Whether you want to give others access to your home, or you need a spare in case of emergencies, having a key duplicated is often a necessity. However, there are several ways that it can get copied improperly, leaving you to discover the mistake only after being locked out unexpectedly. Before resorting to breaking down your door to gain entry, the locksmiths at Lincoln Lock & Safe in Lincoln, NE, suggest trying some handy techniques in getting bad keys to work.

What Makes a Key Bad?

Duplicated keys sometimes do not work if they are copied in a machine that is not cleaned or calibrated frequently. Leftover brass shavings on the machine tend to slightly elevate the key blanks, making the grooves on the copy inaccurate by a few thousandths of an inch — which is significant when it comes to something that requires precision.

Why Won’t It Open Certain Locks?

Because of the incorrect distances between the cuts or wrong depths, poorly copied keys will often fail to unlock doors since the pins won’t align along the shear line. Keys are usually cut at a 45-degree angle where the lock pins settle. Moreover, there are instances when locks with worn out faces let keys move deeper inside the hole, putting the pins in the wrong positions. Without the proper pin height, the locking mechanism will remain in place.

How Do You Unlock Using Poorly Copied Keys?

The trick to making them work is by “jiggling” your key inside the hole. Try pulling out the key slowly while turning it to lift the pins to their proper height. If this doesn’t work, you can apply light rotational pressure on the key as you slightly shake it around while inserted. You can try applying a lubricant instead of using graphite to loosen the springs inside the lock. Avoid using too much force that will break off your key, as this will turn into a more difficult job for your locksmith.

If you need assistance with inconvenient lockouts due to badly copied keys, contact an emergency locksmith. Lincoln Lock & Safe is ready to help whenever you find yourself in this situation. For over 50 years, we have served Lincoln and the surrounding areas with our extensive range of services, from lock repair to replacement of house keys. Call (402) 475-0002 or visit us online to learn more about our team of residential and commercial locksmiths.