Having a few key copies for your family members is necessary especially if your family members arrive home at different times of the day. No one wants to be stuck outside his or her own home without a key. Getting a duplicate for your keys for your family members or teenage children may not be as simple as it may seem.
You may run into problems with your key duplicate if it is not a good one. Have you ever had a key duplicated from a locksmith but realize that it does not work once you reach home? It is not only frustrating but it costs time and money to do it again until you have one that works.
As such, here are some top tips to ensure that you have a good key copy. These tips may help you identify bad and good duplicate and also help you avoid getting bad copies altogether.
Check that the keys line up beside each other
Before you leave the store, check that the keys look visually similar when you place the original key and duplicate beside each other. One quick way to identify if a key copy is good is that if it matches the grooves and shoulders on your original key, you can be almost certain that your key copy is a good one and one that will work well. Do not collect your key duplicates and rush to leave the store. Take some time to check them carefully and ask to have them done again if you suspect that they are slightly different.
Check with reliable locksmiths whether the key can even be duplicated
Oftentimes, many stores attempt to duplicate keys that cannot be duplicated on regular blanks. For instance, regular locksmiths cannot duplicate some types of keys such as keys to college dorms and several apartments. As such, duplicates that are sold to you may not work on your door. Some locksmiths may still try to sell you unusable duplicates. Do not be fooled! Do the necessary checks and you will certainly save much time and money in the long run.
Inform the locksmith of the car company when making car key duplicates
Informing the locksmith of your car company and the year you purchased your car will help ensure that your car key duplicate is a good one. As some newer models of cars have more technologically advanced car keys which open doors and start ignition with radio signals sent from keys, your car may not work with a regular key blank. As such, ensure that your locksmith is well informed of the model and type of car you own. Good communication with your locksmith will ensure good key duplicates.
Do check that your original key has not been worn out
If a key is used for many, many years, it could be worn out. Using a key everyday for many years may change the shape of your key slightly due to frictional wear and tear. Thus, if you use a worn out key to make duplicates, you might not be able to get a good key duplicate, as it may not be copied correctly. Nonetheless, as the leveled parts of the key work a lock instead of its jagged corners, a key with slight wear and tear may still work well. However, if you have had your original key for a large number of years, do consider making another original key and then create duplicates out of the new original key. This will ensure that your original and duplicate keys work well.
Try to make duplicates out of originals, not other duplicates
One big tip to ensuring that your key copy is a good one is to ensure that the copy is made from an original key. If a duplicate is made from another duplicate, it may have some discrepancies from the original. After many duplicates of duplicates, those keys may not work as well or even worse, not work at all causing you to be locked outside your own home. Keep track of which key is the original and keep it safely in case more duplicates need to be made.
Get your keys copied from reliable locally owned businesses
Getting your keys copied from reliable locally owned businesses would ensure that you are seeking help from experienced professionals with sufficient expertise. Although getting key copies from locally owned businesses may cost more than department stores, many people have found that locally owned businesses copy better keys. Ask around and read reviews online to help you choose a reliable company to help duplicate your keys.
Here are some top tips to help you ensure that your key duplicates work well for you and your loved ones. With some time and effort to take care of your keys and check them, you can be sure to have good key copies for all your needs!