Commonly Used Locksmith Terms - from NYC Locksmith

A Basic Glossary of Commonly Used Locksmith Terms

On many an occasion a person in need of a locksmith has sat dumbfounded when asked a few simple questions about their situation and needs as well as when listening to the locksmith explain what is going on while they perform their work. To be certain, the locksmith is not trying to impress a person with their verbal savvy or convince them of his or her superior intellect compared to the customer who requires their service. The locksmith is merely using the correct terms that apply to the work at hand and sometimes it is good to have an idea of what these words, these crazy words, mean.

For this purpose we have chosen a few of the more commonly used words or terms and provided explanation.

Bitting Depth: The depth of a cut which is made into the blade of a key.

Blade: The part of the key that is inserted into the lock.

Blank: A key before any cuts have been made, this can also be one that is only partially cut but not yet operational.

Case Ward: Protrusions that stick out of the sides of the keyway to allow entry of only the correct type of key blank.

Code: A series of numbers or digits on a lock or key that specifies or references the particular cuts of the key to operate the lock.

Cylinder: A complete operating unit which usually consists of the plug, shell, tumblers, springs, plug retainer, tailpiece and all other operating parts.

Impressioning: A means of fitting a key directly to a locked cylinder by manipulating a blank in the keyway and cutting the blank where the tumbler marks have been made.

Jamb: The inside, vertical face of a doorway or window frame.

Lower pins: (also called bottom pins) The pins of a lock that contact the cuts on the key.

Master Key: A key which operates all of the master keyed locks or cylinders in a group, each lock or cylinder is usually operated by its own key. Can also be to combine a group of locks or cylinders so that each is operated by its own change key as well as by a master key for the entire group of locks.

Operating Key: Any key that will properly operate a lock or cylinder to lock or unlock the lock mechanism and is not a reset key or control key.

Pin stack: All of the tumblers in a given pin.

Plug: Part of a cylinder which contains the keyway with tumbler chambers corresponding to those in the cylinder shell.

Shell: The part of a cylinder that surrounds the plug.

Spacing: the dimensions from the stop to the center of the first cut or to the centers of the second cut.

Tumbler: A moveable obstruction of varying size and configuration in a lock or cylinder which makes direct contact with the key or another tumbler and prevents incorrect keys or torquing devices from activating the lock.

Ward: Protrusions that stick to of the sides of the keyway to allow entry of only one type of correct blank key.

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