What Can and Can't Be Duplicated: House, Mailbox, Garage, Car and Antique Keys

Most of us assume any key can be copied in a couple of minutes at the nearest hardware store. For a basic house key that's often true. But a lot of the keys in your pocket aren't basic, and trying to copy them at a self-serve machine can leave you with a key that looks right and doesn't work. Knowing which category yours falls into saves a trip.

House keys and office keys

Standard house keys are the easy end. The blank is common, the cut is simple, and a machine can trace the original and grind a copy. Office keys work the same way when they're on a common keyway. The thing worth watching is the quality of the copy. A copy of a copy drifts a little each time, and a key that's slightly off will stick in the lock and wear the pins.

If a copy feels rough going in, don't force it. Bring it back, or have the locksmith cut a fresh one from the original, or from the lock's code if there's no good original. A smooth key is kinder to your lock and less likely to snap in it.

Mailbox and garage keys

Mailbox keys are small and usually simple, and they can be duplicated like other basic keys. If your box is part of a shared cluster at the neighborhood entrance, find out who issues the keys before assuming a copy will work, since some of those locks are managed by someone other than you. Garage keys are another one people forget about. A side door or a keyed entry on the garage often has its own lock and its own key, and it deserves the same care as the front door.

Locksmith Of Gilbert lists mailbox keys and garage keys among the keys it duplicates, along with car, residential, office and master keys.

Transponder car keys need programming

A transponder key has a chip inside the plastic head that the car's computer reads. Cutting the metal blade to match isn't enough. If the chip isn't programmed to the car, the key may open the door and turn in the ignition and the engine still won't start. So duplicating a transponder key is two steps: cut the blade, then program the chip.

That's why a hardware store copy of a car key so often disappoints. Locksmith Of Gilbert duplicates transponder car keys and, as a mobile service, does it where the car is parked. If you've got a car with one key left, get the spare now. Making a copy from a working key is much simpler than starting over after the last one is lost.

High-security keys

High-security keys are built to resist copying. They often have an unusual shape, cuts on the side of the blade rather than the edge, or a restricted keyway that common stores don't stock blanks for. Many are sold under a program where copies are made only for the registered owner. A big-box store usually can't cut them at all.

If your key is one of these, expect questions. A locksmith may need to see ID, or confirm you're the person authorized to order copies, before cutting. That can feel like a hassle, but it's the whole point of buying the lock. Locksmith Of Gilbert lists high-security keys among the keys it duplicates.

Antique keys

Antique keys are the wild card. They can be soft, worn, or made in shapes no machine is set up to trace. Some can be duplicated by hand from the original, some need a blank made to fit, and some are too fragile to copy at all. A locksmith can usually tell you right away whether it's worth trying and what the odds are. Don't expect a guarantee on a key that's been in a drawer for eighty years.

If the key is for an old piece of furniture or a door you care about, bring the lock too if you can. Matching a key to a lock is sometimes easier than copying a damaged key.

Who comes to you

The simplest way to get an honest answer is to ask. Locksmith Of Gilbert says it offers mobile duplication that comes to you, and it carries a broad selection of unusual house keys that hardware stores don't stock. Call or text (480) 980-9308 and describe the key, and you'll find out which category it falls into before anyone cuts a thing.