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How to Match and Copy a Key

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Welcome, and congratulations! As a new employee at Ace Hardware, you will be
learning the basics of cutting and copying customers house and automotive keys on
the Hy-Ko Promatic-100. Although matching and cutting the variety of key shapes and
sizes might seem overwhelming, this instruction set will break down the process into a
series of simple steps. With enough practice, youll be quickly and accurately copying
keys in less than five minutes.

You will need:
Hy-Ko Promatic-100 Auto/Manual
Key Cutting Machine


Set of key blanks


Key Replacement Catalog


Safety goggles



Now youre ready to begin!

Warning: Wear safety goggles at all times when using the Hy-Ko Promatic-
100. Failure to do so may result in severe eye injury.
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Matching the Key

The first step in key copying is matching the original key to a new key blank. Often, this
is the most challenging part of the process. Use the quick guide below to help you
more quickly match keys.

Caution: Always check the original key for any Do Not Duplicate or Do
Not Copy designations. Copying one of these keys is a crime, and may result
in fines in excess of $5000 for you and the key holder.

1. Check the original key for distinguishing
marks, such as product codes or company
names. Refer to the Key Replacement
Catalog, and check through the list of
companies (ex. Schlage, Kwikset, Master) to
check for a match. (If no useful marks are
found, skip to Step 2.) Next, you can more
quickly search for a match through the key
blanks of that manufacturer.
2. Take note of the general shape and length
of the key. Look for any extrusions or
distinguishing cutouts along the key, and
pay attention to how many channels are
cut along the shaft. Due to the large
variety of key shapes and sizes, many keys
may look similar except for one or two
unique cuts.
3. Slowly and carefully look through the Key
Replacement Catalog. Keys are separated
by manufacturer, and each key includes a
1:1 scale detailed drawing and profile.
Simply pass the original key by each
drawing, checking for matches. Next, use
the black profile outline drawing to match
the thin profile of the key. This part is a bit
trickier, as you have to place the original
key perpendicular to the page, and
compare profile shapes. As you become
familiar with key cutting, this process will








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become much faster, so dont get
discouraged if finding a matching key is
taking a long time.
4. Once one (or several) good matches are
found, make a note of the corresponding
key product code for each match, and
remove those blanks from storage. Now,
perform a visual inspection by comparing
the shape of the original key to each blank,
one by one. Again, look at the profile,
length, extrusions, and channels to find a
match.
5. If no match is found, repeat Steps 1 5
again, and consult help from another
employee. Remember, you will become
much more comfortable and fast with key
matching as you practice.
6. Once a matching key is found, youre
ready to begin cutting.





















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Cutting the Key
The first step in cutting keys is becoming familiar with the Hy-Ko machine. Notice the
location of the Power, Vacuum, Brush, and Auto-Start buttons. Locate the key clamps,
cutting alignment tip, matching arm, grinding and cutting wheels, and key advance
arms. Please refer to Figure 1.
















Figure 1: Hy-Ko Promatic-100 [hykokeys.com]




Horizontal
Advance Arm
Matching
Arm
Cutting
Alignment
Tip
Vertical Advance
Arm
Button
Array
Key Clamps
Power Lights
Debris Vacuum
Cutting Wheel
Grinding Wheel
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1. Make sure the Power is switched to On,
and that the orange light on the top of
the machine is illuminated. Visually
check that the cutting area is free of
debris, and that the cutting wheel is
unobstructed.
2. Included in the Key Replacement
Catalog is cutting information for each
key blank. Next to the drawing of the
matching blank you chose in Part 1, look
for the clamp profile. The available
choices are Standard, Narrow, Wide and
X. Each clamping profile grips the keys in
different positions based on their shape,
to make sure that the keys are firmly held
in place during cutting. Based on the
labeled profile, loosen both key clamps
on the machine, and rotate the
clamping blocks until the correct profile
label is displayed.
3. Place the original key into the left key
clamp, and tighten the clamp just
enough to hold the key in place. Do not
over-tighten! Now, insert the key blank
into the right side key clamp, again
tightening just enough to hold the key in
place. Both keys should be horizontally
level.
4. Lower the matching arm onto the keys.
Check that the key profiles are of equal
height and that the tips of the keys touch
both matching tips on the arm. If one
key sticks out further than the other,
adjust its position until both are
horizontally and vertically aligned. Raise
the matching arm to its resting position,
out of the way of the cutting area.












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Caution: This step is crucial, as misalignment of the keys WILL result in a miss-
cut, and may even cause the key blank to damage the cutting wheel.


5. Now that the keys are aligned, tighten the clamps to reasonable hand-tightness.


Caution: Severe over-tightening will damage the key clamp assembly, so if
you see that the clamp shield is becoming warped during tightening, you are
over-tightening the clamps.


6. Grab the vertical advance arm, and
squeeze the handle so that you may
raise the arm upward. Simultaneously,
grab the horizontal advance arm and
slowly move it to the right, so that the
original key approaches the cutting
alignment tip from the left. Slowly move
the vertical advance upward so that
the original key approaches the cutting
alignment tip from below. Continue
slowly and carefully moving both arms
until the cutting alignment tip rests on
the original key, just to the left of the
start of the cutout profile. At this point,
the cutting wheel should be located at
the same spot on the key blank. If it is
not, return the advance arms to their
original positions and re-check key
alignment, repeating Steps 2-6.
7. With the keys in place, let go of both
advance arms. Keep hands clear of the
cutting area, and press the Auto-Start
button. The machine should begin to
auto-advance both keys to the right. As
it does so, the alignment tip lets both
keys follow the profile of the original, so
that the cutting wheel cuts a matching
profile into the key blank. This process




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should take about 10-15 seconds
depending on the key. At this time, the
grinding wheel will also be spinning, so
keep clear of it as well.
8. Once the machine finishes cutting, the
clamping assembly will auto drop to its
original position, and the cutting wheel
will shut off. At this point, remove both
keys from the clamps. Notice that the
new key has many rough edges which
need to be smoothed.
9. Check for severe miss-cuts. If none exist,
press the Brush button. The grinding
wheel will spin. Carefully hold the new
key against the grinding wheel so that it
is perpendicular to the wheel edge.
Move the key left and right, allowing the
wheel to rub against it and remove
rough edges.
10. Compare the cut and filed new key to
the original key by holding them against
one another and checking for
symmetry. If the two keys match,
youve successfully copied a key!






















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Conclusion
Now that you understand the basics of the key matching and cutting process, youll be
able to effectively copy keys for your customers. Remember, the cutting machine is
dangerous, and great care should always be taken when using it. Always wear your
safety goggles!
It should also be noted that some customer keys will have no match with the set of
blanks. If you believe this to be the case, you should always double-check with a more
experienced employee before informing the customer.
As your knowledge and memory of common key features and shapes increases, youll
be able to match keys more quickly without the help of the Replacement Catalog. But
remember, even minor differences in design can prevent a replacement key from
working, so always make sure you have a match. Congratulations on finishing this key
copying instruction set!