Many people go to a hardware or local lock shop to keep a copy made of a key. Sometimes, after people try to use the key, it won’t work. Before you leave the store where they made the key, you need to determine if it’s a poor key copy. Using this guide will help you ask the right questions and discover ways to detect bad key duplication in Seattle quickly.

Specific Keys Aren’t Able to Be Copied

The first thing you need to determine is if the key you want to copy can be copied. Specific types of keys aren’t able to be copied by regular locksmiths such as keys for apartments, college dorm rooms and Primus keys for Primus locks. Sometimes, stores try to copy keys that can’t be copied.

Consider if the Clerk Was Confident

If you think your key can be copied, the next thing is to determine if the clerk was confident that they did it correctly. When a clerk takes a long time or no time at all, they may have chosen an incorrect key blank.

Figure if Your Keys Match

After you get your key copied, be sure to place the keys next to each other to see if they line up. If they don’t line up, you have a poor key copy. Another way to determine if you have a poor key copy is to determine if the copied key matches up with the grooves and shoulders on the original key. If they don’t match up, you have a poor key copy.

Determine if Your Original Key is in Bad Condition

If your original key is in bad condition, it may not be able to be copied. An original key deteriorates after years of using it. If your original key is in bad condition, you’ll have to have another original key made. Sometimes, a key in bad condition still copies correctly. Try other methods before you have another original key made.

See if Both Keys Have Numbers

The next thing to check is to see if both the original key and copied key have numbers on the shoulder or the front head of the key. Usually, there are numbers on keys. On house keys, a number may be SC-1 or KW-1.

Be Sure to Give the Make and Model of Your Vehicle

If you’re copying a car key, you need to be sure to tell the clerk the make and model of your vehicle. Larger department stores often don’t copy the key correctly if you don’t tell them the make and model of your vehicle. Sometimes, newer model vehicles have electronics placed in the key and in car doors. Sometimes, they even have electronics placed in the ignition. If this is the case, your copied car key usually won’t work if you copy them from a regular key blank.

Check if Your Original Key is Broken or Bent

If the original key is broken or bent, it may or may not be able to be copied. Sometimes, you’ll be able to copy a key that’s broken or bent. If your original key is broken or bent and can’t be copied, you need to have a locksmith find out the numbered combination of your lock. The locksmith will need to cut you another original key if it’s broken in a bad spot or if the machine can’t clench the broken pieces.

Find Out if Your Key is Copied

If the key you have is a copy key and you’re trying to copy it, you may not be able to do so. If you copy a key based on copies, they’ll receive more errors during the process of copying the key to make another one. If you’ve copied a key based on copies more than five times, you usually won’t be able to get the key in the lock, or it may not work at all.

Locally-Owned Businesses Copy Keys Better

Sometimes, if you get the original key copied in general stores, it may not work. It’s best to get the original key copied at a reputable locksmith in Seattle. Locally-owned businesses copy keys better than mass merchants. Getting a key copied at a locally-owned business may cost more, but it’ll be worth the price you pay.

Ask a Pro

If you have tried all of these methods and nothing is working, be sure to contact a locksmith. And a locksmith can definitely help you with any issues you may have. Also, locksmiths are able to fix a variety of issues.

Be sure to never attempt to copy a key on your own. The tools used to copy a key are sharp and dangerous. If you are determined to copy a key, be sure that you have someone help you, even though it isn’t recommended.

Thank you for reading our blog! How can we help you? Contact us today.