Having read the FAQ's you are still unfulfilled and seek more enlightenment, so post your general lock picking questions here.
Forum rules
Do not post safe related questions in this sub forum! Post them in This Old Safe
The sub forum you are currently in is for asking Beginner Hobby Lock Picking questions only.
by ARPcPro » 10 Oct 2016 17:57
I would like to know how to do a low cost duplicate of a Gege AP2000 key? I am in Germany and I was told by a locksmith that he could copy it easily because a blank would cost 3 euros, but since mine had the "Do not duplicate" warning he would respect it. Also I found sold online "AP2000 6 Pin Key Blanks (Pack Of 10) for £28.50", but I don't really need those 10 keys, just one for backup would be enough. Other question I have is, can I cut the blank key with a dremmel? 
-
ARPcPro
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 10 Oct 2016 17:09
- Location: West Europe
by billdeserthills » 10 Oct 2016 18:39
If you can stay within .003 of an inch tolerance with your dremel tool, I don't see why not, then again many key copiers in Mexico make copies using a hand file, so you could always just do that
-
billdeserthills
-
- Posts: 3827
- Joined: 19 Mar 2014 21:11
- Location: Arizona
by femurat » 11 Oct 2016 0:24
Why do you want to duplicate a key that has "do not duplicate" written on it?
-

femurat
- Site Admin
-
- Posts: 3745
- Joined: 22 Sep 2008 9:06
- Location: Italy
by ltdbjd » 11 Oct 2016 21:29
You can always learn to impression. And you'll have 10 attempts to get it right.
-

ltdbjd
- Supporter

-
- Posts: 428
- Joined: 19 Jul 2016 19:16
- Location: Wyoming
by ARPcPro » 12 Oct 2016 18:40
I have a triangular hand file and other small ones. So together with the dremmel it should work. Honestly I don't think I need 10 attempts, maybe just 3 or 4. And my maximum budget for this project is 20 dollars, so I don't really want to buy 10 blanks.
Answering the question "why"... because there are good chances that my girlfriend or I lose the key. To have a duplicate created on request, "all by the book" costs 80 Euros (88 USD). That is too expensive for a key. I could understand that they charge me double or triple of the price of a normal key for registration expenses, catalog management or something, but this price is ridiculous.
-
ARPcPro
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 10 Oct 2016 17:09
- Location: West Europe
by jimu57 » 12 Oct 2016 19:21
Why not just replace the cylinder?
jimu57
"You haven't failed until you stop trying"
-
jimu57
- Supporter

-
- Posts: 526
- Joined: 24 Apr 2015 5:43
- Location: Virginia, USA
by GWiens2001 » 14 Oct 2016 9:55
Am starting to suspect that this key is for an apartment that the OP is renting.
Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
-

GWiens2001
- Site Admin
-
- Posts: 7550
- Joined: 3 Sep 2012 16:24
- Location: Arizona, United States
by Squelchtone » 14 Oct 2016 11:09
Why are the chances good that you or her might lose a key? I have never lost an apartment key in 20 years, ever. Sounds like you have only 1 key right now and wish she had her own key and your name is the only name on the lease. Rental companies charge high amounts for another key because they know some tenants will have other people renting/leasing/sub-renting/sub-letting an apartment without it being officially on the paperwork. So they charge a high price to discourage that sort of behavior.
We see this sort of request here a few times a year.. Sometimes people want a key for their girlfriend, sometimes a spare key to the swimming pool gate at the condo so their friends or family members who do not live there can stop by and use the pool...
Squelchtone
-

Squelchtone
- Site Admin
-
- Posts: 11307
- Joined: 11 May 2006 0:41
- Location: right behind you.
by ARPcPro » 15 Oct 2016 11:20
Thank you all for the responses and moral concern about this. I'm one of those guys that just likes to have backups. The same way I mirror and backup my hard drive and SD cards, I want to have a spare key.
I could replace the cylinder of course. But it one with security and reliability like this one will be the same price or more that the duplicate done the official way. Besides I would have to find a compatible one, pay someone to assemble it or spend time doing it myself. Me and my girlfriend are both legal and allowed to live here and there is no restriction for us getting a duplicate. This an old building in Germany, there are no pools inside (due to the weather being so bad).
In my post here I was just asking if there was a low cost option, just that. Some online shop that would sell only one key instead of ten, etc. I understand that might be some reserves for answering these question since you get these sort of requests often. Sorry for that, no hard feelings.
-
ARPcPro
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 10 Oct 2016 17:09
- Location: West Europe
by Wizer » 15 Oct 2016 13:02
A quick reply for you would be no. You have 5-7 cuts to make by hand or dremel. Your cuts must be maybe 0,05 mm accurate on two axis, depth and spacing(your cut position on the blank). Gege is a good lock so there could be less tolerance. And your slopes have to be ok so your key wont get stuck. How much your time is worth? You will need those 10 blanks anyway. Sorry to be negative, but thats how it goes.
-

Wizer
-
- Posts: 687
- Joined: 13 Jun 2009 3:54
- Location: Finland
by Zed Ex » 15 Oct 2016 15:20
Maybe a rubber key cap cover that hides that wording is all you need to get a locksmith to duplicate de key.
-
Zed Ex
-
- Posts: 10
- Joined: 15 Oct 2016 10:33
- Location: Portugal
by ARPcPro » 16 Oct 2016 13:25
Great idea Zed Ex. Or maybe just a sticker label over that part saying "Entrance" or "Storage", etc.
-
ARPcPro
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: 10 Oct 2016 17:09
- Location: West Europe
by ltdbjd » 16 Oct 2016 16:43
A lot of locksmiths will look under whatever you use to try to hide it. They've seen just about every trick in the book. I always checked, and then sent them away.
-

ltdbjd
- Supporter

-
- Posts: 428
- Joined: 19 Jul 2016 19:16
- Location: Wyoming
Return to Got Questions? - Ask Beginner Hobby Lockpicking Questions Here
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest
|