@@stig5763 I know. I was trying to make a joke about how long it takes to get someone to help you at Home Depot. Guess that was a fail. Womp Womp, on me.👍😎
As a vendor who works for a home depot service, but not home depot itself. I can agree 200% lol, I spend every day asking 10+ Times (did you help that guy yet?) Even though I don't technically work for home depot customers. Crazy dude
Anyone else think this tool was going to be cooler than it actually was? I thought you would put this light box up against a door lock, push a button, and it would scan the inside of the lock using lasers and then create a digital file of the key pattern required to open the lock. Thus, you could scan the door lock in a few seconds, leave, and then have the key cut on your own time (using the data file provided by the device so that a key cutting machine could produce it for you automatically). Doesn't that make way more sense?
@@dr.planlos4297 lol. :) I figure with today's technology, can we not map out the inside of the lock using a scanner and digitize it? Seems like it would be possible.
Well he also said impressioning a lock could take multiple visits - so you go get an impression with your key, then take it somewhere else, make the cuts, and come back, maybe over several days/weeks depending on what you're trying to accomplish by having the key to whatever it is you're trying to get in to. A picker can pick the lock every time and get in, but if you walk up to the lock, and quickly put a prepared blank in, get your marks, and walk off, eventually you will have a key to that lock which you can open whenever you wish, and, most people will never question if you should be opening a lock if you have the key to that lock. This would be great for certain covert operations. Also, filing can be made to be much quieter if you've got incredibly sharp files and maybe a little softer of a blank - your final key doesn't have to last long, once you've decoded the lock you can make as many copies of the key as you'd like.
@@cr4zyj4ck You are on the right track. Lock brands have standard depths of cut to their keys. With exceptions for some master keyed systems, the impressionist can speed this up a lot with a key machine set slightly negative, cut the blank using depth keys, and then polish the blank for the next impression. Also, you work more than one blank. It helps to have a work area in another suite on the same floor. Much of this kind of work is in office buildings where it is not unusual for some offices to have someone working of an evening. Often a security guard works the exterior over night, sitting in the parking lot making sure no one goes inside without a key card. If someone has legit access to another suite in the building they can do a lot without much risk. One weakness multi tenant office buildings have is the covert operative may enter the building during normal hours (say at 4:45 PM) and wait for the people to leave. The restroom has private seating available (bring a book). When the landlord provides janatorial service the operative may waltz in during cleaning (wearing an ID badge with the company logo of course).
@Kiriti but if thats the case then why the need for a portable covert lightbox? surely you would just check the impressions at the same time as you file the notches
@@sleepytime811 no need for most people however in the field you may not have the option to bring everything with you so its something that can be done nearby not necessarily the net day or after going back to base
@@sleepytime811 It's not meant to be portable as in to be deployed on the field, altrough that is an option if the operator was for some reason alone with the lock in question and can actually take his time. But even if he does the impresioning and then goes back to his safehouse to do the job, it's not like he is going back home, he may be in a hotel room and needs to work with portable tools he can carry on his luggage.
@@jacobmarshall5391 Holy nostalgia Batman LOL. But, true. His April 1st stuff is stuff of genius as always. It's the first youtube video I look forward to each year on that date.
All joking aside, this video goes to show how incredible RU-vid is as a learning platform. This is a meticulous, step-by-step demonstration of an impressioning expert doing his thing for nearly twenty minutes. For free. Completely for free. And this is just one example of the wealth of locksmithing videos that are available here. I wish I had this stuff as a kid. As cool as it is to learn guitar in my thirties, I wish I had this resource when I was struggling to learn in my teens.
Well, since he was on LPL and this video got 34k+ views, he got a free product placement & advertising. Just to fly over here and show his skills and tools. Most likely well worth that time, effort and cost.
And yet, for all that, my experience is that people on the whole are not as able as they were before the internet. At the same time as it can teach, it seems to rob people of the will to learn; "If I ever need that I'll look it up on the net."
(From a real locksmith) Impressioning is hard on your hands and wrists. I have the arthritis to prove it. It is a skill that is harder and takes longer to acquire than picking.
@@AnomalousMats In that I had no idea what I was looking at on the key, and I also had no idea what to look for on x-rays! (I dropped out of med school to do cybersecurity.)
8:37 I think that horizontal light orange mark in the middle is what he’s looking for, and he keeps filing it until the pin doesn’t make an impression anymore
@@maskedredstonerproz you dont know what you are talking about. Look at the Universal Pin Tumbler Decoder by John Falle : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XOtKlwGdp8A.html The key pins are decoded first with a fine wire probe which takes an experienced, clandestine entry operativ 30 seconds. Then a few keys are cut and if the first doesnt fit the second one which depths are cut higher, impressioned when needed. This takes less then a minute to have a working key. Here two real world impressioning tools/lightbox which are used by clandestine entry teams : This quality 2 in 1 tool is impressioning handle, variable magnifier with marco lens, 8 different light settings in one and allows the operator to file the key through an opening in the lightbox. It is small and can be tugged away in a jacket pocket. Cost is 690 Euros but its worth its money if you do this line of work which pays weil. Thats the one I use. www.madelin-sa.com/en/shop/residential-commercial-locksmith-services/tools-for-impressioning/m-kimp-2-in-1-impressioning-tool/ This covert impressioning lightbox costs around 750 USD and the operator can also file the key through an opening. The advantage of this box is that it is virtualyl soundproof which reduces the filing noise to a minimum. www.qrv.cz/produkt/impression-viewer/ Unfortunately the above are restricted tools and can only be purchased by law enforcement and government agencies with a need to know.
@@giorgiomissoni9836 I know what I'm talking about , it was confirmed by someone who does this sort of thing , I don't remember who they were as I wrote this comment ages ago
Many years ago my ex girlfriend lost her car keys so I called a locksmith out. He sprayed something on a blank, stuck it in the lock, took the blank back to his truck and cut the key. It worked but cost me $350. I asked the young man how it worked and he said he's a 4th generation locksmith and knows all the tricks. I've been interested in locks ever since.
Dude will escape every time but instead running away he T posing on the warden tower just so the guard put him on a high security cell and flex on the lock
Why is it that only some people hate that noise?... I just can't stand it, it gives me shivers down my spine and my buddy is just "neh, just normal noise"...
@@alexc664 It's called misophonia, not much research has been done on it yet. Exposure therapy or tinnitus therapy might help if it's really bad, or if you can ignore it then it might just go away eventually
I would like to thank you for you for making this key impressioning key video. I've had a box of 20 WB padlocks (brand new) sitting in the basement for the last 17 years. Thought I had a key but the one I had was a different cut. Watched your video a few times, ordered a file and impressioning key tool from Tag5. Start working on a key blank around 10:00 am this morning, filing a little at a time. Used a jewelers magnifying loop to read the marks and in an hours or so, the key opened the lock. I think I found if your file strokes are even and always directional away from you, it pretty easy to read the impression marks. Just have to be patient. Thanks again. KW
I am rather surprised at the amount of manhandling of the testbed lock device. It either works or it does not. Applying more force is only going to leave the neophyte holding a blank poorly ground... All in all I learned more on impressiining from the original runs of the wildly popular TV series, "Mission:Impossible"
the spots where it isnt flat. hes basically forcing it to wear into the key to show what the key is going to be, and makes the key a little more each time
It’s practice. I’ve been a locksmith for thirty years, and still find impressioning one of the more challenging aspects. I just don’t do it often enough.
It happens usually when someone inexperienced tries to get too forceful. Pin tumbler locks and wafer locks will both Mark without crazy excessive force
This video made me realize something. Because most schools now use white boards, there are children who've never in their lives experienced fingernails scraping across a chalkboard. The filing of this key comes very close to that sound, kids. Now you get to know what it was like. Enjoy: 7:27, 8:08, 8:51, 9:42, 10:14, 10:46, 12:06, 12:37, 13:12, 13:54, 14:31, 15:08, 15:40, 16:15, 16:52, 17:25
had a locksmith do this for my sister's car after she lost her spare set just like the original. anyway he must have had a ton of practice it took him 5 minutes and he used one of those magnifying visors.
Yeah, I had to get a key made for my old 97 Accord after I lost mine in the river. It took about 5 minutes too but the Honda can also be started with a screwdriver. This lock is probably better.
Just watched a second time, and I'm still in the same boat as you... I can't tell the difference, I can't see any marks (other than the file marks), and I can't tell what's true marks or polish marks. Don't get me wrong LPL, the video was great, but a series of blurry photos is no good to me. They all look the same to me. It's obviously great for most of the viewers here, judging by the positive comments, but I think I need more explanation and the marks highlighted. I'm relatively new to picking, and never tried impressioning, so I have no idea what I'm looking at here.
The tool hes using to clamp the key is called a "lowell pattern hand vise", shop around for a good price. Holy nails on a chalk board! That file is killing me.
Thank you for the tool name. I heard him say pin vise and I searched that on ebay. When it did not come up, I came to the comments to see if someone corrected the guy. thank you for doing it. lol
the point is this is a few moments a day for a week lockpicking is a few seconds or minutes (depending on lock) whch is much more likely to get you caught
Lmao I love your sarcasim! They show the key up close after every time he checks for the mark if there not gunna circle in red where the marks he saw was then there's no point on showing the close up lol. All I saw was a key n random scratches n crap lol. Where's the dam impressions he was seeing that the pins were leaving lol? everything else was good tho.
@@sinewave3323 speak for yourself. I saw exactly what marks he was referring to despite only seeing pictures and not looking through the lens in person.
@@sinewave3323 "if -there- they're not -gunna- gonna circle in red where the marks he saw -was- were then there's no point in showing it up close" To be fair, you stated it as if it were a fact as opposed to a personal opinion, hence why I said what I said
Amazing video. Not only because of the locksmithing-related material, but also due to how fantastic, like taken from a Hollywood script, the talent and personality of Mr. LPL are. Thank you very much for another great piece of entertainment sir! I can't believe I missed out on it for like four years. Cheers!
Before watching the video, I thought Key Impressioning was when someone made an impression of a key in some sort of putty or wax. What is that process called?
Hobo duplication? If you already have the key in hand, you might as well just bring a cut gauge, write the key code down, and go to a lock smith and have a proper one made.
@Thomas Paine Same. But before seeing the video him talking about a "light box" and "covert" and looking at the device I honestly thought he was talking about slipping the key in the slots and turning the light on and inside a picture of the key would be made. You know, with that material that is exposed to light and the material changes color from black to white? It's a hobby I've seen before taken up by some people where they take silhouette pictures of themselves or objects and you end up with a black silhouette of the object on a white background on what seems to be photogenic grade paper? Yeah, that's what I thought this thing was.
Back in the 1960's in Toronto,there was a locksmith who serviced mainly used car lots when they needed keys. He travelled around in an Oldsmobile stationwagon with 'The Great Toudini" painted on the side.He would insert a key blank into the lock,jiggle it around and examine it with a jewelers loope,place it in a small handheld vise that had a small file mounted on it and make the necessary cuts-----locks were much simpler in those days and it was common to use your GM key to open or start other GM cars
its difficult to follow since the close up images are at different sections of the key. and the impression marks are really fine and not easily noticeable unless you know what to look for
To those people by the way that think this guy takes a month to bump a door or even a week slowly. No freaking way. He's being intentionally basic and obtuse. He chose to do a day 0 of intro to bumping class. If he wanted to clone that quickly he'd be starting with a key very close to the answer. How exactly he does that is well part of the talent. He probably knows a lot of shortcuts, some of them just vulnerabilities like that certain cylinders always have this cut at this pin or never have a zero etc. He might also be able to use for example three different keys, bump all three very quickly and then go into the restroom, read the marks on all three and from that and the different way he cut all three deduce the correct bitting for all or nearly all the pins. Maybe needs three more prep keys and one of them is the answer kind of thing. I've no idea because I don't do this, but I think people who think this is a "months" long thing are exactly what he wants you to think. :P I bet he bumps keys within an hour and a couple visits to the door and restroom.
Look at the Universal Pin Tumbler Decoder by John Falle : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XOtKlwGdp8A.html The key pins are decoded first with a fine wire probe which takes an experienced, clandestine entry operativ 30 seconds. Then a few keys are cut and if the first doesnt fit the second one which depths are cut higher, impressioned when needed. This takes less then a minute to have a working key and is the standard Pin Tumbler Decoder of FBIs Clandestine Services. Here two real world impressioning tools/lightbox which are used by clandestine entry teams : This quality 2 in 1 tool is impressioning handle, variable magnifier with marco lens, 8 different light settings in one and allows the operator to file the key through an opening in the lightbox. It is small and can be tugged away in a jacket pocket. Cost is 690 Euros but its worth its money if you do this line of work which pays weil. Thats the one I use. www.madelin-sa.com/en/shop/residential-commercial-locksmith-services/tools-for-impressioning/m-kimp-2-in-1-impressioning-tool/ This covert impressioning lightbox costs around 750 USD and the operator can also file the key through an opening. The advantage of this box is that it is virtualyl soundproof which reduces the filing noise to a minimum. www.qrv.cz/produkt/impression-viewer/ Unfortunately the above are restricted tools and can only be purchased by law enforcement and government agencies with a need to know.
Holy crap the sound of that file makes my hair stand on end. After watching him do the cuts twice I started muting the video, but now even watching it gives me goosebumps, like my mind can still hear it. I dont think I could be a lock impressionist lol Edit: I just reread this comment something like a week later, and just the comment gave me goosebumps thinking about that sound xD
Great demo. I was 21 and was being taught a bit of lockpicking, one of the guys demonstrated impressioning to me. He did by sight and was insanely accurate. It was great to watch it happen again.
A fantastic tool! When impressioning in the field, controlling light is very difficult. This light box creates consistent lighting for consistent results. A brilliant innovation!
I can just imagine the use of this in covert operations. It is remarkable and you are congratulated for this excellent video. What a career he must have had.
id love to see how fast he could impression a key without stopping to narrate the process. experienced pros tend to move much faster once they get in the zone
Hi LPL, I'm not a lock person but I'm into mechanical things, and watch your channel as it's fascinating. Both the videos and a lot of the discussion. I gotta say that among other accomplishments, you've really managed to break away from what "RU-vid comments" typically means. Bravo!
I’ve been watching this channel for some reason and I’m starting to think if I was trying to break into somewhere this is where I’d watch my lock picking tutorials
Thank you for another great video. The detail you go into is really appreciated. One frustrating thing about this one though was the zooming out on the photos, as it makes it difficult to see what the marks look like and where they are. Yes, I know I can pause the video, but timing it just right so its as big as possible before it fades out is frustrating when a still image would have been so much better. Just something to maybe think about for future videos. Thanks again for making these.
Very informative. I like that he tells the difference between a key pin mark, and a polish mark done by the driver. I won't be able to afford one of those tools, but it does look well built and worth the price, if you need to do this as a job. I've never impressioned a key, but I want to give it a try.
shubus the price is rediculous. The only secret sauce is the LED colors. I guess they aren't going to sell many so they need to recoup development costs. Wonder if the Chinese will start ripping them off?
shubus this works as good, is concealable for covert entry work and comes with two different lightsources : www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-60x-Magnification-LED-Pocket-Microscope-Jewelry-Magnifier-Glass-Loupe-GYTH-/142212884148?_ul=DE If it breaks you just replace it for 2 bucks a piece. I usually order 3 or more. The vice grips are cool and I might be getting them.
Us locksmiths that do this for a living use whatever light is available. Magnification is not necessary if you rock the key in the light and observe how it's reflectivity changes, that can show you marks that are microscopic and not even visible using a lens like this. The best light source though is just the sun behind your back but any single point light (multi led light flashlights suck!) works very well for this. They work much better than multi LED lights because of the way the light reflects off the microscopic imperfections as it has much harsher shadows (penumbra and umbra) than a multipoint light.
I am glad that you partner with people that can explain techniques that you are weak at. WELL DONE! It would have been nice if you did some longer still shots of the key under the scope with some arrows showing where and where not to file when certain marks appeared. Some marks were long lines, some were on the side of the valleys of the cuts, and some were in the center (probably the most desirable of the three markings types).
I worked with a locksmith who was amazing at impressioning. He would go you to automobile repo and salvage auctions make key for the people who bought the repo'd cars. The cars were usually locked with no keys because the cars were towed to the auctions. He was like a magician. He would take a blank, file, retry the key, file more, and poof. He would start the car! I was absolutely amazed at how quickly he had "the key" to the car.
That was fascinating - I mean, just to understand what impressioning is and how it's done. I'd imagined it meant pressing a key into a piece of clay, or something. Now some other videos of LockPickingLawyer make more sense to me. Thanks LPL!
@@PDeRop this is what IS used first in covert entry work and the standard tool of the FBI : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XOtKlwGdp8A.html It was developed in the late 80s by John Falle of Jersey Island, UK who also supplies MI-5/6. It is called the Universal Pin Tumbler Decoder. It measures the key-pins with a very fine wire probe. Once the operator obtains all heights he cuts a key. In Europe the standard difference in height are in increments of 0.5 millimeter. But in the US a Schlage No. 2 pin is 0.196 inches and a No. 3 pin is 0.211 inches. That is a very minimal difference of only 0.015 inches and can sometimes not be precisely measured when working under pressure. So the operator cuts the blank one number lower and if it doesn't fit impressions it at the target door which should takes less then a minute using a pistol type handle, utilizing the 'pull' method. In this video Mr. Falle shows and explains how his surreptitious entry tools function, as well as his latest invention the Pin & Cam System : archive.org/details/youtube-i-1kqUZDgcM
Wow, impressioning takes the patience of a saint. Much more difficult than picking im assuming. I still dont see how this can be done discretely in the field. Much respect to this guy whos obviously a master of his craft.
"1 is loose, 2 is binding..." is a far more calming sound. Maybe that's on purpose. First resort is to use the voice while breaking in so the occupants are relaxed and don't call the police. Last resort is the law degree.
It helps to visualize where the pins are in the keyway and where they would contact the key. The first time I did it I colored the top of the key with a sharpie marker to make them stand out more
So what I understood by watching so far is: By wiggling around the blanc key in the lock, it leaves a mark, when it is the wrong depth. Using a file to lower the depth results in two possibilites: When it is still the wrong depth, it leaves a mark. When it is the right depth, it leaves a different mark, so don't file that spot anymore unless it leaves a proper mark again. In the computer world, we call that "Brute Force".
Not really. Brute force would refer to trying all possible combinations (e.g. with a set of a couple hundred premade keys). This is a typical iterative/successive approximation method.
Secret Agent: We've hired this Australian guy to covertly brake in and get what we need. 4 days later Secret Agent: Well the target has moved address, apparently there was some sort of SCREEEEEEEEECH-ing sound keeping him up all night.
The screech happens far away from the lock genius. The whole point of this is that you only need to be standing at the lock for a couple seconds at a time. And once you eventually make it, you have fast entry in and out forever without anyone knowing the lock has been tampered with....its for locks you want to be able to open and close for a while into the future. If it was just once you’d just wait for a time you could pick it.
@@youretotallyrightbut463, if I was to tell it how it is, as you have so eloquently and rightly put it, it would lose all of its comedy. and I'd rather be happy and laughing, then be correct and not laughing.
Yeah, dark patches sometimes lines on the gold surface of the key edge. I'm really surprised to see the amount of people who don't see it. I saw it on my POS phone, in the morning when my vision is kind of blurry. I'm not trying to insult those that didn't see it, I get some people find it hard to distinguish the marks, I know I didn't spot every mark, I'm surprised at _the amount_ of people that didn't see anything.
@@thesturm8686 It was a bit confusing at first as no explanation was given for what you're supposed to be seeing, but once I saw the dark scratches I could finally distinguish the marks he was talking about. They look like small, black, lines that run perpendicular to the length of the key. I don't know if that helps. I think if he edited in some arrows to let the viewer know what he's talking about it would've been easier for everyone.
That was really impressive. (See what I did there?) I'm wondering, however, if a $5 lighted jeweler's loupe from Amazon or Ebay, and a similar amount of elbow grease, not to mention a good file, could do similar work. I'd also use a key gauge, to see if depths of cut are standard cuts, and not in-between values for a given lock. I love how easy this looked, despite slightly time consuming, and can understand why a person might have a need to make a key of their own, rather than pick a lock every time. Seems like forensic analysis might not see proof of impressioning, but would very likely see proof of single pin picking. Also, if the box is to be so light-proof, it is designed for discretion, so it'd be appropriate to clean up your brass, and not leave it anywhere near the lock in question.
i have to say that it always puts a smile on my face to see fellow aussies show such ingenuity and excellence in what they do ... we arnt a huge country by numbers and we dont necessarily the greatest instantiations for education or even sciences like other nations but all the same we do pretty well !
I was not keen-eyed enough to really see the markings, but this is one extremely informative video. I REALLY want one of those pinning trays!!! How can one come by one? Thanks LPL!
Thank you! I did find them. I am wondering if they are $15 USD or Aussie dollars. That would be $11.53 USD and a pretty decent deal provided shipping doesn't kill the deal.
I have absolutely no clue about lockpicking or impressioning or whatever. I could write tho a 1000 page book about almost any firearm in existance. And yet I'm stuck in a loop of watching lockpicking lawyer videos. He has a talent for making this interesting,thats for sure
You can make it yourself/diy project, just need diff lights and something to enlarge the key when looking at it, but great demo. Im more interested in the jewlers clamp:)
![[644] TAG5 Industries Key Impressioning Light Box](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
