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So I am just getting started in making tubular keys, I have a bunch of hitch locks for boat trailers that I need to make keys for. I don't know much about the keys, I have a bunch of Ilco 1137 steel keys, are these going to work for most everything or not? Does anybody know?

Most likely those will be the keys you will want.

However I have seen several Gorilla (and other cheapo) hitch locks that use a different size tubular key. And we don't have blanks that will work properly for those either...

well crap! I have a couple of those Gorilla Guard locks, 6 pinners. What do ya think I do with those?

hmm, I tried one of those blanks in one of the Gorilla locks and it seems to be the same diameter, do you remember what the difference was?

Specifically, no. I remember the blade where the cuts are is thicker than the 1137 blanks. I can't remember if it was on the gorilla brand specifically that the cuts would have to be cut entirely through the blade of the key and or if the pins wouldn't consistently touch the key. It could still be worth a try, I remember a co-worker saying he made a key that worked, but he followed it up by saying that it wasn't a key he would sell to a customer.

I believe the Fulton brand has a few hitch locks that use a similar key to the 1137, but doesn't have the nub on the inside of the blank. Again, we don't have blanks for those either and if you cut the nub off of the inside of the blank, the nub/nose on the outside will fall off.

I'm pretty sure in both cases cut keys can be ordered from the manufacturer. And I admit that I haven't looked very hard for blanks, but I still haven't seen any blanks for those.

Even after all that, the 1137 key is the most common tubular key and the easiest one to get a key machine for.

Cool, thank you, I really appreciate it!