Locksport

9IMPRESSIONING TOOLS

This chapter provides an overview of the tools you’ll need to successfully impression a key: handles, files, vises, and key blanks. We’ll cover what to get, what to avoid, and when it’s okay to go for the cheapest option. We’ll also mention a few tools that you won’t need right away but can be helpful to have when you’re competition ready.

Key Handles

One important piece of equipment for impressioning is the key handle (also referred to as a key grip, impressioning handle, or even just impressioning tool), shown in Figure 9-1. You use the handle to hold the key blank so you can turn it in the lock. To hold the key, most handles ...