Removing wafers from cam locks

[Maelstrom_MVF]

I just started learning about locksmithing using Assured Locksmith Training's home study program. I'm on chapter three, which is talking about making a key for a cam lock. The problem is, I have to remove the wafers from the cylinder before I can mark the key blank, and the instructions are somewhat confusing. How do you remove the wafers? Pictures would help

[cledry]

I just started learning about locksmithing using Assured Locksmith Training's home study program. I'm on chapter three, which is talking about making a key for a cam lock. The problem is, I have to remove the wafers from the cylinder before I can mark the key blank, and the instructions are somewhat confusing. How do you remove the wafers? Pictures would help

There is a much easier way to mark the key without removing wafers.

However if you are told to remove the wafers they either will fall right out, sometimes when you don't want them to, or they will require a light tap on the wafer from the opposite side of the spring.

I have been doing this for over 35 years and have never needed to remove the wafers to mark the spacing of the cuts.

[Jacob Morgan]

Can you clarify what it is asking you to do?

If impressioning a key, you would leave the wafers in, and the core in the lock as well. Gordon has a nice, well illustrated, tutorial on impressioning wafer locks on this site. With impressioning, the marks give you both spaces and depths for the cuts.

Another method to make a key for a disc lock is by sight reading, but that is more advanced.

You can normally remove wafers by pulling them up and out of the core with needle mode pliers--but that would be for rekeying.

[GWiens2001]

Here is a link to the tutorial mentioned above.

Some wafer locks have the wafers staked in place, too. Much better to impression or sight read.

Gordon

[cledry]

The general rule is as follows:

If the wafers are not staked in place, the locksmith is almost guaranteed to drop the lock plug on the floor and the wafers are automatically attracted to the furthest, darkest corner under the work bench.

If the wafers are staked in place, the locksmith will never drop the lock plug on the floor.

Other than key blanks that don't have a hole big enough to fit on the key hook, it is perhaps the most frustrating thing in the trade.

[billdeserthills]

The general rule is as follows:

If the wafers are not staked in place, the locksmith is almost guaranteed to drop the lock plug on the floor and the wafers are automatically attracted to the furthest, darkest corner under the work bench.

If the wafers are staked in place, the locksmith will never drop the lock plug on the floor.

Other than key blanks that don't have a hole big enough to fit on the key hook, it is perhaps the most frustrating thing in the trade.

'This is why my Dad always taught me to put a blank key into a cam lock before removing the plug whenever possible

[Raymond]

Unless you need to change the bitting on a cam lock there is usually NO reason to remove the wafers. My technique for getting correct spacing on the key when hand filing is as follows:

Put a blank in the lock all the way in.
Slide the head of the blank into the left side of a vise until the face of the cam lock plug is flush with the side-face of the vise. ( I use the left side because I am right handed and hold the file in my right hand and use my left hand to hold the plug.) With a finger under the plug to prevent those sneaky wafers from jumping out below, hold the plug behind and above the key blank, again flush against the vise, and you can point the file at each wafer to start a small cut on the blank. Put the plug back onto the key and verify the depth as you cut. Repeat this process often to prevent your spacing from moving off center as you deepen each cut.

This technique works on any lock on which the shoulder of the key goes into a recess or if the face of the plug is not flat.

[cledry]

Unless you need to change the bitting on a cam lock there is usually NO reason to remove the wafers. My technique for getting correct spacing on the key when hand filing is as follows:

Put a blank in the lock all the way in.
Slide the head of the blank into the left side of a vise until the face of the cam lock plug is flush with the side-face of the vise. ( I use the left side because I am right handed and hold the file in my right hand and use my left hand to hold the plug.) With a finger under the plug to prevent those sneaky wafers from jumping out below, hold the plug behind and above the key blank, again flush against the vise, and you can point the file at each wafer to start a small cut on the blank. Put the plug back onto the key and verify the depth as you cut. Repeat this process often to prevent your spacing from moving off center as you deepen each cut.

This technique works on any lock on which the shoulder of the key goes into a recess or if the face of the plug is not flat.

Yup, that is how I have always done it too. It is also when I sometimes spill the plug as I keep it in my left hand while I file the cuts with my right. Probably should pop it on the work bench instead.

[demux]

Other than key blanks that don't have a hole big enough to fit on the key hook, it is perhaps the most frustrating thing in the trade.

Ugh. I hate this one. Seriously, if any key blank designers are watching, why, why, why? I can't count the number of times I've had to drill or file a bigger hole in a key to get it on my ring. Why not just make the holes big enough for the largest rings out there in the first place? If someone wants to put the key on a cheap skinny little ring, who really cares if it flops around a bit?

May the people who make these design decisions forever only find parking spaces that are 6" too narrow to sufficiently open their vehicle doors and have to crawl in and out of their trunks.