Smoking Blank

[s3curity]

I had a very experienced locksmith friend/roommate once who passed away young sadly. I used to go with him on calls. The locksmith bug never left me and that is why I am here now.

He smoked the key blank and was very fast at it. Seems to me he used a regular lighter.

Why is it that smoking the blank isn't more popular? It must be easier to impression?

[cheerIO]

I always just go back to a Sharpie Marker.

I guess it smears less, or is darker, or something.

But for me, it is easier to see. And takes half a second.

[GWiens2001]

Markers are quicker and with less mess.

Smoking (or candling, as it used to be called) goes back for centuries, and worked well on steel/iron keys that did not take much of a mark like brass does.

Gordon.

[mseifert]

I have never heard of this and have no idea what your talking about .. Now I have to go spend hours researching this...

[GWiens2001]

I have never heard of this and have no idea what your talking about .. Now I have to go spend hours researching this...

Using a lighter or candle to leave soot on a key blank for impressioning. When you put the key into the lock and turn it (lever or warded locks) or turn it and jiggle properly (pin or wafer tumbler locks), the wards, levers, pins or wafers that are binding (not at the correct height) will scrape away some of the soot, leaving bare metal. Those marks show where to file. Repeat enough times, and you end up with a working key.

Gordon

[smokingman]

This is how I was taught to impression from the Belsaw
locksmithing course.
It works fine, the wax residue holds the black onto the key blank pretty well.
As a side note, many old cap and ball guns were finished by blacking with a kerosene lamp flame.
The oil and carbon gets into the pores of the steel as the heat opens them and is sealed in as it cools.
It was called "lamp blacking" and is still used to keep old guns from rusting since it keeps the finish looking original.

[YouLuckyFox]

It is a good method, it is certainly not an uncommon technique (not that I am an authority on it.) I have heard some people complain about leaving residue inside the lock, but once it is impressioned, you can take the lock apart and clean it anyway. I know I mention it every time this comes up, but putting HVAC tape just on along the blade can be very helpful for getting your starting marks. Once you start getting deep valleys in the blank the technique becomes worthless, though; as it is hard to have the tape flush with the contour of the blade and the pin can punch through the tape . Also, there is a bit of learning curve to keep the tape from being held onto and staying in the lock when you first try this out. Another somewhat swift technique is to mark the blank with UV ink and put a black light over it after getting marks. It may seem like a silly technique versus just using a Sharpie/candle/lighter, but in low lighting it might be good to get used to this technique. Also, many lightboxes have a UV light in them these days.

[Raymond]

If your blank is smoking, you are impressioning way too fast.

[globallockytoo]

the reason that smoking the blank was so popular was that most locks were made with brass levers inside. Smoking them black and rubbing on brass levers made marking so fabulous and really easy to make keys to antique cupboard locks by impressioning. I have had many lately, but get about 3-4 calls a year to open and make keys to curio's, roll top desks, hutches, etc. Good to market yourself to local antique shops who may need keys made. Increases/maintains the value of a piece by not having to remove hinges etc.

[Kheops]

I know it's been posted before, but another technique that works incredibly well, is sanding after having filed, using a very fine grit sandpaper (I personally like 800). It almost polishes the surface, leaving such a pristine surface that you have to be careful not to file on the many, many marks that will appear.

I cut small strips about an inch wide, and wrap those around my pippin file.

[1mrchristopher]

I know it's been posted before, but another technique that works incredibly well, is sanding after having filed, using a very fine grit sandpaper (I personally like 800). It almost polishes the surface, leaving such a pristine surface that you have to be careful not to file on the many, many marks that will appear.

I cut small strips about an inch wide, and wrap those around my pippin file.

I've been using 300 grit emery cloth, and really it's too coarse, so I thank you for this insight. I'm thinking that the next time I know I've got an impressioning job, I might just prep the blank before I ever get to the jobsite.

[cledry]

Unless you aren't getting marks when you impression the normal way I think smoking the blank is a waste of time. You have to smoke the blank each time you file. A Sharpie is faster but because it marks too easily I feel the best method is to just rely in the brass key indenting. I only use the marker when impressioning bit keys and flat steel keys these days.

[GWiens2001]

Preparing the blank ahead of time is quick and easy. As for grit of sandpaper, it can actually depend on the light and the pin shape.

On some locks, I use a rougher grit (320) as the rougher surface shows the marks from rounded pin more easily because the ridges of the rough sanding get knocked down. On an angle, they are clearly seen, though straight on they may be hidden. But very pointed pins are hard to see the marks with rougher grit.

With more pointed pins, a finer grade of sandpaper is preferable as the marks of pointed pins don't blend in with the rougher sanding marks. But rounded pins leave marks that are harder to see on a smoother surface.

A mirror-smooth surface may be fine for your first marks on the key blade, but beyond that it may hinder identifying true marks, as the surface is very easily scratched, sometimes causing you to file a cut where the pin is already at the proper height. Then your cut is too deep, the pin starts leaving real marks again, and you end up filing that cut all the way down.

Gordon

[YouLuckyFox]

A note on not having false impressioning marks from when you insert and withdraw the blank: If the lock has room for it, you may use a safety pin to lift all of the pins up so that when you insert the blank, there will not be any marks until you are ready to impression, the same thing can be done to withdraw the blank. Obviously, it isn't always easy to do this. This technique also helps with being able to insert comb picks.

[WeedIsMyCheat]

im gonna try this and the sanding with 800 sand paper, im very curious how well it will work ^^
Thanks for all the awesome advice