Silly Schlage key

[vector40]

I was getting lunch today, and the restroom was a semi-public one that required a key to enter; I grabbed the key (on a honking big metal loop) and did my business. But -- like most of us here, I assume -- I eyeballed both the lock and the eye, and noticed something interesting: The key (just a normal Schlage key-in-lever) was cut to the same height on all five pins. It looked like a bump key -.-

Closer examination proved that they weren't QUITE at the same depths; if I had to guess, I'd say there were two at the deepest cuts, a couple one level above, and maybe one on the next up. Still, we're talking about a difference of fractions of a millimeter; I'm sure it would have opened by just sticking a pick in there and turning.

Is there any reason someone would pin a lock like this, or could it just be the product of a lazy/incompetent locksmith? Would any of you key a lock this way?

[digital_blue]

I've heard that a method like that can be employed for a rather crude master keying system, whereby the deepest cuts are reserved for master keying. That might be it.

db

[Mad Mick]

Maybe a point to consider here:
What, exactly, is someone going to steal from the "Scheißehaus"...soap-cakes...toilet paper...??
Or another point:
If somebody has an accident on the pot (and I don't mean the reason they went in there for), assuming they have the only key inside with them, an easy MOE is required. What better method, in this circumstance, than employing a bump key, or some bitting that could be easily picked.

Granted, the paramedics could kick down the door, but what if the 'patient' is slumped forwards and is just an elderly person who has fell asleep?

[vector40]

That seems absurd... pinning a lock to be intentionally easy to bypass? Why not just keep an extra key or two? Or skip the lock entirely, if it's that much of a joke? There was an additional deadbolt on the door anyway (Falcon).

Is this sort of thing done? Purposeful reduction of a lock's security?

[omelet]

well, there's some reason they have the lock there...

but anyways, it's not hard ot get another copy of a schlage, it would be stupid to give out your only copy. I'd go with the masterkeying theory.

[omelet]

why do i even bother posting?

[master in training]

i suppose one thing to remember is that people see locks as instant security, so even though the owner and the odd person like yourself knows that the lock could be opened by a few harsh words or a good hard stare, most people would think oh, it has a lock and key, therefore it is secure and cannot be opened. i think the term is "security by obscurity", what people dont know won't hurt 'em!

there is the night-time factor as well, the guy who owns it probably either wants to close up shop at night or simply stay in the main area (im assuming it was a shop or something), any kind of lock will stop the door being opened by a group of people looking to trash the place, the key allows the owner to lock the door when theres no-one there.

[locksmistress]

It could also simply be a copy of the factory original key that came with the lock.

3 factory keys I just happen to pull out the top of my recycling bucket - (I sorted through about 20 to find good ones - but from 75 pounds of brass, 3 out of 20 is still pretty common) cut to: 54645, 55546, 55756.

Now, if you picture those going through the Menards key duplicator a couple of generations, the total deviation from highest to lowest is going to shrink.

On the factory original it's only 0.030" difference from a 4-6 (or 5-7).

A depth difference of 0.030" can seem pretty small - -especially on a duplicate.

And it's not uncommon to see factory keys cut all deeper than 7s.

So there's one explanation.

And another possibility would be that all the keys in the building work in the bathroom, plus the 'bathroom key' works. BUT the bathroom key will not work in any other cylinder in the building nor can it be filed down by bored people on the pot in order to make it work in any other cylinder in the building.

The last few times I set that sort of thing up in a building it was to keep urban itinerants from using the main floor bathroom as a locker room or to keep the local youth from tagging the place on their way home from school.

That and it's not uncommon to find a pretty fair variety of drug periphenalia socked away in unsecured public-ish restrooms.

There's security, there's false security, and then, well, there's keeping the random heroin user out of your bathroom.

[Beekeypr]

In the old days (maybe not sooooo long ago), the deepest cuts were the masterkey.

For a lazy locksmith, trying for a down and dirty (pun intended) system, the deepest cuts would allow for stock keys to be used.

And someone else's comment about the bathroom key having deep cuts purposefully is also done by those in the know. Since bathroom keys - Men's & Ladies Room keys in larger buildings - are usually distributed widely, they should be created so that they don't compromise security directly.

[bigbike]

From what i read from your description of the lock/key set up-I am sure that the lock is nothing more than to give the illusion of security to someone who is using the facility. Now most people would never look at the key, so the lock is an effective deterent to most. As for theft of property-well many places around where i live do put locks on the public restrooms because the cost of supplies (t.p. and drying towels) is expensive and people do steal it Particularly the homeless I am told! As for the key being a bump key-well since one only needs the illusion of security I am sure that it does serve it's purpose. But NO I would never repin/key a lock in such a way!