Tactile key identifier

My front and back door keys are mechanically identical (except for the pin lifters) so they were impossible to tell apart by feel. My solution was to drill a small hole in the body of one key and Loctite in a miniature rivet. Now I can locate the correct key without looking at them.

The rivet is placed such that, if under the thumb on my dominant hand, the key is properly oriented to enter the lock.

https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/f...e/115461-1.jpg

Obviously, the concept can be extended to multiple identical keys by using multiple rivets or rivets arranged in tactile-detectable patterns.

Thanks mklotz! We've added your Tactile Key Identifier to our Miscellaneous category, as well as to your builder page: mklotz's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tactile-key-identifier"><img src="http://www.homemadetools.net/uploads/140551/tactile-key-identifier.jpeg" /></a></div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tactile-key-identifier">Tactile Key Identifier</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/mklotz_3">mklotz</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/adaptation">adaptation</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/key">key</a></div> </div> </div> </div>

Great idea!! I may have to do this for a couple of my keys.

my key system(8 keys control my property) is that the front security door has notches filed in the perimeter of the "handle", the key to the next door in follows that key. The fence gate key is an odd size, so that starts the sequence at the other end of the layer of keys. - this means that the 8 keys have a sequence based on where you enter the property, and all you need to do is use the notch if you start at the front door, or small key (no notch) if you enter from the perimeter.

I file different profiles on them. Here are two examples.

Attachment 20554

The tactile approach to keys really works and it seems a lot of us are using it.
My beat up old Citroen has a key for door entry and a different one for ignition so I drilled a large hole in one of them though the plastic.
My house key has a hole drilled at 3 o'clock so it hangs at an angle out of the bunch.
I am probably being paranoid but I wonder if posting photos of your house keys on the web would affect a claim on your insurance, lets hope nobody has to find out.

I just get my locks keyed alike....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 12bolts

I just get my locks keyed alike....

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The problem with that is that, should you lose a key, you need to rekey a lot of locks instead of just one. I rekey my front door every time my wife changes housekeepers which makes it less expensive than having it done professionally. Nevertheless, it's a PIA.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by olderdan

I am probably being paranoid but I wonder if posting photos of your house keys on the web would affect a claim on your insurance, lets hope nobody has to find out.

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Good point Alan. The keys in my post were to garden sheds with nothing of significant value in them.

Marv
Love the bearing set in the key. I have done thing like Tony cutting edges and slots on side but never a ball bearing.
I like it, way to go.
Nelson

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ncollar

Marv
Love the bearing set in the key. I have done thing like Tony cutting edges and slots on side but never a ball bearing.
I like it, way to go.
Nelson

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It's not a ball bearing; it's a domed-head rivet. The rivet shaft gives the Loctite something to grab in the hole in the key.

Marv
Well I love that even more.
Nelson

It is sure good to live far enough out and in an area where the biggest crime of they year will be someone's farm implement accidentally knocked over a mail box
most folks around my area just use screen door latches to lock up their houses and tell everyone that if you come over to visit and they are not home just go on in make yourselves at home they should be home sometime soon. If an individual from out of the area did happen to commit a crime the Local Sheriff may never hear about it since a lot of folks like me have their own backhoe, Varmint season is always open

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mklotz

My front and back door keys are mechanically identical (except for the pin lifters) so they were impossible to tell apart by feel. My solution was to drill a small hole in the body of one key and Loctite in a miniature rivet. Now I can locate the correct key without looking at them.

The rivet is placed such that, if under the thumb on my dominant hand, the key is properly oriented to enter the lock.

https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/f...e/115461-1.jpg

Obviously, the concept can be extended to multiple identical keys by using multiple rivets or rivets arranged in tactile-detectable patterns.

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On any property, I drill 3 mm holes. House locks (keyed alike), no holes. Workshop, 1 hole; boathouse, two holes.
Inside house, for laundry/machine/utility room cupboards same arrangement. Cleaning help gets some of those.
On the beach/dock, keys for boats, outboards, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, are on special lanyards, keys are numbered, and a list is kept.
Fairly unwieldy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mklotz

The problem with that is that, should you lose a key, you need to rekey a lot of locks instead of just one. I rekey my front door every time my wife changes housekeepers which makes it less expensive than having it done professionally. Nevertheless, it's a PIA.

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No big deal, really. key all your locks alike and have the one set to your key and a second key (master and change key), and swap out cylinders when you let the help go. Takes all of five minutes, drop off the old cylinder and have the locksmith set it to a new change key. Costs all of $5-8, not much work all in all.
I've only been a locksmith for 35 years, so what do I know?

Murph

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mklotz

The problem with that is that, should you lose a key, you need to rekey a lot of locks instead of just one. I rekey my front door every time my wife changes housekeepers which makes it less expensive than having it done professionally. Nevertheless, it's a PIA.

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I rekey my locks everytime I change wives.

About 20 years ago I got one of the first Wave tools from Leatherman (their factory was about 3 minutes from our factory).

I loved the two blades - one a drop-point and one a serrated edge blade. But, it was impossible to tell them apart without looking closely before opening them.

So, I ground some little serrations on the back of the serrated blade so my thumb could feel them to tell that blade from the drop-point. I've attached an image of my mod - I still use that Leatherman daily.

A few weeks after I had gotten that Leatherman Wave I got to take a tour of the Leatherman plant and I showed an engineer there my cool idea.

Well, now they ALL come that way! (Aren't I special?)
:-)

And, yes, this actually is a true story. Attachment 26775

Thanks Marv! Just today, I was cursing the several sets of identical keys to dunny, water, storage boot and folding table on the caravan. Murphy always is right behind me, snickering as I try the wrong key, yet again!
Jim

In other words, a Braille key.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mklotz

My front and back door keys are mechanically identical (except for the pin lifters) so they were impossible to tell apart by feel. My solution was to drill a small hole in the body of one key and Loctite in a miniature rivet. Now I can locate the correct key without looking at them.

The rivet is placed such that, if under the thumb on my dominant hand, the key is properly oriented to enter the lock....

Obviously, the concept can be extended to multiple identical keys by using multiple rivets or rivets arranged in tactile-detectable patterns.

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My locks use the same key these days, (Kwicset Smart-keys) so I I decide too many people have copies of my key, I can change it without changing the locks. Downside, of course, is that they are more complicated, and sometimes they break. Had to replace the deadbolt recently on the front door. It was only a few years old. Their commercial lock sets have locks that use the key in the same position on both the lockset and deadbolt, but the set I have the key is inverted for the deadbolt lock. Maybe one of these days I spring for the fancier commercial locks.

Bill

I did that for my car key. I can find it now.