Time to dig out some of my DEC XX2247 keys

[jwsmobile]

On 7/15/2015 8:17 PM, Ethan Dicks wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 15, 2015 at 8:39 PM, Ali<cctalk at fahimi.net>  wrote:
>>> >>Surely any competent locksmith could turn out one of these for less
>>> >>money, complete with the stamp...
> The key is "easy" (from the right place).  The stamp is a little
> harder these days, since not everyone has the stamps.
>
Stamp sets are 10 or 20 bucks @ harbor freight.  But that isn't the 
problem.  I found a grumpy old locksmith (not Fred) who told me the 
state of the problem at least for the state of California. Locksmiths by 
and large are licensed to open doors if they have the appropriate 
authority to do so, etc.

For the keys, lock and key sets for this sort of key are restricted by 
the manufacturer to be only made for the lock by the manufacturer.  They 
don't have the key blanks.  They can key a new lock, but not to that 
specific setup by their licenses.  That was why I was shown the door.  
No blanks exist to do it yourself.  I don't personally see a huge 
problem with proper skills at precision machining and tools, but I don't 
have them.

I do have friends who can probably have done it by hand, and with the 
tools available now, might be able to do it better now that tooling that 
exists in maker shops is out there.  Again, I don't know of such a shop 
here in my area, wish i did.  I'd take a key in and have someone help me 
make some.

If you found someone making the keys, then that is at variance with what 
is going on in general, as I called several locksmiths and all of them 
sing the same tune w/o prompting.  The ACE way or the highway.

BTW, a previous key I saw a couple of months ago went for twice this.

thanks
jim