A skill known and practiced for years by seasoned locksmiths, impressioning a working key from a blank is a popular new addition in locksport circles everywhere. Get your blanks and Pippin files and get busy!
by Robotnik » 27 Jan 2016 22:19
I figure having a single place for us all to showcase our successes will reduce clutter a bit. On that note, here's what I impressioned today:  Master M3. Felt the key blank breaking, so I stopped and started over with a fresh one. Once I finally opened it, I found I was literally two file swipes away from success on the first key  After impressioning the 1.25" Yale from a previous thread, and failing at impressioning a Corbin master ring, this was refreshingly simple.
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by Robotnik » 27 Jan 2016 22:54
Master No. 3 is the model of the above lock...despite what my autocorrect thinks 
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by GWiens2001 » 28 Jan 2016 0:01
Nice idea, Robotnik! Here is what I impressioned today:  Guard key for a Yale safe deposit box with peanut cylinders.  Gordon
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by Squelchtone » 28 Jan 2016 14:10
great post idea Robotnik!
Sticky status achieved!
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by jeffmoss26 » 29 Jan 2016 12:44
Very cool!!
"I tried smoking a blank once. I was never able to keep the tip lit long enough to inhale." - ltdbjd
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by GWiens2001 » 2 Feb 2016 18:15
Two of them. Master No. 77  and a small lever cabinet lock that I decided to use on another project today.  Gordon
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by GWiens2001 » 10 Feb 2016 16:06
Somebody has to be impressioning around here other than me and Robotnik! Nothing fancy today. Just some Master locks I got without keys. Master M1, Master No. 15, and two Master bicycle locks.  And if any of you are trying to figure out the blanks for the Master bicycle locks, the CG17 fits perfectly. Gordon
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by kwoswalt99- » 10 Feb 2016 22:33
GWiens2001 wrote:Somebody has to be impressioning around here other than me and Robotnik!
Haven't had much time lately. My Corbin will hopefully be done soon.
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by GWiens2001 » 12 Feb 2016 13:44
Needed to make a key for a wafer lock for an in-process write up on impressioning. So made a key for the wafer lock in this Yale combination lock.  If anybody has a book that will show the combo, the code on the bottom of the lock is N10198. If you can get the combo, please send it to me via PM. Thanks! Gordon
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by Robotnik » 17 Feb 2016 23:54
  Impressioned a "mini" Sargent padlock with an S10 keyway. I purchased a random collection of ~200 vintage key blanks yesterday, and to my delight, it included three of these (relatively uncommon) blanks. First attempt failed, but this second attempt today was successful. The zero cut in the third position tanked my first attempt early on; even filing in pin spacing after the first pass took too much material off. Photographed next to a US quarter and a full-size Sargent for reference in the second pic.
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by Protec2 » 18 Feb 2016 22:18
I unsuccessfully attempted this Yale today, does that count? I'm unsure of the keyway so used a Y4 I had on hand. I got a ways into it and the marks just stopped appearing. This is my first attempt to impression...  
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by GWiens2001 » 18 Feb 2016 23:44
Can we see the key you tried? Sometimes we can tell what may be the issue by what the key looks like. Mostly because some of us (like me) have failed enough times to recognize the errors we have made. It can also help us to give relevant tips.
Gordon
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by Protec2 » 19 Feb 2016 10:58
GWiens2001 wrote:Can we see the key you tried? Sometimes we can tell what may be the issue by what the key looks like. Mostly because some of us (like me) have failed enough times to recognize the errors we have made. It can also help us to give relevant tips.
Gordon
Here is my attempt. Second picture is a key I hand cut, (for another yale) but had to remove the tip because the key was too long to utilize the shoulder stop, wondering if this could be part of my problem? Another thought I had last night after reading more here is if I saw a mark, I filed to the next depth, which doesn't take worn pin lengths into account.  
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by GWiens2001 » 19 Feb 2016 14:52
Many times have needed to modify a blank to work in a lock. And yes, that can be a problem if the key blank is too long, since in some locks the tip of the over-long key interferes with other internal parts of the lock. On some locks, it just does not matter.
The second cut from the tip, at least in the above picture, looks like it may not be centered on the pin location. By your ramps look good.
Gordon
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by jeffmoss26 » 19 Feb 2016 19:59
Robotnik - nice Sargents! Protec2 - can I get a nice clear shot of the code stamped on the keyway? It looks like it says GE - Y4 is the master for the G series.
"I tried smoking a blank once. I was never able to keep the tip lit long enough to inhale." - ltdbjd
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