Bump key questions

[Wiseman501]

Hello all! Not sure if this is the right area to post this, but here goes:

I actually have two questions. The first is; Are bump keys really worth the investment or work to cut them if you already know how to pick locks at a respectable level? Seems most of the bump key sets I see only have a selection whose blanks go to mostly easier types of lock. The higher security locks have chisel pins and other things that make a standard bump key pretty useless.

This brings me to the second question. I have been doing a lot of reading, and I ran into some very interesting references to the "Open in 30 Seconds" book, and one man's attempts at creating a rake that would work to align chisel pins reliably in a Medeco lock when used in the 12 o'clock angle in the lock as opposed to tilting, as with other tools. I would like to know at which angles to cut the slopes and valleys of the code setting keys, and in what order.

Also, if the creator of that rake happens to be around, I would like to hear from him, and learn how he's doing at expanding that tool set for other locks or improving the tool. It was a very intriguing idea to speed up the process of aligning the chisel pins.

Thanks!

[Divinorum]

IMO bump keys are not really worth it. A pick set can open most locks I run into. A bump key can only open locks with that specific keyway. Almost all the sets you can buy are geared towards the more popular locks/keways which are usually easily picked. The second you run into an unpopular keyway like a corbin russwin for example, those bump keys are useless. You won't really find anything commercially available as far as high security bump keys, though it is not impossible. As far as the Medeco vulnerability questions go, I think that borders on the line of an advanced discussion so I will leave it for a mod to answer.

[Wiseman501]

IMO bump keys are not really worth it. A pick set can open most locks I run into. A bump key can only open locks with that specific keyway. Almost all the sets you can buy are geared towards the more popular locks/keways which are usually easily picked.

That's what I was thinking. I can already pick most of those in my sleep, so I'll just skip the bump keys. Thanks for the confirmation.

I had a feeling that the high security lock questions weren't for the open forum. I'd apply for the advanced section, but I haven't been here long enough. :/

[Squelchtone]

Moved to the Lock Bumping sub forum.

[knowspicker537]

When I first started picking I bought picks and bump keys at the same time, I thought bumping would be easier and quicker, it turned out that once one has had enough practice picking regular pin tumbler locks one can pick normal residential locks much quicker and more reliably. And by residential locks I mean the big 3, the three most common, kwikset schlage and defiant.