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http://youtu.be/F2GK9xZJhvQ

I Have some questions about Knife edge technique.
If you view this video from 39:50 to 43:45. This fellow shows how to impression a key.
Is this Knife edging?
Seems to me he goes overboard on filing the side of the key blank.
What is the useful content?
What info in this video should be dis-regarded?
My thinking is that I don't use "knife edge" and maybe I'm missing out.

Yes, This would be considered Knife Edging.. As well as "smoking a blank".. He is not going over board .. IF you can get the key edge to a fine edge instead of the pins just leaving a dimple in the key they will leave more of a marks... I didn't watch the whole video but the content about Knife edging is useful..

Whenever you can gain information about multiple methods of doing something you are not missing out.. The more tools or tricks you have in your inventory the better off you will be... There are some good talks by Jos Weyer on Key impressioning..

No where have I ever seen a key blank filed into a serrated steak knife.
Would like to see some more video of people using this technique.
All other video I've seen doesn't really show much.
Have I overlooked any on this site? Links Please.

I have knifed edged a couple of wafer locks. Shaped the blank to a point, nowhere as thinned down as this person.
I centered my point on the blank. His point appears to be on one side only.
Wondering does it matter, point on the left, on the right or centered.?

Anyone use this method?

Although I am by no means a master (or even apprentice) impressioner, I think having the point off to one side could be beneficial. If you imagine a key pin, and then you have a blank with a knife edge cut into it, in my mind, having the edge off to one side of the "point" of the key pin would actually slightly bend the edge rather than just mark the top of it. I may not be doing this idea justice though, as I haven't had any coffee yet and I have essentially no experience in impressioning, but to me, having more of the key pin in the way when you jiggle the blank left-right would create a more distinguishable mark.

-Colin

I am by no means a master impressioner either, and can only share my experience for what it is worth. I only put a knife edge on for wafer locks, and when I do I try to keep the angle of the edge as acute as I can, so that as you file deeper you don't have to mess around with re-profiling the edge as it gets thicker. The thinner the edge, the more distinguished the marks are as the force of the wafer pushing back against the edge has less material to distribute itself against. As cold-rake hypothesized, you can actually see the edge fold over a bit, sometimes. With regard to the comment on a serrated knife edge, from watching the video I did not perceive a serration when the blank was given its edge. My apologies if I just didn't see things right. A cool advantage to the knife edge is you can put a small strip of HVAC tape on it on the angle of the keyblade and get darn fine impressioning marks when you are can't seem to see anything. Because the wafers ride on the higher edge of the blade, the HVAC stays on without being scraped off by the wafers .

On some locks with paracentric keyways, such as the Yale Y1, the keyway will pull away from the center of the pin travel. In those instances, can see how knifing the edge closer to where the pin center is actually located would provide more distinctive marks. On locks where the center of the key blade remains in line with the pin travel,
The knifing should be centered on the key blade.

Personally, it is rare for me to knife a key blade while impressioning.

Gordon

Trying ideas to up my game from 4 pin master padlocks to 5 pin Schalge.
Knife edging might be a route?
At least I have a ton of Sc1 blanks.

It is upping your game, but not like you are moving up to something outrageous. Moving from Master locks to Schlage is a pretty reasonable step.

Gordon

Does anyone know the name of the handheld duplicator he is using in the video?..Not a curtis code cutter or pak-a-punch, I have never seen one of those...very cool.

I believe that is an old code cutter Schlage made at one time.

Was it? Cool.. could have been used as a duplicator too wouldn't you think? Because he had a space and depth key on the bottom jaw and his blank at the top jaw which he was making cuts to.

you can use a pak-a-punch, or lishi clipper,or klom poer clipper to cut the blank .knife edging helps impression the key better but the key would be ugly and may "cut" the pins down over time.if you knife edge I would decode the cuts on the impressioned key then code cut a new key.