keys are a quick and easy way to treat yourself every year for the holidays. You can make keys by either buying pre-made ones or making your own.
Creating your own keys is fun, and you can be creative with how you design them. For example, you can make all of your keys the same size or you can design one to look like an intricate key.
When buying new keys, look for some common traits such as being able to open several different types of locks quickly or having a good place for your key card. Buying new when broken is also an option as they are not expensive to replace.
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No, Home Depot does not make keys
As far as I know, Home Depot does not manufacture keys
There is no Home Depot factory where key making equipment is manufactured. Instead, there are key producing plants all over the world, and they get supplied to Home Depots.
These plants use small molds to create the key. The key then goes through a long process of chipping, boring, and stamping to make the perfect key.
This process can take months or even years to complete. Many times it is done as a business venture so people can make a good living off of their craft. Some people even go back to school to learn new techniques!
It is important to note that although the person receives a paid-for-time-to-product-a-key product feedback from the molding process, they do not get paid for that time.
They will call a locksmith for you
If you are unable to open a door or window using the key that you have at home, a keysmither will come and help you. A keysmither will use a pair of pliers or steel toe shoes to create the key for the door or window.
This is called lock making and it is a skill that only experienced locksmiths have. Creating the correct key is a process that takes some time to learn.
Most locksmiths can teach you how to create the correct key in around an hour or so, however, there are some skills that only certain locksmiths can bring you back to when you needed it the most.
This includes how well they are at explaining how to use new keys, as well as whether or not they have ever had an opportunity to make a new key in an actual lock scenario.
They will sell you a new lock
Most home owners assume that a standard key will work in every lock, but this is not the case. There are specific keys for most locks, and depending on the lock, these can be difficult to find!
Many times when changing a locks or adding a new one to an existing lock, the new key must be installed. This is why Home Depot makes so many different sized keys.
Home Depot offers their new customers a trial key, which can be difficult to get out if it is not installed correctly. Additionally, some locks require a different shape key than others do (cobra vs square).
If you lose your trial key, you can buy them at Home Depot for about $5 per key.
They might be able to duplicate your key
If you lose your key, you can go to your local Home Depot and purchase a key that looks exactly the same as yours.
This is called having a second key and you can use it to enter your home should you lose your primary key. You would need to bring this second key with you when entering your home.
This is really helpful if you are living alone because you would need someone to come and get you when the first person leaves the house. This is nice because there would be no hassles with locking and unlocking the house alone.
Some people prefer their keys made by a certain company so that is an option too. You can find out which company makes yours by going to their website or call them at (800) 461-4340 where an expert will make sure you have a secure key.
Call before you go to the store
Some home depot stores have a term for key making. It is called a bottom-of-the-barrel keymaking technique. This is when you go to the store and buy a keysette, and then make your own by cutting up your own license plates, buying generic pills for medical problems, or even designing your own.
The term bottom-of-the-barrel comes from the days when keys were glued onto cards. Then, you would take a sharp object like an Xacto knife or scissors and cut away the card.
This method uses patterned material like fabric or paper to make your key. It takes some time to do this so make sure you get back to the store early!
Some home improvement stores also have lower quality bottom-of-the-barrels. These may include using only one brand of fabric for your key and using only one type of press to seal the material.