Smoking keys to allow blank filing...

[Shrub]

The best way is to use a candle end of but you can use a ciggy lighter and as already said if you want to get the soot from a flame its just above the yellow part or higher depending on how much heat there is being produced from the flame.

Marking blue isnt best as its to thick and grainy but if wanted you can get away with layout ink

[raimundo]

smoking kilos is legal on phobos?

[raimundo]

oh, keys, yeah, thats so 19th century, don't they have black magic marker on phobos? it goes on thinner, sticks better, marks better, use it for makeing lever keys or even for some impressioning jobs on pin tumblers.

[Shrub]

How stable are brass keys up there anyway

[Mad Mick]

How stable are brass keys up there anyway

I, for one, am becoming increasingly amused by Ray's current humour curve...keep it up buddy!

[Neo]

So, there are alternatives to smoking keys from what rai is saying..

Using permanent marker (sharpie) or else "black magic marker" is a better remedy instead of smoking a key with a flame?

So I'm guessing someone has tried black marker? Would this be the best alternative to smoking a key with a flame?

I'm wondering if that would be bad for the file though...

[Mad Mick]

viewtopic.php?t=1396&highlight=guide+impressioning

From memory, this is a d*mned good read...I think the other methods, such as smoking & the sharpie are also contained within this thread. (must read it again)

I tried the sharpie (magic marker) on a key for a Toyota, and it worked admirably. First try = working key.

The only things which are bad for files, are other files or tools of equal or superior hardness...i.e. don't bundle all of your files together in a job-bag. If you have to carry your files together, seperate them with lightly oiled rags (you could give each file a liberal coating of something like WD40, wrap once in an old t-shirt, add the next file, wrap again....)

[digital_blue]

So I'm guessing someone has tried black marker? Would this be the best alternative to smoking a key with a flame?

I'm wondering if that would be bad for the file though...

Shouldn't do anything to the file. If it can cut steel, it can cut ink.

db

[cracksman]

On a side note... I think the whole topic of the history of lock-picking, such as smoking a blank is fascinating, I'm a bit worried that in less than a week this topic will have fallen by the wayside- I'm willing to do a bit of research, I'm a teacher and will have the summer off in a couple of week :0 If there is any intersest, perhaps a moderator could start a forum dealing with the history of locks, and techniques to bypass them. -just a thought, I am positive there are those in the academic community who would appreciate it- a few people might even get a doctoral thesis out of it. it may be Dr. cracksman to you

[Shrub]

Athough perhaps not in a specific topic, there are old locks on site, the mods dont mind if you copy and paste a new topic together with all the threads, they will have a look at it and decide if its good enough to post as a new topic, probly best place to start,

Newbies dont get us wrong, smoking a key is the oldest method, many better methods are in use now and give better results, marker pen being a good example stick on alloy foil being the latest fad, if you are good enough and know what you are looking at you can get away with not useing anything to show the marks up,