If you take the transponders and programming out of automotive work, most of what you would be left with is lock decoding. If the keys are lost or stolen and a code is not available, you’ll usually have to decode at least one lock on the vehicle, and then you’ll usually find the remaining cuts by progression. The real question is: Which lock do you want to start with? Some of the things to consider are:
- Can the code be found on any lock?
- If there is a code, how hard or easy is it to get to?
- Which tumblers are found in which locks?
- Which lock will be the easiest to decode?
- Which lock will give you the most cuts?
- If you have to remove a lock and decode it, which lock is the easiest to remove?
Since your time is the most expensive part of your overhead, choose the method of attack that will get the job done as quickly and as efficiently as possible. A number of labor saving devices can help quickly decode many automotive locks.
Wafer Tumbler Lock Basics
First, we need to understand some of the underlying principles that allow these tools to operate. Almost all modern automotive locks use wafer tumblers, so for this article, I’ll limit myself to the different types of wafer tumblers. (Wafer tumblers are sometimes called “disc tumblers” because they look as if they have been stamped or cut from a flat disc of brass.)
In a wafer tumbler lock, the “rest position” is the normal position of the wafers inside the lock when there is no key inserted into the lock. In this position, the tumblers are resting as high or low inside the keyway as the spring can push them. Usually, there is a stop either built into the tumbler or the plug that prevents the springs from pushing the tumblers out of the plug entirely, so in the rest position the spring is normally pushing the tumbler against a stop.
Photo 1 shows a typical set of wafer tumblers removed from the lock. In most automotive systems, there are either four or five different depths. These particular tumblers are from a Hyundai Sonata that uses a four depth system. Each of the tumblers is stamped with the depth that corresponds to the depth of the cut. But, since these tumblers come from a Hyundai, the numbers are the reverse of the North American standards. In the Hyundai code series, as in many Asian code series, the higher numbers indicate the shallowest cut and the lower number indicate the deeper cuts.
Second, notice that the relationship of the spring-tab and the top of each tumbler is identical. If these tumblers were in the lock, and in the rest position, the top of each tumbler would be in the same position.
Third, notice that the rectangular holes in each tumbler are identical in size, but not in their placement in the tumbler. As the numbers stamped on the tumblers increases, the hole is placed further down in each tumbler. With that in mind, we can see that in the rest position, the bottom edge of each hole would be in a different position depending on the depth of the cut. This edge of the tumbler contacts the key, and is also the edge that we would be able to see if we could look inside the keyway.
Because the tumblers in this system are numbered in the reverse of the North American system, if we were to look into the keyway of the lock, the tumblers that correspond to the deeper cuts on the key will rest lower down in the keyway than the tumblers that correspond to the shallower cuts on the key. When the key is inserted into the lock, the blade of the key goes through the holes in the tumblers and the cut portion of the key rides on the lower edge of the rectangular hole. With no key in the lock, when the tumblers are at rest, the deeper the cut is the further into the keyway the visible portion of the tumbler would extend. It is this basic principle that most decoders take advantage of in order to decode the lock.
Determinator Tools
The Determinator (www.thedeterminator.com) does not present itself as a decoder, but as an impressioning aid. Manufacturing tolerances and wear in the lock often make exact decoding difficult to impossible in the rest position. Many automotive locks simply don’t have tight enough tolerances for you to use these principles to get an exact reading of each tumbler. But, with the Determinator, that doesn’t matter. What the Determinator does is to get you close enough to the correct depth that you can finish a key by impression even if your impressioning skills are weak. Currently Determinator tools are available for 54 different wafer lock systems.
For simplicity sake, let’s begin with a four depth system such as those found in the Chrysler / Dodge / Jeep system and the GM 10-cut system. Photo 2 is a typical Determinator set for a four depth system. It consists of a single specially cut key, a “release tool,” and the instructions.
Photo 3 is a simple graphic representation of how the Determinator is used to read the individual tumblers. The vertical black lines represent the individual tumblers as they extend into the keyway. In a four depth system, the Determinator “traps” on the number three and number four depth wafers, and passes the number one and two depth wafers.
The tip of the special key in the Determinator set is cut so that it will go into the lock easily, but when it is withdrawn from the lock, the tip will not pass under any number three or four tumblers, but will pass easily beneath any number one or two tumblers. When the tip of the tool is stopped by a tumbler, we refer to that as “trapping.” Once the tool has been trapped, the release tool is used to free the tool so that you can pull the tool further out of the lock.
In the simplistic example shown in Photo 3, the actual cuts are 2 4 3 2 1 3 1, so the Determinator tool will “trap” as the end of the tool attempts to go under the sixth, third, and second tumblers. Photo 4 shows the side of a typical Determinator, which is stamped so that you can tell which tumbler has trapped the tool. When the tool is trapped, the number corresponding to the tumbler that is trapped will be even with the face of the lock.
When you use the tool, you record which tumblers trap the tool on the notepad that comes with each tool set. Once you have determined which tumblers trap the tool, you can then cut a key, generally using half cuts, which will approximate the finished key.
Using the example in Photo 3, you can see the depths that would be cut on our key. Once we have cut the key, no cut on the key will be more that one half-depth from the proper depth. Using impressioning, we can easily determine which cuts are a half-depth too high.
As a general rule, once you are familiar with the tool, you can make a key that will turn the lock the second or third time you insert the key. Due to the tolerances found in most automotive locks, the cuts that are a half-depth too deep will not keep the key from turning. Once we have a key that turns the lock, we can cut a second key that has the correct depth for the number three and four depth wafers but has the cuts that did not mark cut a half-cut higher. At that point, a little impressioning will give us a key that is cut to the exact depths to work the lock.
Each Determinator comes with complete instructions. It is very important to read the instructions carefully before you begin and to practice with the tool as much as possible. With practice, you can usually use the Determinator to decode a typical door lock in two to three minutes.
In our example, all of the cuts are on one side of the keyway, but in real life, almost all systems will have cuts on both sides of the keyway. To deal with this, you simply read each side of the lock separately and combine the readings onto one key. The instructions with the tool tell you to widen each cut on the first key you cut in order to make the process easier.
Locks that have a lot of dirt and debris inside, or are excessively worn will give you false readings. Clean the lock with a good degreasing spray. (I use an electronic parts cleaning spray that I get at Radio Shack.) Be careful with the cleaning sprays and always hold a cloth under the lock to soak up any excess spray. Most cleaners will also remove wax from the painted finish, and some cleaners like carburetor or brake cleaners can actually remove paint, so that type of cleaner is not recommended.
EEZ-Reader / Kobra Reader
The EEZ-Readers (www.eezreader.com) were patented in 1986. “Some of the patents on the original tool have now expired, which allow similar tools using the same principles to be produced by other manufacturers. Kobra Readers (www.lockmasters.com) operate on the same basic principles as the EEZ-Readers, but also include some exclusive features such as a captive slide and a built-in light.
Both of these tools work on the same basic principle as the Determinator. However, these tools take the reading process to the next level, by allowing you to get exact readings from individual tumblers. These tools are only available for certain lock systems that will support this type of reader.
Like the Determinator, the tool is inserted fully into the lock, and then is used to read the individual wafer tumblers as the tool is withdrawn from the lock. Photo 5 shows a typical Kobra Reader; notice the rectangular trap-slot near the tip of the key.
When using this type of tool, each individual tumbler is trapped and then read, one at a time in this slot. When inserting the tool into the lock, the slide / reader is placed in the forward position so that the slot is blocked. The slide is then pulled back to expose the slot while the tool is slowly withdrawn from the lock. As the tool is slowly pulled out of the lock, an individual tumbler will fall into the slot and trap the tool. The index marks on the side of the tool will tell you which tumbler inside the lock is trapping the tool. The tumbler is then locked into place by either pushing or pulling on the tool, and the slide is then pushed back in until it contacts the tumbler.
The depth of each tumbler can then be read from the position of the slide when it contacts the tumbler. There is an index mark on the side of the slide that aligns with the depth index stamped into the key. After the tumbler has been read, the slide is then used to release the tool so that it can read the next tumbler and then the process is repeated until all of the tumblers on both sides of the lock have been read.
Because this type of tool will only work on locks with tight tolerances, there are a limited number of systems that can be read with this type of tool. As with any precision tool, practice is required in order for you to become proficient with the tool. First, study the instructions carefully for each tool that you buy. The various lock systems that these tools are designed to work with do not all work the same way. For instance, on some systems, you will need to push in on the tool to immobilize the tumbler for reading, and on others, you will have to pull out on the tool. In addition, you will also have to clean and degrease the lock before you start. Debris such as hardened grease or graphite caked on the sides of the wafer will prevent the tumbler from dropping completely into the slot and give you inaccurate readings.
Pushing in too hard on the slide will push the tumbler out of the slot. This is exactly what the tool is designed to do so that you can free up the tool and move on to the next tumbler. When you take your reading, make sure that you don’t accidentally lift the tumbler from the rest position. This is why you will either have to push in or pull out on the tool. By putting inward or outward pressure on the wafer, you will lock it into place so that touching it with the tapered end of the slide will not lift the tumbler. With practice, you will also develop a feel for how much pressure to place on the slide in order to get an accurate reading.
Perhaps the most important technique for using these tools is to give the tumbler every opportunity to drop into the slot as far as it will go. When I use these tools, once I first feel the tumbler trap the key, I shake the key from side to side and in and out before I push or pull to take the reading.
EEZ-Reader tools are available for the following systems:
- Ford Focus 2000 and up
- Ford 8-cut system cuts 1 – 6
- Ford 8-cut system cuts 2 – 7
- Ford 10-cut system
- Ford Escort / Tracer System 1991 and up
- GM 10-cut system
- Gm Alpha-Tech locks (Ignition)
- Chrysler 7-cut system
- Chrysler 8-cut system
- Saturn (B96 keyway)
- Saturn (B76 & B88 Keyways)
- Honda (3-depth systems)
- Mitsubishi (X263 / MIT6 keyway)
- Mitsubishi (X54 X84 X121 Keyway) – While supplies last - this tool is being discontinued
- Toyota (X137 / T80R) - While supplies last - this tool is being discontinued
Kobra Readers are available for the following systems:
- Ford 8-cut system cuts 1 – 6
- Ford 8-cut system cuts 2 – 7
- Ford 10-cut system
- GM 10-cut system
- Mitsubishi 8-cut (MIT6)
- Chrysler 7 & 8 cut systems
Lishi 2-in1 Picks / Decoders
These relatively new Chinese-made tools work on a completely different principle than the earlier tools. Many years ago, an old locksmith showed me a technique for making keys that he used. He called it picking and reading. The principle was simple; you picked the lock and then looked into the keyway to estimate the positions of the tumblers in the picked position and used that information to help you impression a key for the lock. The problem with this technique was that you really needed a scope, which was virtually unheard of at that time, so my friend used a bright light and a magnifying glass. Another problem was that if one of the first tumblers was a deep cut, it blocked your view of the rest of the tumblers.
The Lishi 2-in-1 picksets work on this same principle, but it uses calibrated feelers to read the depths of each tumbler after the lock has been picked. These same feelers are used to pick the lock one tumbler at a time.
This technique solves many problems that plague the readers that work with the lock in the rest position. For example, a Determinator, EEZ-Reader, or Kobra Reader designed for the Ford STRATTEC or Huf 8-cut locks will not work properly on a vehicle such as the early Ford Focus that has locks made by Valeo. The problem is that while the STRATTEC and Huf locks use tumblers that are essentially interchangeable, the Valeo locks use very different tumblers. Even though all three locks use the standard Ford 8-cut spacing and depths, the other tools will give inaccurate readings when used on the Valeo locks. For that reason, the Determinator system offers a special Determinator set just for the Valeo locks. The same problem exists on GM vehicles that use Ortech locks. However, by reading the tumblers in the picked position, the Lishi tool avoids these issues. It is true that the Valeo locks and The Ortech locks are difficult to pick with the Lishi tool, but if you are successful at picking the lock, the tool should give accurate readings.
Photo 7 shows the FO-38 Ford 8-cut 2-in-1 pick, which is a fairly typical 2-in-1 pick. All Lishi 2-in-1 picks have a hinged leaf that is used to put torque on the tool when you are using it for picking. The hinge allows the leaf to fold flat for easy storage. All 2-in-1 picks also have at least one calibrated feeler that is used to both pick and decode the lock. The FO-38 uses two feelers, one for each side of the lock. There is an easy to read scale on the main body of the tool, and a pointer built into each feeler.
While picking the lock, the scale and pointer help you to correctly position the tool to pick individual tumblers. After the lock has been picked, the scale and pointer allow you to quickly read the depth of each tumbler in the lock.
Picking the lock is accomplished by inserting the tool fully into the lock and then applying torque to the tool by way of the hinged leaf. Once a moderate amount of pressure is applied to the hinged leaf, you will be able to feel each tumbler in turn through the feelers. In the case of the FO-38, one feeler will be contacting the even numbered tumblers and the other will be contacting the odd numbered tumblers. You can start with any tumbler, but you want to systematically locate each tumbler with the feelers. Once you have located the tumblers, apply a small amount of pressure to the feeler to determine if that particular tumbler is locking the plug in place, if it is in the picked position, or if that tumbler is not in contact with the lock housing. While that may sound difficult to do, in reality it is very simple.
Any tumbler that feels “springy” is either picked or it is not in contact with the housing yet. By springy, I mean that when you lightly push on the tumbler and release, the tumbler will spring back. I use the tip of my finger to lightly tap the end of the feeler once I have located the tumbler. If the tumbler feels springy, you can move on to another tumbler because that tumbler is not preventing the plug from turning. Once you find a tumbler that is not springy, you want to apply pressure to the feeler to move that tumbler until it clicks. You can normally feel the click through both the feeler and the hinged leaf. Once the tumbler clicks, it is most likely picked and will become springy. You can then move on to other tumblers and repeat the procedure with each of them.
As you work your way through the lock, you will discover that some tumblers that were springy earlier are no longer springy. Keep working in this fashion until the lock turns. Once the lock has turned, you can then read the depth of each tumbler with the scale in order to decode the lock.
Photo 8 shows a close-up of FO-38 2-in-1 pick in use. The scale is easy to read and in this photo the tool is indicating that tumbler number four is a number three depth and tumbler number seven is a number five depth.
With this tool, it is relatively easy to decode a door lock and cut a key so that you can find the remaining cuts by progression. Since some Ford vehicles use cuts 1 – 6 or 2 – 7 in the door locks and others use cuts 3 – 8 in the trunk lock the tool is designed so that you can read any of these locks. If you are unsure as to which tumblers are used in a particular lock, the scale on the tool will help you work that out very quickly.
Lishi 2-in-1 tools are generally used in door locks, but I have found some very useful applications in ignition locks. My favorite is the HON-66 tool which is for the Honda / Acura four-track lock system. We all know that the new Honda locks are prone to failure, and I have encountered quite a few lost key situations where the vehicle has had the ignition lock replaced without bothering to key the replacement lock to the door key. In the past, I normally removed the ignition lock cylinder, which is held in place by roll-pins and then rekeyed the lock to the door key.
With the HON-66 tool, I can sit in the front seat of the car and decode the lock in a few minutes and then make a new key for just the ignition. This saves me time and effort, which also saves the customer money. Picking the ignition is tricky because of the split-tumblers, but with practice, it normally takes less than 10 minutes to pick and decode the lock.
The Lishi 2-in-1 tools require practice in order to become proficient in their use. Unfortunately, these tools come with no instructions whatsoever. However, there are some excellent videos on the web that will help you learn how to use the tools and some third parties have produced manuals and DVDs on how to use the tools that are available through various distributors.
Using a Scope to Decode Door Locks
As discussed in the beginning, the tumblers inside a wafer-tumbler lock that is in the rest position protrude into the keyway by varying amounts depending on the depth of the cut for that particular tumbler. If you could see clearly into the lock, you could cut a key simply by looking at the tumblers. Many people use that technique with great success, but it doesn’t come without practice. If you want to become good at wafer reading, you will need good vision, a good scope and a tool that doesn’t block your view to manipulate individual tumblers.
Scopes are available from a variety of different sources. I use the 3-in-1 scope (P/N LKM211) from Lockmasters, Inc., shown in Photo 9. This scope comes with several different probes that can be attached for manipulating the tumblers as you read them. However, sometimes you need to move individual tumblers while holding the scope steady. You can make your own tool or use a reading tool such as the LKM250 wafer depressor tool, which is also available from Lockmasters, Inc.
The real trick to learning to read locks with a scope is to find a landmark inside the lock that you can compare the relative heights of each tumbler to as a point of reference. Possibly the best lock to practice on is the Chrysler door locks made from 1991 and up that use the Chrysler 7 or 8 cut system.
Photo 10 shows a Chrysler door lock with the face cap and shutter removed to illustrate the placement of the wards and wafers. Looking into one of these locks, you will see a ward on both sides of the keyway that runs the length of the keyway. Any tumbler that aligns exactly with this ward is a number two depth. Consequently, any tumbler below the ward is a number one depth and any tumbler above the ward will be either a number three or four depth.
In Photo 10 the wafer at the top of the keyway is a number four depth and the one at the bottom of the keyway is a number three depth.
Electronic Scopes
Digital electronics are opening up a new age in wafer reading. Just a few years ago a video camera small enough, and with enough resolution to be useful for wafer lock reading, would have been about the same cost as a good used car. Today, they are easily affordable, and Keedex (www.keedex.com) makes an excellent one specifically for locksmiths (Photo 11). It uses a standard USB connection to connect to your laptop so you can see a view of the inside of the lock that is as large as your display will allow. It has a very bright LED and a built-in probe so you can manipulate the tumblers as needed. You can even capture still photos of what you are seeing on the screen so that you can compare shots side by side if you like. The brightness of the LED is adjustable and the tool comes with several different probes so that it can be used under a variety of conditions. This neat little tool goes a long way toward helping locksmiths who don’t have perfect vision read wafer locks. With this tool, I can comfortably read wafer locks without straining my eyes.
