There are always a million and one ideas that locksmiths come up with when working with stamps and key blanks or lock cylinders. These can prove to be really helpful when using unique or creative methods while marking keys and locks for future reference. Large, complex tasks with several change keys and master keys can become very confusing if a locksmith does not take adequate time with a key stamp and a hammer or press and mark the key blanks properly.
Creative Key Stamp Usage
Master keying and large rekeying work has long been the popular use for keys stamps. What some locksmiths and technicians can forget to do is mark the cylinders themselves for reference. This may not need to be done in a permanent way, as with a key stamp, but can be marked with a marker or paint pen of some sort. Although a key stamp will work for marking cylinders, this should be done with caution. A heavy blow on a cylinder to the plug housing or the spring/top pin casing could cause the material to bend. In either location, a bent material would cause spring/top pin binding or sticky plug operation. Some mortise cylinders on the other hand have a surplus of material that can be marked with a key stamp. The other consideration is future rekeys. Is this cylinder going to be used later for a different place or purpose where a permanent mark may become confusing?
Automotive locks can be often be another area technicians can forget to mark. Especially when rekeying a vehicle lock to a different bitting than the car had been manufactured with. A changed lock bitting in a vehicle can cause a major headache down the road. Cutting a key by code from the VIN will be obviously ineffective and a waste of time and money. A locksmith who takes time to mark the cylinders with the new key code or give the customer a business card with the new key code will certainly prove to be worthwhile down the road for both parties.
Another great way to utilize key stamps in locksmithing is to mark tools for specific work trucks or employees. Losing tools or theft can cause a lot of problems in a larger locksmith business. During some employee downtime, don’t hesitate to get the out inventorying and stamping the tools so that they are accounted for when the quit, retire, or otherwise.