using depth and space keys while impressioning

[Squelchtone]

Do any of you use space and depth keys while prepping your keys for impressioning or during impressioning to see if you need to file deeper for a full cut? or does anyone use a key gauge such as the LAB one that has common manufacturers on it?

At Lockcon in Kentucky, we were taught to use "0 bitted" keys which have the very slight spacing lines cut at the top of the blade indicating where the cuts go, this seemed like a very good trick so you could at least know where to start looking for black dots.

I personally do not smoke or sharpie my blanks, but I do file the surface nice and flat and uniform before I start and I use a jewelers 10x loupe if I can't see any useful marks with the naked eye.

Squelchtone

[cledry]

I will occasionally use my HPC code machine to cut instead of filing but only when I have been defeated with my normal method. I must say my impressioning isn't what it once was when I had younger eyes. I keep a pair of strong reading glasses just for impressioning. The biggest factor for me is the quality of the lighting.

[C locked]

I Made a jig from a lock cylinder plug
It's basically just a cutaway plug with cuts down each chamber
I insert the key. A quick brush with a fine hacksaw for each chamber
And im off

[GWiens2001]

Still have 10 (maybe fewer) Schlage C-keyway blanks that are 0 bitted. Bought them thinking the same thing about sure spacing distances. Maybe I used one, but got them years ago, so don't remember if I even used any.

I don't use depth keys or a micrometer to impression. Have been burned by that several times. But then again, am frequently impressioning locks that are 50-80 years old. So the issue of pin wear can make automatically filing to the next factory depth self-defeating.

I use an ultra-fine point Sharpie to make a line down from the marks when I first get marks. That is to make sure I keep filing straight down from where I saw the marks, rather than drifting forwards or rearwards due to the teeth on the file pulling one way or the other. Other than that, I usually don't use a marker unless taking pictures, since have found it extremely difficult to get decent pics of impressioning marks.

Gordon

[Big Jesse]

I used the same technique as you, i flat file the top of the key blank so its shinny, then get nice marks to start with that. i have never used a key decoder because we only had decoders for locks we could pick and disassemble, but I always wondered about that. i think a micrometer would be useful if you had cheat cards that listed the cuts for each brand of lock you plan to encounter either in the shop or at a contest.

[RubberBanned]

I used a full suite of space and depth keys at lockfest this last weekend during the impressioning competition. They helped me a lot, since I managed to misplace most of my equipment. I liked them, frankly.

[UnlockingBoredom]

When I first started impressioning I put the key into an empty cylinder and marked the key with a sharpie through the holes then put marks down one side of the key so I knew where to file. kept my file from wandering at first. Then I started using a caliper to measure the cuts as I went so it was easy to just cut to the next number. This worked until I ran into a half cut pin in a master lock.... it took a while before I found out why I couldnt impression it my standard way.

I finally just cut a little at a time until it opened and then measured and found one was between standard bidding numbers

[Shifty1]

It all depends on the lock. With flat bottomed pins the curved profile you form with a pippin file does not seat and impress itself at that measured position. So you cannot boldly just file to the next depth but must take care to identify marks that are real and not imagined and not with depth keys. A simple depth chart and a pair of calipers will suffice. Oh yeah and lots of practice! Cheers!