Hawaii Accommodations

Cutting Keys…

It used to be that a key cutting machine makes keys by tracing the pattern of a customer’s key while cutting the originals pattern into a blank key. There are various types of duplicating machine where some can only make one kind of key and others can be used to duplicate a wide selection of them. Very good to know says David of Liverpool Locksmiths.

The easiest way to explain what the machine does is that a vice (jaw) holds the key to be copies in place and another vice holds the blank key. A tracing key guide, which is like a stylus, moves along the cuts of the cut key and guides the spinning cutter along the blank to make matching cuts into the key thus making the duplicate. Great piece of equipment so Trevor says of Liverpool Locksmiths.

Cutting machines should be adjusted on a weekly basis. Most machines will cut a variety of keys and often have changeable jaw or vices. Although specific groups of keys a decent Mortice machine will cut Mortice household keys and safe keys, although some of them are not able to take a Mortice rim or long safe key, so beware.

Key cutting has come a long way since the old machines that utilised a motor from a sewing machine, was belt driven and juddered its way through a key. Definitley not the case now reckons Paul of Liverpool Locksmiths. I did have (but never used) a hand wheel machine, it worked like a sewing machine you put the key and blank in the jaws then turned the wheel on the end of a drive shaft which had no gearing.

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