Key Blanks: A Spark of Hope for Those Who Have Been Locked Out Of Their Own Home

1. Key Blanks: A Spark of Hope for Those Who Have Been Locked Out Of Their Own Home The term "key blank" refers to a key that has not been trimmed to a certain bitting. The cross-sectional profile of the blank is designed to match the keyway in a similar lock cylinder. Locksmiths usually have key blanks on hand for duplicating keys. So, is it legal to duplicate keys using key blanks? The answer is yes. With a few exceptions, keys marked "Do not duplicate" or "It is unlawful to duplicate this key" are entirely legal to duplicate, contrary to popular perception. But, duplicating some keys is against the law. These keys are referred regarded as "restricted" by locksmiths, implying that only the original maker has duplication rights. Lock makers, in order to make them more trustworthy, create restricted keys that are more difficult to reproduce because the process requires specific equipment and the key design is patent protected. Now, you know that it isn't shady to get a key duplicated unless the key is one of the restricted ones but let's ponder over the situation that what will you do if you somehow lost the original key of any of your locks? First and foremost, breathe a sigh of relief because you will not have to bring down the entire door in order to bypass the security of the lock. It is possible to make a duplicate key without having the original. If you don't have the original key or it has become too worn down over time, you'll need to

2. consult with a professional locksmith who can use a code cutter to determine the groove depths of your lock's key code. This will tell the locksmith how your key should be cut to create the correct match from a key blank.