Whatever your reasons for needing key replacement, your satisfaction really only depends on one thing: whether your key replacement works. There are quality key replacement copies and ones that don’t work. If you pay attention, you may even be able to tell whether the key copy will work before you take it home or to your business and try it in your lock.
Take your original key and line it up with the copy. Look to make sure that they are an exact match. Look at each groove and the shoulders of the keys. Sometimes, copies are made with the incorrect key blank. You may be able to tell by looking for a key number on each key, but sometimes keys don’t come with these numbers on them. Before you go to make a copy, you should also evaluate your original key. If it is too worn or bent or broken, it will be hard to make a good copy of it. You may need a professional locksmith to cut a new original key in these situations. Trying to make a copy of a previously cut copy can also cause problems.
There are also some keys that can’t be copied. If your key is part of a master key system or from an apartment building or a dormitory, it may have been created to prevent copying. Certain brands of keys are also designed to foil copy making. If you need key replacement for your apartment or dorm, you should talk to your building manager anyway, rather than try to make a copy yourself.
