Master "Made In Mexico" Padlocks Suffer From Inconsistencies Making Duplicating Keys Awkward

 Yesterday, one of our repeat customers contacted us to duplicate a bunch of keys for their new padlocks they purchased at Ace Hardware. They had tried to get Ace to duplicate these keys in store but none of the keys worked at all.

Many hardware stores are often understaffed or their sales assistants are poorly trained in the simple key duplicating field. Often a hardware store will rarely adjust their key machines to correct parameters so that the keys they make will be correct. To the angst of many a customer, whom have had to return time and again to the store because their keys continue to not work, even in products purchased from those stores.

The padlocks pictured here are Master brand, made in Mexico and keyed alike in a set of 3.

Here is a pic of one of the padlocks and it's key individually.

This customer had purchased 2 separate sets of 3 keyed alike padlocks and wanted an additional 10 keys for one set and an additional 20 keys for the other set.

Now, there is not much rocket science involved in duplicating keys. Trained locksmiths have been duplicating keys for well over 200 years in this country and even longer around the world. But being trained to understand the different parts of a key, understanding how to set up and duplicate a key appears to be somewhat daunting to the uninitiated.

Hardware stores and shoe repairers decided a long time ago to enter the lucrative key duplication market because they are services that make a good addition to their primary offerings. Unfortunately, due to the consistent amount of failures in duplication, many big box stores have decided to install automated kiosks like we mentioned here about 6 years ago.

We decided to video our attempts to cut these keys and show some of the inconsistencies of duplicating keys. Please be entertained by our novice videos below.

The first video is not so fabulous......but lets have a look.





The second video shows me in the foreground showing the process. I am in my worktruck at the customers site completing the project onsite...



This third video features me again (please excuse my candor) duplicating the final set of keys....




Okay....I am not the best videographer, but hopefully you will get the idea. I'd be interested in hearing about your issues with having keys duplicated and working or not. Maybe recommended locations for good duplicators in your region.

Thanks!