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Different Ways to Cut Keys

Take a look at these keys:



How about off the key ring…



What do they have in common? Give up? They all open this lock:



Not only that, but the lock is not master keyed. That is correct. The keys all have the same bitting!

How can this be if they all look so different? It has to do with how the pins interact with the key.

On a “normal" key, the tip of the key pin rests at the center of the flat spot at each bitting, so the tip of the key pin is used to set the pin at the correct height.

In a “V” cut, the edges of the pin are held, not the tip of the key pin. The edges of the ramp and pins are what is used to set the pin height.

On a “Laser” key (Not to be confused with a laser track key), the ramps can use either the tip of the key pins or the edges of the key pin to set the pins at the correct height.



So you can see that on a “normal" key pin, the edges of the key pin are not used to set bitting height, but they are on a “V”, while on a “Laser” key, either can be used.

Now in this highly accurate drawing (yeah, right ), you can see how each of these key types are used to set the key pins at the same height, even though they look different.



Used a key machine and depth keys to cut the “Normal” key, but hand filed each of the other two types of keys.

Why have different ways of cutting the keys? A couple reasons. The key machine cut key (Actually the last of the three I made) is how you expect the key to look. So the same keys, side by side, will look like they are for different locks. Also, the “Laser” key, with fewer peaks, would cause less pin wear.

The “V” key (made first, a year or so ago), especially used with a 6 pin blank instead of a 5 pin blank, can (and was) used so the key did not look like someone would expect… it was the same key, but disguised. (Someone wanted me to have a key, but not have others know that I had it, even if they looked at my key ring). So this is a bit of a way to ‘hide’ the bitting of the key.

The “Laser” key is specifically made to make visual decoding especially difficult. This is extra-true with this key, since I specially made it so none of the pins align with either the peaks or the valleys of the cuts.

All three keys work in the lock as well as a factory cut key - in fact, the “Laser” key works even more smoothly for insertion and extraction from the lock.

You can make a “Laser” key for pretty much any bitting, but will probably need to cut/file it by hand unless you have access to a special key cutting machine. When I make them, my goal is to make all the angles different, and have them being different lengths, to make decoding harder.

The American 5260 padlock pictured is no longer in use where it came from, so not worried about posting actual pictures of the bitting. It was given to me when the person sold their shed without the lock.

So next time you want to make a key, there is your challenge: make your key a bit differently… if you can make it work properly. Just be sure that the key and lock works smoothly and reliably before you try using it on a lock you depend on.

Have fun!!!

Gordon

Nice writeup and HIGHLY technical drawings

And just added a fourth style - sort of a wave shape:



It works on the same way as the ‘Laser’ key, but has no angles. Only curves.

Cut down low straight from the shoulder to help hide the bitting of the first cut, and cut off the ramp at the front of the key to help hide the fifth cut.

As you can see, it makes yet another key that looks like it won’t work in the lock, but does!

Gordon

And the fifth (and probably last) key style for this lock. Pins contact at the top of the peaks. A bit tricky making this one with precise points for peaks, and tried to make flats between the peaks.



Compared to a 'normal' key:



All keys work smoothly in the lock!

Gordon

Very nice, thank you for sharing, Gordon.
I didn´t evem know of 2 cut patterns you presented.
Here are 2 different cut styles more;
-"Flat" which is usually used for wafer locks, but work on pintublers too:


And another pattern for "laser" cut:

Great stuff there Gordon!!

I especially like how you've used some cut styles to disguise the bitting!
Before getting into this hobby, I was quite naive as to just how easy it was to decode
keys by sight. Or that the numbers on some keys were actually direct bitting codes!!

As to the "flat" style cut that Wizer mentions - It seems American Lock
uses this to some extent depending on the cuts in relation to each other.



The other added benefit obviously, is much less wear on the pins over time.

Making the key without peaks is something I do on occasion. We service a lot of fuel centers that for some reason the keys and pins wear out exponentially faster than anything else. Just as Mike pointed out it reduces the wear. It also reduces a slight click in keys if you are duplicating and the original was slightly off on the spacing.

Here is a key that I made a while back. I am rekeying right now and this is what I am keying away from.

Mike, how do you cut the keys that way? With a computerized machine I'd assume?

And the fifth (and probably last) key style for this lock. Pins contact at the top of the peaks.

Sneaky Peaks!

Enjoy learning from your works.
Thank you Gordon.

I now want all my keys to be laser cut. If that is not an option then I'll take wave.
It's like the key bitting is encrypted.

Edit: than/then

Maybe Matt can tell ya what machine he uses. The one I pictured was cut by hand with files.
But I've seen a number of American Locks straight from factory cut with this same 'flat' style.

Just dealt with one of them today, Mike. Have seen them before, just did not consider them a different key type. Not going to make one for this lock, as already have five different style keys for it. Don't want to waste all my blanks on one lock!

Gordon

I just made a video on how to do this with depth keys and an HPC 1200. I will upload it when I get home.

And then there is the beer fed "gray matter processor" controlled dremel key cutter style....



Also dremeled the sides to change keyway to work with a R1 restricted keyway

10 points to Joe Momma!

Gordon