The answer to this question depends on what type of key you want to be replaced. Whether you are replacing the key to a car or a house, your locksmith will show you the difference. Are you rekeying a lock, and do you have the key? In any case, you need a Miami or Homestead Commercial Locksmith.

Cars and Key Replacements

In 1954 the United States started assigning a unique vehicle identification number, or as we know it, VIN. This became standardized in 1981, and right about now, you are probably wondering what VIN Numbers have to do with your key. A key replacement locksmith can replace the key to your car using that number. Of course, the locksmith will need proof that the vehicle is yours in order to provide all this information to NASTF to get a key code. Your Miami locksmith will need some specialized equipment to make sure that your car sees the new key as authentic.

Decoding the Keys

A significant number of lock makers add a key code from the factory that allows locksmiths to make a new key for that specific lock. To an everyday person, these characters will probably appear to be random, but a licensed and properly trained locksmith will see an easy to follow set of instructions. From these instructions, your residential locksmith can make you a key replacement.

Taking the Lock Apart

If you need to replace the key for your front door’s lock, it may be possible for the locksmith to remove it and disassemble the lock cylinder. This can provide them with all the information they will need to cut a new key. However, the process is very time-consuming as they have to evaluate the alignment and height of every pin carefully and then make a positive with the key.

You may want to go this way if you have difficulty finding or replacing a lock such as locks in historical sites of even classic cars. Otherwise, you will be better off getting something entirely new.

Say you have an old lock, the type you would find in an antique, a historical building or a safe from another era. These types of keys have not been in production for decades and will require the expertise of a locksmith versed in a technique called casting. This technique can be very effective in the hands of a professional. 

You start by securing the original key and making a mold out of it with a duplication mold; once you have the mold, you can cast a positive using a combination of metals. That positive will have to be ground and filed to get rid of the excess material.

Let 3 Guys Locksmith Help With Your Key Replacement

If you need to replace your keys, give us a call at (305) 907-7707 or (239) 249-5268 for an immediate response. You can also reach us online by completing our online contact form.