A short cut for pin tumblers.

[the lockpickkid]

You can't see the marks, because the cut of your file is too rough. Are you still trying to use something besides a decent swiss cut file?

Actually Tooly, remember when you told me that before? Well I actually haven't even tried since then, I still have to pick some better files up! I always forget to buy them! What particular file do you recommend me using for these wafer locks to impression with? Like what cut and what shape?

[ToolyMcgee]

#4 swiss cut file is what most people use. 6" tapered round or pippin, either is good. If you go round, it's not a bad idea to get a triangle of the same cut. Grobet makes nice files, and they were almost half the price of the good HPC last time I checked. I don't know about any other files. I've seen some "swiss cut" no name stuff that was pretty rough.

[pjzstones]

i first tried using a purple sharpie. i couldn't see the marks that well at all. maybe it was because of the lighting i had at the time or maybe purple just doesn't work well. i haven't tried it since. i like to shine the key with a file instead. it seemed like i have to wiggle the key more when i used marker and i broke the blank. i haven't impressioned a wafer lock yet only pin tumble. but i've been wondering about double sided wafers. when impressioning them do you work on both sides at the same time where ever you see a mark or one side at a time?