-thief-whatever (Last time I talked about a hobby with someone other than close friends it was rubik's cubes, and half the people who knew me in town automatically thought I was some sort of a beautiful mind-like autistic genius), so it'll be complicated. I'll try starting a conversation next time I have to copy a key and see if that works tho

(BTW this thread is about congratulating OP for the impressioning, sorry for derailing it)

[mechanical_nightmare]

The key does need a little jiggling to remove it from the lock - I'll have to work out the slopes of the #2 cut sometime. I also bought 5 blanks for a different, non-cut away 5 pin Euro cylinder that I do not have the keys to, so that will be my next objective. As far as obtaining blanks, apparently the Turkish Locksmiths' Guild (as it is roughly translated) discourages the sale of blanks to the public, and I didn't want to pay extra shipping by buying it online.

Just as Gordon said, I had been buying used and new locks from the locksmith already, and a few weeks ago while chatting told him I could pick locks. He was curious, and I told him about my hobby and this site, though he can't speak English to read it... So yeah, that method should work for getting blanks

[mechanical_nightmare]

I'm trying to avoid making my hobby public because I don't want to be marked as a burglar

Same here, people outside my closest circle of friends and immediate family do not know about it. In Turkey there seems to be a perception that picking is somewhat malicious, unless done by a locksmith. Indeed, my first ever exposure to picking was a news report of a burglary ring that used lock picking to commit their crimes in the 1990's, and I still vividly remember footage of the S-rakes they apparently used. When the media casts a practice into a negative light, unfortunately the majority of the public takes that information exactly for what it is.

[fgarci03]

Congrats man!

My first few impressioning attempts were a mess and some time has passed before I could impression anything!
It's a beautifull art that will give you sore fingers! Keep at it

[phrygianradar]

Nice work! I have been attempting to impression a five pin Master lock (no.17) that I got at a yard sale for a buck. It has no keys of course and I have yet to get an impressioned key to work. Thought I was close the other day, but it didn't materialize… Fortunately I have also befriended a locksmith, but here you can just go into the local Home Depot and take them of the rack uncut, walk up and pay. But doing it that way will cost the same price as a cut key! Much better to have a locksmith friend to sell you them for cheap or buy a bunch of the net for 25¢ a piece.

Anyway, well done and good luck on your next project; can't wait to see it!

[GWiens2001]

Nice work! I have been attempting to impression a five pin Master lock (no.17) that I got at a yard sale for a buck. It has no keys of course and I have yet to get an impressioned key to work. Thought I was close the other day, but it didn't materialize… Fortunately I have also befriended a locksmith, but here you can just go into the local Home Depot and take them of the rack uncut, walk up and pay. But doing it that way will cost the same price as a cut key! Much better to have a locksmith friend to sell you them for cheap or buy a bunch of the net for 25¢ a piece.

Anyway, well done and good luck on your next project; can't wait to see it!

Have had a few used Master padlocks that had at least one broken driver spring. It turns out I had impressioned them right, but if the pins were not vertical and the lock lightly knocked to get the key pins to drop down to the key, the key pins where the driver pins were broken would not move down to the key, blocking the shear line. Once I figured out what the problem was, it was not as big a deal. It did make me more suspicious of some used locks.

If you suspect this may be a problem you are encountering, turn the lock with the keyway sideways, then very lightly press each key pin to feel if the key pin is both fully at the end of travel and has spring tension at the end of travel.

Hopefully nobody thinks I am derailing the thread. Just some tips for anybody impressioning a used lock, as the OP is about to do with the 5-pin euro profile.

Gordon

[mechanical_nightmare]

Thanks to all members for the feedback. I need a better vise that is actually bolted to the workbench, because this one is for picking and lighter work and hence vacuum-attached to the table. Because of that I constantly have to re-attach the vise to the table and its annoying as hell. Will post my next try sometime this weekend.

[BbGenesis]

That reminds me I need to pick up a table vise sometime soon... Anyway congrats on the impressioning, I've been really wanting to give this a try I just haven't made it across town to the homedepot to get some key blanks. I need to find a local locksmith and befriend them, my work hours just haven't cooperated lately haha. Anyway way to go on the impressioning, hopefully I'll be a little more versed in doing it someday.

[jos weyers]

Looks like you were quite close when it broke.
Good job.
Keep on practicing and keep us posted.

[ArmstrongsNZ]

Anyone here with any Automotive Impressioning Achievements? Interested to see if its common outside of Australasia

[Kheops]

First go at impressioning something different:

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and first go at inserting an image, please don't be too hard on me if I messed up.