New impressioning light box

[sidpick]

Hi all, just thought I'd post about a product that I'll be picking up shortly

http://safeventures.com/tool_detail.php?toolid=170

Its modeled on a version made for the Military and covert entry teams (a few parts omitted)

This version has fantastic magnification, really clear lighting and for people who regularly impression locks it would be a useful addition to the tool kit.

The other version has been discussed on the forum some years ago and a few companies have produced their own due to the extreme cost of the original, this one

is priced sensibly I think for almost exactly the same product. More and more people are turning to impressioning now due to trap pins and ever complicating keyways.

As soon as I get my clutches on one I'll post up some more pics and a review.

Thanks for reading and for any further info contact Darren at Safeventures.

Cheers,

Sid

[youngpicker99]

Looks like it's well made, I've been looking to get into impressioning, I'll have to look into these some more. I've noticed that they are based in the UK, I wonder if they ship internationally?

[RockLockSafe]

Is this is a copy of the TradeLocks impressioning box?

[billdeserthills]

As an "old-timer" I find it hard to believe that people think they need to spend this kinda money to succeed at impressioning,
Do not believe it, You folks who aren't as good as you'd like to be are simply lacking practice at "seeing" the marks your lock is leaving

[GWiens2001]

That may be true, Billdeserthills. But sometimes you are impressioning in less-than-ideal conditions. The lighting in my current workplace is dismal, and makes it difficult to see the marks in some cases. So I use a magnifier there. (Only impression locks at work when there is no work to do).

Have a lot of fancy equipment here at home, but at work, usually impression with a standard needle file and use sandpaper to smooth the filed area. The small magnifier is needed as I'm not gonna pay to install new lighting in the place. But your point is correct - you can impression using less equipment, but decent equipment does make it easier.

It does come down to experience. Keep in mind you have been impressioning for several decades, and it is part of your line of work. Someone who has had the experience of impressioning several thousand locks over decades of time will be able to see a lot more than a hobbiest who is just curious, or an apprentice or beginner locksmith.

Gordon

[billdeserthills]

It is true that since i know what I am looking for and also since I know how much material to remove on each stroke of the file that I may be faster
at impressioning. However just like many others out there at going on 50 y/o my eyes get worse every year and I also now use a magnifying glass
(10 power jewelers loupe) on occaison, when those marks aren't showing up, because I happen to know they are there, which only means I am not seeing them(yet)

I remember reading about folks who claimed to be able to impression gm sidebar keys--You won't see me claiming to do that

[sidpick]

Is this is a copy of the TradeLocks impressioning box?

I'm not one to say LOL but LOL, a copy of something tradelocks have made...

That you Warren??

This is a no frills stripped down version of the old military covert impressioning magnifier. I believe someone got an eyeball on this and then 'lo' the tradelocks one was born. A sh.te copy of a operationally proved bit of kit.

Bill, good effort, I like to rely on skill rather than gadgets and totally agreed, you need nothing more but a file and clamp and good eyesight. But, everything helps, especially when you are not working in normal environments.

This was designed for use when light is not ideal or possible.

Interest in impressioning gained momentum in the UK when trap pins became common. Still, there are only a few people out there actually doing it.

Cheers,

Sid

[billdeserthills]

Is this is a copy of the TradeLocks impressioning box?

I'm not one to say LOL but LOL, a copy of something tradelocks have made...

That you Warren??

This is a no frills stripped down version of the old military covert impressioning magnifier. I believe someone got an eyeball on this and then 'lo' the tradelocks one was born. A sh.te copy of a operationally proved bit of kit.

Bill, good effort, I like to rely on skill rather than gadgets and totally agreed, you need nothing more but a file and clamp and good eyesight. But, everything helps, especially when you are not working in normal environments.

This was designed for use when light is not ideal or possible.

Interest in impressioning gained momentum in the UK when trap pins became common. Still, there are only a few people out there actually doing it.

Cheers,

Sid

OMG Sid,
Are You telling me that there are members of the military out there somewhere impressioning keys? What happened to just blowing things up?
I actually once used my UV marker and my UV flashlight to impression a key to a ford one night outside a bar. I just couldn't seem to get enough
out of my regular flashlight that time.

[ckc123]

250 Pounds.. WOW..

you can build your own for less than $50..

get a simple Mag Light focusing lens

http://www.dx.com/p/jr-led-77mm-glass-l ... N_haPnF98E

a strip of multi colored LED (runs off 9V )

and find something to use as a case..