North Carolina Locksmith Practice Exam

What technique involves fitting a key directly to a locked cylinder by manipulating a blank in the keyway?

1. Key Duplication

2. Key Impressioning

3. Lock Bumping

4. Impression Technique

The correct answer is: Impression Technique

The technique being described is distinctively recognized as impressioning, which involves the use of a blank key to create an impression of the internal pin configuration of a lock cylinder. In this method, the locksmith inserts the blank key into the lock and slightly turns it, which allows the pins to leave marks or indentations on the key. By examining these impressions, the locksmith can determine the necessary cuts to make on the blank key to create a working key that matches the original. This technique requires skill and precision, as the locksmith must accurately interpret the impressions to successfully create a functional key. Other terms, such as key duplication, refer to creating a copy from an existing key, which does not involve manipulating a blank within a locked cylinder. Lock bumping involves using a specially designed key that can be struck to open a lock, which is different from the technique of impressioning. While "impression technique" could be seen as a reference to the same process, it is less commonly used compared to the term "key impressioning," which is why the term "impressioning" is the most appropriate choice in this context.