Put a piece of rubber (I tried a rubber band looped tightly a few times around) around the shoulder of your key. This way your bump key will bounce back out of the keyway after you hit it. That way you don't have to worry about moving the bump key back out of the keyway between strikes, and can focus on varying your turning pressure and striking strength. Not only will you be able to try again faster, but your tries will be more effective.
Well, for me it was an original idea! Never thought about doing that way!
You'll see that most of the stuff is already invented. Creativity is not only comming up with new stuff, but also finding other ways to do the same, if possible by making it more simple like you did
Go ahead, keep plugging away, picking on me! You will end up on bypass or with rigor mortise. - GWiens2001
I've used inner tubes before, to make a small bump hammer with, it gives that kinda springy bounce back instead of a hard solid thump that causes a person to over bump a key sometimes. Weird ways we come up with home remedies but they work!
fgarci03 wrote:Those are called Dampeners. You can buy them, or better, make them yourself
Haha, I got a little cocky and thought I had an original idea. I guess not!
LOL You are not the only one. I thought of the same thing. In addition, I think that buying them is a way better deal. Personally, It would take some time for me to make it and still I wouldn't know how long it would last.
JUST FYI! If you keep your bump keys on a ring or a little chain like I do you can also keep your grommet, washer, dampener etc etc on that ring as well. It is also a good idea to keep your tension wrench custom made on your ring as well. you dont need anything elaborate. Just a small skewer with a loop on one side is all you need.
"How does it work?" "Only one way to find out. Open it up!"
Rubber bands break really fast. I get little rubber gaskets at Tacoma Screw. A fastener store in your area will have similar rubber gaskets. If you cut your key in a certain way so that they are half a pin distance farther from the key shoulder, the key will slide out on its own without a rubber gasket or rubber band.
I used rubber washers with mine, will have to buy some new bump keys as I was not entirely satisfied with my first experience with bump keys. Does anyone have a favored thickness on dampeners? Also, a lot of people like to file the shoulder off as well as the tip and this works well along with dampeners, I had good luck getting this to work. This is called the "negative shoulder method." Great video on this by a true master:
If you watch the video, the negative shoulder method is talked about at 17:17.
I just bought a pack of rubber o-rings for a tattoo gun off of ebay. I got 100 of them for $2.50 they work really well if you file down the sharp edges of the key.
Classic Grolsch beer bottles have a red rubber ring that I've tried out in the past for this kind of idea. I never had a proper bump key to test it with, but it was perfect for size and very durable. Yet another excuse to drink beer.
