Foam Impressioning?????

[KokomoLock]

I have been playing with the KABA Gemini some more trying a few different methods. FarmerFreak suggested soaking a Popsicle stick in water and trying that but I let the stick soak over night and it did not soften up much at all. I found some foam letters my wife uses for scrap booking and they were the perfect thickness so I cut one to size and tried it. It gave me all the marks but is still to dense. Jruther2 suggested getting the foam warm so I used a blow dryer and still not working. My question is this, anyone have any ideas? Is it even possible? I have seen the foil impressioning and heard of the popsicle stick method before but never tried and don't have any extra blanks for the foil method. Here are some pics of the foam method. Any suggestions???

[s1deshowmick]

What about some sort of clay?
I have been thinking about this alot lately and am going to try a type of paper clay. Once i get some more time I'll try some different mixtures and varying degrees of hardness and try it out.
The only reason I've been doing this is because i can't find any impressioning clay on the net anywhere...

I have a feeling this might just work...

[LocksmithArmy]

my only thought wat... how could you effectiely torque that to leave proper impressions that wouldnt tear it... you did an ok job but in the end it did not open...

try cutting out the middle and filling it with a strip of metal, maybe feeler gauge in the center... should five you more torque yielding the possibility of deeper impressions and possibly opening the lock

[KokomoLock]

Well what I did was insert the foam and then used 2 tension bars, one on each side of the foam at the bottom of the keyway. Then I applied tension in both directions like I was attempting to impression it. I may try the metal down the middle but I do not see that helping!

[barbarian]

Just a guess..

The foil and the popsicle stick seem to hold an indentation without springing back to place.

Could the foam be too springy ? Could you make it less springy ? What about a piece of foil tape on the foam ?

Great frikking idea tho. Hope you get it working.

[jruther2]

my only thought wat... how could you effectiely torque that to leave proper impressions that wouldnt tear it... you did an ok job but in the end it did not open...

try cutting out the middle and filling it with a strip of metal, maybe feeler gauge in the center... should five you more torque yielding the possibility of deeper impressions and possibly opening the lock

I may try the metal down the middle but I do not see that helping!

I believe that LSA is thinking that you would apply tension with the metal strip down the center. That probably isn't gonna work because as you try to turn the metal its going to interfere with some pins.

My question is this, anyone have any ideas?

How about leather?

[elbowmacaroni]

What about filing notches out of the popsicle stick down the length and then applying something like HVAC foil over the stick like one would with a metal foil impressioner?

[the lockpickkid]

I think also that the metal foil is going to be the ticket, it has been proven to work on many other ideas, impressioning wise.

[WolfSpring]

Rounded end of a paperclip bent to the same width of the keyand foil around it, how about balsa wood?

[ImSchatten360]

This guy did a great job:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXv9Dhq2yag