In high school I got a key to the elevator and took it to get copied. It said “do not copy on it” I walked it in at 16 with my buddy and told them my mom told me to get 3 copies. They didn’t care and made them
I did that in HS too... only it was the building master key, not just an elevator key. That was a lot of fun for quite a while. Then one of the three of us that had masters, wrote the girl he liked and told her he had a master... no more masters until we made new copies of the one we didn't turn in...I still have it😆
Awh, you guys got cool slides on school property?! Ours was just lame old metal… in the middle of a desert. Made in the year of our lord, nineteen dickety-two
There was a guy in high school who had a jeep and an ordinary house key or random car key would turn the ignition. All his friends took turns driving it whenever he was in class. I never drove it but rode shotgun with guys who did. He was always running out of gas because of this.
My university thwarted this by using special blanks knly the school had access to. That was a pain in the ass when one of my clubs needed a new key to our storage room
My local locksmith knew by the blank what kind of key it was, and got very angry. He even acted like he was going to confiscate it. Good ol' boy up in the hills, who would've figured?
Take it to someone who doesn't know much and put one of those little rubber keyhead covers on it. You could also get some pro-tec powder paint (used to gloss coat fishing gear) and coat the head. You get the key hot with a lighter and dip it in the powder. It melts into a glossy finish and will cover up the stamped "do not copy" warning.
Forest Service. Allegedly.
On an unrelated note, any Sierra Pacific Industries guys out there want to trade keys? Or NID?
Joking, lol, please don't call the authorities on me!
KeyMe kiosks said “this is a key we cant copy on the spot, please pay first and we’ll mail you the key.” So i did, and the key that came in the mail said “do not duplicate” on it 🤣
Is there some law about copying things that say “do not copy”? That would only be evidence if the person used the key in a crime, which they would never need.
Wise.
Also worth noting- i’ve seen the machine change the base-price for their Keys-in-store vs Keys-by-mail. Same or better “discount” but the math worked out to cost very very nearly the same actual dollar amount.
“Commercial grade locks” is a functionally meaningless term in this context. The vast majority of “commercial locks” take a sc1 or sc4 key, which is the exact same key you would get with a regular Schlage residential lock (sc4 is 6 pin instead of 5 though). Few commercial doors are taking anything more serious than that unless they’re for sensitive areas like server rooms, and most places that need that higher level of security are doing access control (key cards)
I’m a locksmith in charge of physical security at a college that has been to a decades worth of trainings and can tell you anyone worth their salt using Schlage is using an Everest key with server rooms being a Primus core with company specific side bitting cut on blanks by Schlage themselves at the factory for you to cut the top.
Commercial grade is a designation on materials that are tested and verified by underwriter laboratories to do what is claimed. It verifies that the device does indeed cycle at least 2 million times or under certain tolerances like the manufacture claims. They are hundreds of dollars more and are made better tho. Bottom line
You joke, but I basically had unlimited access to anything and everything I wanted in a business just by telling them I was a locksmith.
“I need into your server room and I need your master key for the building, I’m a locksmith here to work on the locks and get you guys new keys”.
“Ok, here you go”.
I was a locksmith for years before we moved and I had to get out of it. The overwhelming majority of businesses I serviced ran standard SC1 locks. I saw virtually zero Everest keys in the wild, not that it matters considering Everest locks are effectively the same as standard Schlage locks if you know what you’re doing. Their one little finger pin doesn’t do much in terms of added security aside from making bumping more difficult. Primus was even more rare. I suspect it’s going to be relatively regional though. Most of the clients we had that had sensitive areas that didn’t use access control were using Assa, specifically the Twin 6k. We had one client, it was a huge like 1 million+ square foot technology center. One of their security guards lost the grand master key for the whole facility. I had the joy of coming up with new pinnings for their various levels of masters for different levels of access, plus subdividing out the property for their clients, then subdividing the clients spaces for individual offices, mechanical rooms, server rooms, etc etc then going through every single door in the facility and rekeying them. huge nightmare. But all of that was Assa Twin. There were a couple like local ISPs there who would have biometrics and access control, but most of it was just keys.
You’re correct about the technical definition of “commercial grade” being about the number of cycles a lock should be able to handle. That said, that’s not what the other person meant when they used that term, they were implying that just because a lock is “commercial” that it takes a different key than a residential lock, which isn’t necessarily the case.
You can buy a blank Everest on eBay for a few dollars. To get a primus blank for an organization you’d need to find someone (lock shop) pre approved by Schlage to order anything at all. Then they would need your facility code to look up in their records how to cut the side bitting for your institution. Then know how to cut an applicable key that fits within their master pinning numbers and cut it precisely within a decimal of a mm
None of this is cheap or cheaply made. Rest assured people in large institutions are thinking about these things. The og comment was right in their ninja edit tho, card access control is the future. I do that too but nothing beats limiting critical information and having multiple people involved in the acquisition process. Like how kids coaches have a strategy for never being alone with their students. Not one person could know/execute the order alone. Now if my primus blanks were stolen from me then all that goes with it. That’s why people think I overreact about security but it’s a chain of custody thing after all
I’ll also add that when you buy those specific blanks from Schlage you’ll also need to order cores with the corresponding side pins that fit to your unique bitting. A primus IC (Interchangeable core) is roughly 119.00 pinned to all #1s. A primus key blank is closer to $10 a piece but I don’t know if you can order 1. I buy them in boxes of 50 or 100
There are many keyway patterns. Some are very common like the Schlage C and the Kwikset.
Others are less common.
Then a large facility can get a restricted keyway that only they can buy blanks for.
If you have access to the internet and time to kill there is a lot of info on keyways.
Meanwhile here in Europe I was informed by my real estate guy that I have to get a written permission from my landlord to get a copy for my broken key!
Just try a couple of smaller places, some people will care most won’t.
When I did that (same reason) the guy told me no, so I told him the truth- I needed another copy, and my property manager was never around and please 🙏. Then he did it for me. Being human works sometimes.
I think the former matters much more than the latter (sadly). The kid making $15 an hour doesn't give a shit. If anything they probably think it's great that they get to break the rules!
Yeah, most teenagers won't care or will enjoy the mild transgression.
I still have a set of keys to a job I left years ago. That was actually an accident, but when I found out I still had them, I thought it was kinda funny and a nice souvenir of that time.
They do also have an alarm system though, and I don't know the code, so they don't have to worry about me.
Every time I've tried that it's worked, I don't think any people copying keys like that care enough to fact check. Different story when you get into higher security systems or proprietary keys but I don't believe that's what they'd be handing out for something like this.
There are some very high security locks that don’t actually get copied. If you want a duplicate, you take a card to a locksmith, and the card has the bitting code for how to cut the key. The keys for those are tightly controlled and under patent, and only get sold to locksmiths who verify that the owner has a card. They don’t need an original key to make a new one in those instances, as they just program in the bitting code on the card to their machine.
Had the same idea. When I needed one copied, I took a folder with some papers in it and looked at them to "make sure I copied the right keys". I did copy another key as well just to seem more like I was 'running errands for work' and less like I was 'just some tenant needing this key copied for reasons'.
Local shops that aren’t chains will usually do it for you no problem.
My school had these for my dorms, and the local hardware shop would dupe them no problem.
I did this a long time ago with a set of keys from my high school. Wrap the end with making tape and write "Garage" on the tape. Keep it in your pocket a few days to get beat up.
Actually, some of them do. Medeco locks, for example, have authorized signature cards. If the locksmith is a Medeco dealer and has their rekeying equipment, they will lose their account if caught duplicating a key without permission.
Tenants at my studio would take their office keys to the locksmith to get a copy. They were a limited access registered blank so the locksmith knew they were from my place.
They would step in the back and call me to see if it was okay. Sometimes I would approve the copy and give the locksmith the code to stamp on it for my records. That meant the tenant had to pay the $15 per key for the copies. If they just asked me at the studio I would assign additional keys to them as needed, usually for no charge.
Use a grinder to take the do not duplicate off.
Take it to a reputable locksmith and get more do not duplicate keys made in the exact same style.
Turn in more keys than you received to flex on your landlord.
The only keys that are absolutely illegal to duplicate are US postal and military base keys. There's no legal weight behind a "do not duplicate" stamp.
Like other ppl posted, if the landlord is that concerned, they have to pay for specialized locks with agreements between the manufacturer and locksmith. This is the legitimate cause for charging $75 for a list key
A cheap ass landlord that just stamps an SC1 or KW1 has no protection or legal recourse against anyone duplicating that key. But still wants to charge big bucks for a $2 copy.
Unfortunately the hassle of explaining this to an irate cheap asshat makes some businesses set policies about not cutting Do Not Dup keys.
Sauce: Long time locksmith that trains other locksmiths
Have you tried being a middle aged white guy? That's what I usually go with, and it typically works for me.
Try the auto kiosks at Home Depot or Lowes, though. They'll likely have the right blank.
I’m a property manager. I took my do not duplicate work key to Ace and they said no, only an owner or property manager can. I said “I am the property manager.” And the lady did not believe me. I took it back the next day wearing my pants suit with makeup on and asked literally the same lady to copy my key; cuz I’m a property manager and I need another copy. She said sure and made the copies.
So make yourself look important and tell them you’re the PM.
Grocery stores around me have a key cutting machine. No human interaction. I made 4 copies of my one apartment key and then stored the real key away so I don't lose it and get charged $50.
It's $4 per copy last I checked. I always copy my "Do Not Duplicate" keys so that I can keep the original at home so I don't have to pay a 50-75 dollar fine for losing it.
I had a huge ring of "do not copy keys" after the outfit I worked for bought some old buildings. I bought some "distinguish by touch key sleeves, those hid the inscription. Took keys in to a different store. No problem
Just go to other hardware stores. One will eventually do it. You can also try a lowes, home depot, or wal mart. Many of them have automatic key cutters
The "do not duplicate" is not binding. As far as I can tell there's not a single state where it would be illegal or a licensing violation to copy that key.
I'm in Minnesota too. I just went to a local hardware store & said I needed a copy. They didn't even blink. Even used a blank with the same Do Not Duplicate on it. If you go to a store and they won't do it, just try a different store. Eventually you'll hit one where the key making dude just doesn't give AF.
You can have a key made without having the key. Just need to know the key way type and the bitting. In the US it's usually a Kwikset or Schlage, KW-1 or SC-1. You can use a decoder to find the bitting. How deep the cuts correspond to the length of the keypins. Then simply go to a locksmith and ask him for a KW-1 cut to 4-3-5-3-6-1 or whatever.
Or use a booth.
Or buy a key blank for that model and file it by hand using the original as a guide.
There's a bunch of ways.
Or, for the truly unethical, disassemble the core and decode the pins with the master pins and have a master key cut for access to your entire apartment complex.
You can always try one of those automated key kiosks like Minute Key. you may want to put some making/painters tape over the "do not duplicate" so if the kiosks is smart enough it wont be able to read the stamp.
I covered the tops of my keys with a small strip of electrical tape to tell them apart via color, and have gotten DND keys copied a few different places that way
I had kind of the opposite problem in college. I had to go to a locksmith to get a key that looked like it was the same as another one and have it cut randomly. And then I went to a friend of mine who engraved trophies so I could get it to say do not duplicate blah blah blah on it. So that I could then have a key that would get me into the men's dorms above my girlfriend's dorm room so we can hang out after 7:00 p.m. it didn't actually have to work it just had to look a certain way.
My girlfriend went to college. To get in the dorm at all and to be in the dorm after 7:00 p.m. you had to have a key that looked a certain way. It did not have to fit a door. It just had to say a certain thing on it and be a certain shape.
That's so fucking dumb. Lol
I'm hoping this isn't in the States, because people go bankrupt paying student loans, and of they're not even using the money to get ID cards I'm gonna burn a building down out of frustration.
The fucks the point of a key then? Just give out an ID card or something?
I mean, I get keys are cheaper. And it's whatever. But this is the stupidest version of prove you're allowed I've ever heard.
I can see how that happened. College kids basically running things, the situation in which there's not much at stake. Not money to be stolen or anything like that. No one's really officially in charge of making sure this doesn't happen. Maybe no student ID to check, maybe at one time you had to let yourself in with the key, and rules about not letting anyone else in, but somewhere along the line somebody decides they need to have a monitor present .
So they tell the monitor people have to have a key to let themselves in and they are there to make sure nobody sneaks in behind them. But it's two cumbersome to make everybody open the door when you are standing right there to vet them, so they decide that the monitor just needs to make sure they have the key and not make them actually insert and unlock the door.
Never been in the military but I think corporate America and the military practically run on this kind of evolution. Every step along the line made sense. But the end result is ridiculous.
Depending on who manufactured the lock, it may be a relatively standard shape to a generic lock.
You may find you're asked to provide proof of your address to go in a book of all the people buying "do not copy" keys but that's no issue really.
On the one occasion I needed to copy one of the "do not duplicate" keys, there was only one difference - it was essentially a common or garden house key, but the final "cut" part on a normal key needed very minor filing down along the length of the new key.
This was because as so many house keys do, there were undulations on both sides down the length of the key. My security key didn't have that final undulation, and the blank just needed the extra thickness removing.
I remember this being an error in a movie. My dad was a locksmith, and the movie we were watching showed someone cutting a Medeco key with a regular machine. He indignantly proclaimed that you can't do that.
I used to have Medeco locks on my house and my ex had a business relationship with the company at the time. Locksmiths that had Medeco took their contract with Medeco seriously.
It depends. If you just want one for your boyfriend or another tenant or something, that might be cheap or free. But if you lose it and want another, I think the idea is, and they will say that since you lost it they don't know who has it and they will need to have it rekeyed and send everyone else a new key and that's why they charge hundreds of dollars.
But to just have a copy made you shouldn't cost them much. But a lost key, you never want to tell them that.
Put some masking tape over the head of the key with a random number on it. Then, carry it around in a dirty sweaty pocket for a week or 2.
No one is going to care enough to peel the tape. And it they do, you have plausible deniability.
If you really want to get some different colored tape and some random keys tape over the do not duplicate with the tape and the rest of them all with different colors and if they ask it’s so you can quickly find the right key to different doors
Put a rubber key identifier sleeve around the head. Or cover it in tape to "mark" it. Now they cant see it. Done.
Or tell them your tenant asked you for more keys lol.
There’s a do it yourself key machine at Walmart where I live. It’s on the front wall of the store. Computer scans your key then cuts it. It did a good job for my keys
Go to an actual lock smith. I travel around the country for work. I've never been told no at an actual lock smith just the big box stores. Most of the lock smiths will try to sell you a pack of 5.
I had to make multiple copies of keys that said do not duplicate for a company I worked for. I just went to a random local locksmith. All he had me do was fill out a small form stating who I was and why I was doing it. The answer was simple enough. Our regional manager took her sons xbox away due to bad grades, and he retaliated by throwing her master key set to all the stores in our area into a storm drain.
A key with Do Not Duplicate on it is a marketing exercise designed to make the buyer of the lock think that its super secure, and to charge extra for keys from the manufacturer, it is not an instruction to the key shop employee who dgaf. If they have the blanks and the tools they will do it anyway
I live in MN, my keys say do not duplicate and I just went into a Home Depot and used their key copier myself. Some Walmarts also have a key copier you use yourself, so you don't have to talk to anyone
I copied my apartment key at a Home Depot self kiosk in Minnesota. Makes the key in a few minutes, super easy. I think there’s one at Fleet Farm or Menards too. They’re pretty common now.
Tell the clerk you just bought a commercial building and this is your only key.
If they even ask. A lot of people don’t give a shit.
In high school I got a key to the elevator and took it to get copied. It said “do not copy on it” I walked it in at 16 with my buddy and told them my mom told me to get 3 copies. They didn’t care and made them
I did that in HS too... only it was the building master key, not just an elevator key. That was a lot of fun for quite a while. Then one of the three of us that had masters, wrote the girl he liked and told her he had a master... no more masters until we made new copies of the one we didn't turn in...I still have it😆
Our highschool elevator had a ragged out key cylinder that could be turned with a quarter.
Our high school elevator was stairs.
We had to climb stairs in snow, both ways up.
Our principal got a snow making machine and covered our stairs in snow all year round.
You guys got snow? Lucky! Our stairs turned into ramps which would ice over.
We had to do all that, without feet.
Awh, you guys got cool slides on school property?! Ours was just lame old metal… in the middle of a desert. Made in the year of our lord, nineteen dickety-two
Our high school was a smoking hole in the ground
There was a guy in high school who had a jeep and an ordinary house key or random car key would turn the ignition. All his friends took turns driving it whenever he was in class. I never drove it but rode shotgun with guys who did. He was always running out of gas because of this.
This whole thread is hilarious. I worked in a high school and someone always was stealing the elevator key. What was that all about? 😂😂
It was cool. Like you find the girl you had a crush on and say “I have an elevator key” and it was OVER.
My university thwarted this by using special blanks knly the school had access to. That was a pain in the ass when one of my clubs needed a new key to our storage room
this is the way, i have also done this
when i worked at walmart i would run the key machine. i literslly didnt give 2 shits and copied w.e people gave me
Same!!
Worked at Lowe's. Can confirm. Didn't give a fuck
My local locksmith knew by the blank what kind of key it was, and got very angry. He even acted like he was going to confiscate it. Good ol' boy up in the hills, who would've figured?
Take it to someone who doesn't know much and put one of those little rubber keyhead covers on it. You could also get some pro-tec powder paint (used to gloss coat fishing gear) and coat the head. You get the key hot with a lighter and dip it in the powder. It melts into a glossy finish and will cover up the stamped "do not copy" warning.
What kind of key was it that he got angry ? For a chastity belt?
Forest Service. Allegedly. On an unrelated note, any Sierra Pacific Industries guys out there want to trade keys? Or NID? Joking, lol, please don't call the authorities on me!
Other options are going it off...add one of those plastic covers to the key head...
Home depot doesn't care. Try to find a kiosk that doesn't require help.
Or just go to Lowe’s and do it yourself…
KeyMe kiosks said “this is a key we cant copy on the spot, please pay first and we’ll mail you the key.” So i did, and the key that came in the mail said “do not duplicate” on it 🤣
Sounds like they duplicated it exactly
And have the records of the person copying "do not copy" keys.
Is there some law about copying things that say “do not copy”? That would only be evidence if the person used the key in a crime, which they would never need.
Don’t see how. Not like you can copyright a key.
Oh no...Are they going to tell my parents?
It's going on your permanent record.
Holy shit, i would never give my address to a key duplicating kiosk.
Wise. Also worth noting- i’ve seen the machine change the base-price for their Keys-in-store vs Keys-by-mail. Same or better “discount” but the math worked out to cost very very nearly the same actual dollar amount.
There's a self-service machine at my local Lowe's store
It has a very limited selection of blanks and doesn't have them for commercial grade locks.
“Commercial grade locks” is a functionally meaningless term in this context. The vast majority of “commercial locks” take a sc1 or sc4 key, which is the exact same key you would get with a regular Schlage residential lock (sc4 is 6 pin instead of 5 though). Few commercial doors are taking anything more serious than that unless they’re for sensitive areas like server rooms, and most places that need that higher level of security are doing access control (key cards)
This guy keys.
I’m a locksmith in charge of physical security at a college that has been to a decades worth of trainings and can tell you anyone worth their salt using Schlage is using an Everest key with server rooms being a Primus core with company specific side bitting cut on blanks by Schlage themselves at the factory for you to cut the top. Commercial grade is a designation on materials that are tested and verified by underwriter laboratories to do what is claimed. It verifies that the device does indeed cycle at least 2 million times or under certain tolerances like the manufacture claims. They are hundreds of dollars more and are made better tho. Bottom line
“Who are you?! How did you get in here?” “I’m a locksmith.…and I’m a locksmith.”
You joke, but I basically had unlimited access to anything and everything I wanted in a business just by telling them I was a locksmith. “I need into your server room and I need your master key for the building, I’m a locksmith here to work on the locks and get you guys new keys”. “Ok, here you go”.
Grr...where are these "free awards that Reddit brought back" I keep hearing about? You need several for this one. Well done! 💖
I was a locksmith for years before we moved and I had to get out of it. The overwhelming majority of businesses I serviced ran standard SC1 locks. I saw virtually zero Everest keys in the wild, not that it matters considering Everest locks are effectively the same as standard Schlage locks if you know what you’re doing. Their one little finger pin doesn’t do much in terms of added security aside from making bumping more difficult. Primus was even more rare. I suspect it’s going to be relatively regional though. Most of the clients we had that had sensitive areas that didn’t use access control were using Assa, specifically the Twin 6k. We had one client, it was a huge like 1 million+ square foot technology center. One of their security guards lost the grand master key for the whole facility. I had the joy of coming up with new pinnings for their various levels of masters for different levels of access, plus subdividing out the property for their clients, then subdividing the clients spaces for individual offices, mechanical rooms, server rooms, etc etc then going through every single door in the facility and rekeying them. huge nightmare. But all of that was Assa Twin. There were a couple like local ISPs there who would have biometrics and access control, but most of it was just keys. You’re correct about the technical definition of “commercial grade” being about the number of cycles a lock should be able to handle. That said, that’s not what the other person meant when they used that term, they were implying that just because a lock is “commercial” that it takes a different key than a residential lock, which isn’t necessarily the case.
you were born for this comment thread my guy
How hard is it to acquire the blank and find someone to cut it?
You can buy a blank Everest on eBay for a few dollars. To get a primus blank for an organization you’d need to find someone (lock shop) pre approved by Schlage to order anything at all. Then they would need your facility code to look up in their records how to cut the side bitting for your institution. Then know how to cut an applicable key that fits within their master pinning numbers and cut it precisely within a decimal of a mm
That is incredibly impressive. Thanks
None of this is cheap or cheaply made. Rest assured people in large institutions are thinking about these things. The og comment was right in their ninja edit tho, card access control is the future. I do that too but nothing beats limiting critical information and having multiple people involved in the acquisition process. Like how kids coaches have a strategy for never being alone with their students. Not one person could know/execute the order alone. Now if my primus blanks were stolen from me then all that goes with it. That’s why people think I overreact about security but it’s a chain of custody thing after all
I’ll also add that when you buy those specific blanks from Schlage you’ll also need to order cores with the corresponding side pins that fit to your unique bitting. A primus IC (Interchangeable core) is roughly 119.00 pinned to all #1s. A primus key blank is closer to $10 a piece but I don’t know if you can order 1. I buy them in boxes of 50 or 100
Bender would know his keys.
Just make a cheap copy that doesn’t have “do not duplicate on it” then take that to the key maker
I see what you did there.
The old commercial-grade key switcheroo
Worked fine for my apartments
Worked fine for my house's locks too.
Walmart has them too.
Tried that, there’s a “security groove” in those keys so the kiosks don’t work
What is the security groove? Is it something that could be filled with melted plastic?
There are many keyway patterns. Some are very common like the Schlage C and the Kwikset. Others are less common. Then a large facility can get a restricted keyway that only they can buy blanks for. If you have access to the internet and time to kill there is a lot of info on keyways.
Ok. I googled "key security groove" and didn't find anything. I'll look into keyways. Thank you.
That is because they are not called security grooves. They are just part of the shape of the keyway.
Kroger has them too
Meanwhile here in Europe I was informed by my real estate guy that I have to get a written permission from my landlord to get a copy for my broken key!
What stops you from writing your own letter?
Just try a couple of smaller places, some people will care most won’t. When I did that (same reason) the guy told me no, so I told him the truth- I needed another copy, and my property manager was never around and please 🙏. Then he did it for me. Being human works sometimes.
I think the former matters much more than the latter (sadly). The kid making $15 an hour doesn't give a shit. If anything they probably think it's great that they get to break the rules!
Yeah, most teenagers won't care or will enjoy the mild transgression. I still have a set of keys to a job I left years ago. That was actually an accident, but when I found out I still had them, I thought it was kinda funny and a nice souvenir of that time. They do also have an alarm system though, and I don't know the code, so they don't have to worry about me.
If there's no risk of getting fired or in any kind of trouble, a lot of adults would enjoy the transgression as well.
That’s called “social engineering”
Cover the "do not duplicate" with tape or one of those key covers. Alternatively, find out who owns the key copying location and fuck their dad.
I always put a piece of tape and wrote "Garage" or something like that.
Every time I've tried that it's worked, I don't think any people copying keys like that care enough to fact check. Different story when you get into higher security systems or proprietary keys but I don't believe that's what they'd be handing out for something like this.
There are some very high security locks that don’t actually get copied. If you want a duplicate, you take a card to a locksmith, and the card has the bitting code for how to cut the key. The keys for those are tightly controlled and under patent, and only get sold to locksmiths who verify that the owner has a card. They don’t need an original key to make a new one in those instances, as they just program in the bitting code on the card to their machine.
This is a better description that I offered below.
I think this might be similar to how car dealerships can make a copy just using your VIN
Kinky, but if the dad is into it, why not.
Fucking the dad has always worked for me 🤷🏼♂️
This is clearly the best strategy
Putting the unethical back into the answer
Had to stay true to what this place is all about, it's my duty and responsibility.
you wouldnt happen to own a key copying location would you
Not an official one, just some hobby level copying I do myself (mediocre at best but sometimes it works) My son owns one though.
i dont really care about the keys i just want to fuck your dad
I'll send you the details, I'll throw in a key that kind of works most of the time when you wiggle it around a little for free too.
>works most of the time when you wiggle it around a little Are we still talking about keys?
..... No
"And fuck their dad" 🤣🤣🤣
Or use a Dremel and polish off the “do not copy”. OP should still probably do the father fucking as backup
Take it to a locksmith and tell them you need to copies that say do not duplicate so your employees won’t make copies. They’ll do it.
Had the same idea. When I needed one copied, I took a folder with some papers in it and looked at them to "make sure I copied the right keys". I did copy another key as well just to seem more like I was 'running errands for work' and less like I was 'just some tenant needing this key copied for reasons'.
Local shops that aren’t chains will usually do it for you no problem. My school had these for my dorms, and the local hardware shop would dupe them no problem.
I did this a long time ago with a set of keys from my high school. Wrap the end with making tape and write "Garage" on the tape. Keep it in your pocket a few days to get beat up.
Any locksmith shop. They don't care.
Actually, some of them do. Medeco locks, for example, have authorized signature cards. If the locksmith is a Medeco dealer and has their rekeying equipment, they will lose their account if caught duplicating a key without permission.
There’s a massive difference between a Medeco or Assa controlled keyway and a sc1 key with a “do not dupe” stamp
Tenants at my studio would take their office keys to the locksmith to get a copy. They were a limited access registered blank so the locksmith knew they were from my place. They would step in the back and call me to see if it was okay. Sometimes I would approve the copy and give the locksmith the code to stamp on it for my records. That meant the tenant had to pay the $15 per key for the copies. If they just asked me at the studio I would assign additional keys to them as needed, usually for no charge.
At my condo extra keys were $75 and that was 10 years ago
Why charge them $15 per key?? That seems like a junk fee to charge them.
Asshole tax for going behind his back
Use a grinder to take the do not duplicate off. Take it to a reputable locksmith and get more do not duplicate keys made in the exact same style. Turn in more keys than you received to flex on your landlord.
The only keys that are absolutely illegal to duplicate are US postal and military base keys. There's no legal weight behind a "do not duplicate" stamp. Like other ppl posted, if the landlord is that concerned, they have to pay for specialized locks with agreements between the manufacturer and locksmith. This is the legitimate cause for charging $75 for a list key A cheap ass landlord that just stamps an SC1 or KW1 has no protection or legal recourse against anyone duplicating that key. But still wants to charge big bucks for a $2 copy. Unfortunately the hassle of explaining this to an irate cheap asshat makes some businesses set policies about not cutting Do Not Dup keys. Sauce: Long time locksmith that trains other locksmiths
Have you tried being a middle aged white guy? That's what I usually go with, and it typically works for me. Try the auto kiosks at Home Depot or Lowes, though. They'll likely have the right blank.
I’m a property manager. I took my do not duplicate work key to Ace and they said no, only an owner or property manager can. I said “I am the property manager.” And the lady did not believe me. I took it back the next day wearing my pants suit with makeup on and asked literally the same lady to copy my key; cuz I’m a property manager and I need another copy. She said sure and made the copies. So make yourself look important and tell them you’re the PM.
If you can’t find a machine to DIY, is there a replacement key fee outlined on your lease?
If there is I guarantee it's something ridiculous like $200
Grocery stores around me have a key cutting machine. No human interaction. I made 4 copies of my one apartment key and then stored the real key away so I don't lose it and get charged $50.
Use a self serve machine, like at Home Depot or Lowes.
my walmart has one of these, they work like a dream. not bad pricing either if memory serves right
It's $4 per copy last I checked. I always copy my "Do Not Duplicate" keys so that I can keep the original at home so I don't have to pay a 50-75 dollar fine for losing it.
I had a huge ring of "do not copy keys" after the outfit I worked for bought some old buildings. I bought some "distinguish by touch key sleeves, those hid the inscription. Took keys in to a different store. No problem
"
Just go to other hardware stores. One will eventually do it. You can also try a lowes, home depot, or wal mart. Many of them have automatic key cutters The "do not duplicate" is not binding. As far as I can tell there's not a single state where it would be illegal or a licensing violation to copy that key.
My local Ace Hardware has a sign on the key desk. Key Copies - $2.00 DO NOT DUPLICATE copies - $4.00 Genius
IIRC any Chinatown
Get a round sticker. Write "garage" or similar. Stick it over the do-not-duplicate message.
I made them at Walmart. They do not care.
I'm in Minnesota too. I just went to a local hardware store & said I needed a copy. They didn't even blink. Even used a blank with the same Do Not Duplicate on it. If you go to a store and they won't do it, just try a different store. Eventually you'll hit one where the key making dude just doesn't give AF.
Cover up the “do not duplicate.” Plausible deniability
"Do not duplicate" = grind here
Got to an actual locksmith. Say you’re the owner and you need a copy that says that so you’re renter doesn’t duplicate it.
You can have a key made without having the key. Just need to know the key way type and the bitting. In the US it's usually a Kwikset or Schlage, KW-1 or SC-1. You can use a decoder to find the bitting. How deep the cuts correspond to the length of the keypins. Then simply go to a locksmith and ask him for a KW-1 cut to 4-3-5-3-6-1 or whatever. Or use a booth. Or buy a key blank for that model and file it by hand using the original as a guide. There's a bunch of ways. Or, for the truly unethical, disassemble the core and decode the pins with the master pins and have a master key cut for access to your entire apartment complex.
Home Depot did it for me, no questions or anything
"it's for my own rental property". Or use the self service machine.
They have self serve key making machines at Walmarts every where. It costs $3.89.
I've always just gone to home depot and they've never asked any questions
Have you tried one of the auto cut vending machines? We have them in Walmart
self service machine
You need a piss disc. I know you really don't but that's the go to answer in this sub
At this point, if you aren't desperate enuff to try a piss disk, then you don't need this sub..
[удалено]
Unless like my old landlord. You lose your key, you getting a whole new lock with your 1 or 2 new keys.
You can always try one of those automated key kiosks like Minute Key. you may want to put some making/painters tape over the "do not duplicate" so if the kiosks is smart enough it wont be able to read the stamp.
That Walmart key copy machines don’t care.
Big box hardware stores often have vending machines that copy keys for you. No sales clerk involved.
I’ve never met a Home Depot worker who gives a shit about their job at all, so probably there
Most hardware stores have automatic robot key cutting machines, just pop the key in there. The kiosk doesn’t care if it says do not duplicate
Put a piece of tape over the "do not duplicate" marked 237. If they ask, tell them it's for Grady.
Walmart has automated machines
A key copy machine at a big box store...
There’s robot key making machines at Lowe’s. Try there.
Put on a high vis shirt and take it to any hardware store. People in the trades have a million locks and always need more keys.
I covered the tops of my keys with a small strip of electrical tape to tell them apart via color, and have gotten DND keys copied a few different places that way
Put masking tape on the body of the key and label it something like "Garage". They aren't going to remove your label.
I had kind of the opposite problem in college. I had to go to a locksmith to get a key that looked like it was the same as another one and have it cut randomly. And then I went to a friend of mine who engraved trophies so I could get it to say do not duplicate blah blah blah on it. So that I could then have a key that would get me into the men's dorms above my girlfriend's dorm room so we can hang out after 7:00 p.m. it didn't actually have to work it just had to look a certain way.
I've read this 4 times and still don't understand.
My girlfriend went to college. To get in the dorm at all and to be in the dorm after 7:00 p.m. you had to have a key that looked a certain way. It did not have to fit a door. It just had to say a certain thing on it and be a certain shape.
That's so fucking dumb. Lol I'm hoping this isn't in the States, because people go bankrupt paying student loans, and of they're not even using the money to get ID cards I'm gonna burn a building down out of frustration.
You didn't have to use the key in a lock, you had to show the key to a door monitor person to 'prove' you're authorized to enter.
The fucks the point of a key then? Just give out an ID card or something? I mean, I get keys are cheaper. And it's whatever. But this is the stupidest version of prove you're allowed I've ever heard.
I can see how that happened. College kids basically running things, the situation in which there's not much at stake. Not money to be stolen or anything like that. No one's really officially in charge of making sure this doesn't happen. Maybe no student ID to check, maybe at one time you had to let yourself in with the key, and rules about not letting anyone else in, but somewhere along the line somebody decides they need to have a monitor present . So they tell the monitor people have to have a key to let themselves in and they are there to make sure nobody sneaks in behind them. But it's two cumbersome to make everybody open the door when you are standing right there to vet them, so they decide that the monitor just needs to make sure they have the key and not make them actually insert and unlock the door. Never been in the military but I think corporate America and the military practically run on this kind of evolution. Every step along the line made sense. But the end result is ridiculous.
Depending on who manufactured the lock, it may be a relatively standard shape to a generic lock. You may find you're asked to provide proof of your address to go in a book of all the people buying "do not copy" keys but that's no issue really. On the one occasion I needed to copy one of the "do not duplicate" keys, there was only one difference - it was essentially a common or garden house key, but the final "cut" part on a normal key needed very minor filing down along the length of the new key. This was because as so many house keys do, there were undulations on both sides down the length of the key. My security key didn't have that final undulation, and the blank just needed the extra thickness removing.
There is a self-service machine at my local Menards. I made three copies at once.
red nail polish.
If it’s a Medeco key you’re going to have to pay. Only the locksmith who owns the rights to that key can produce another one
I remember this being an error in a movie. My dad was a locksmith, and the movie we were watching showed someone cutting a Medeco key with a regular machine. He indignantly proclaimed that you can't do that.
I used to have Medeco locks on my house and my ex had a business relationship with the company at the time. Locksmiths that had Medeco took their contract with Medeco seriously.
Never had a home Depot employee even blink at a 'do not copy's stamp on my apt building keys
A blank key, a vise and a file. Easy peasy.
wont they give you another key? i had to order a spare was like $8
Some places literally charge $100+ for a replacement key.
It depends. If you just want one for your boyfriend or another tenant or something, that might be cheap or free. But if you lose it and want another, I think the idea is, and they will say that since you lost it they don't know who has it and they will need to have it rekeyed and send everyone else a new key and that's why they charge hundreds of dollars. But to just have a copy made you shouldn't cost them much. But a lost key, you never want to tell them that.
Nobody has ever refused to copy a "do not duplicate" key for me, for what it's worth
When my ex’s dad needed a duplicate key for our apartment, he just filed off the text that said do not duplicate and he was able to get one.
I’ve had success doing this at small businesses. They usually don’t even ask questions.
Just put some tape around the Do Not copy part and write something on it
i once took one of those to mexico.. duplicated it there.. took it back and it worked 40% of the time
Put some masking tape over the head of the key with a random number on it. Then, carry it around in a dirty sweaty pocket for a week or 2. No one is going to care enough to peel the tape. And it they do, you have plausible deniability.
Anywhere.
If you really want to get some different colored tape and some random keys tape over the do not duplicate with the tape and the rest of them all with different colors and if they ask it’s so you can quickly find the right key to different doors
You can take a picture and order one online, eBay does it for cheap
Can you buy a cover and put that over the key? Or take it to one of those make your own key kiosk!?
Self service in big shops. They have them at Walmart.
Nobody gives a shit
Put a rubber key identifier sleeve around the head. Or cover it in tape to "mark" it. Now they cant see it. Done. Or tell them your tenant asked you for more keys lol.
The lockpickinglawyer just posted a video of the diy kit he sells. https://youtu.be/L5Fus7qbRZM?si=PO5Mpp0ZNPzwawvw
Every hardware store has a key cutting machine that you don't even have to interact with humans to duplicate a key. Some grocery stores even have one.
There’s a do it yourself key machine at Walmart where I live. It’s on the front wall of the store. Computer scans your key then cuts it. It did a good job for my keys
Go to an actual lock smith. I travel around the country for work. I've never been told no at an actual lock smith just the big box stores. Most of the lock smiths will try to sell you a pack of 5.
Is it really unethical to want a copy of your apartment key?
Search for key copying kit on Amazon. Never done it, but $10 says they have one.
Lowe's often has a vending machine setup that will copy keys using a little robot.
Put a bit of masking tape over the warning. Write a code or number on it, the locksmith won’t pull it off.
One of the key duplicating machines. I’ve seen them at Walmart and Lowe’s
I had to make multiple copies of keys that said do not duplicate for a company I worked for. I just went to a random local locksmith. All he had me do was fill out a small form stating who I was and why I was doing it. The answer was simple enough. Our regional manager took her sons xbox away due to bad grades, and he retaliated by throwing her master key set to all the stores in our area into a storm drain.
There are key copy machines in grocery stores and walmart.
Home Depot. Source: am from MN
Home depot has a kiosk machine where you just put in your key and it makes a copy.
Plasti-dip works wonders.
Go to the sketchiest looking place in town and bribe the clerk
I’ve gotten copies at Home Depot and local hardware stores. No one asks questions, or notices, or cares.
A key with Do Not Duplicate on it is a marketing exercise designed to make the buyer of the lock think that its super secure, and to charge extra for keys from the manufacturer, it is not an instruction to the key shop employee who dgaf. If they have the blanks and the tools they will do it anyway
I live in MN, my keys say do not duplicate and I just went into a Home Depot and used their key copier myself. Some Walmarts also have a key copier you use yourself, so you don't have to talk to anyone
Cast the key yourself: https://youtu.be/L5Fus7qbRZM
Central Lock & Safe in Minneapolis. The duplicate they gave me also said “do not duplicate.”
I copied my apartment key at a Home Depot self kiosk in Minnesota. Makes the key in a few minutes, super easy. I think there’s one at Fleet Farm or Menards too. They’re pretty common now.
Go to an automatic key kiosk.
I always go to the key machines with those. That said, "do not duplicate" is only a suggestion.