What is a Bump Key?

You might not know that there are different types of keys. You don’t possess only one type of key for your home doors, your cabinets and your car. But there is this special type of key we can learn about today. This is what you call the bump key.

Bump keys are used for lock bumping. In Wikipedia, lock bumping is defined as:

Lock bumping is a lock picking technique for opening a pin tumbler lock using a specially crafted bump key, rapping key or a 999 key. A bump key must correspond to the target lock in order to function correctly.

Bump keys are at times used by some people who have bad intentions to enter a home. However, it’s also something that’s very useful for locksmiths who are professionals and licensed to help you enter your home if ever you are locked out.

The Colorado Springs Locksmith blog shares to us an overview about what a bump key actually is.

A bump key is a special key that has been cut to work with the mechanics of pin tumbler locks. A bump key does not follow the proper key cutting that is designed to properly align with the key pins. Instead, it is cut with low peaks and wide valleys that are designed to force the pins through an impact, hence the name, “bump”.

They are used, sometimes in the hands of the wrong people, to pick a lock and gain entry. It is estimated that more than 95% of conventional home and business locks are vulnerable to being picked using a bump key.

Bump Key Can Damage Locks

Depending on the lock, how often a bump key has been used on the lock, and the amount of force applied, bump keys have been known to leave permanent damage to the lock.

Pin Tumbler Locks

Bump Key Colorado Springs Bump keys work with pin tumbler locks, so to understand exactly how a bump key works, you must first understand how a pin tumbler lock functions. Pin tumbler locks are made up of:

• key pins
• Driver pins
• Located within the core and cylinder

The key pins and the driver pins are inside the same pin hole. They are pushed together by a spring to prevent the core from rotating.

You can read the full source of the blog at http://colorado-springs-locksmith.us/bump-key/.

To gain more idea about bump keys, Bump My Lock has a video that clearly shows beginner bump key sets.

[embed]https://youtu.be/WYj74jLA0CQ[/embed]

This type of key is also a safe thing to use if you intend to force open your lock which you want to be replaced. Replacing of locks is influenced by various factors. Mainly, one of the main reasons is for the purpose of home security. To give you a better insight of these reasons, let’s take a closer look at specifics.

Mr Locksmith shares the Top Reasons To Get Your Locks Changed.

Change of Employee

Change your locks if someone you have employed no longer works for you. This includes gardeners, house cleaners, babysitters and other people you might have given a key for access to your home. You cannot be sure that they have not made copies and could return to clean you out.

Loss of a Key

If you lose your key, then you need to replace the whole locking system as a chance are that someone who knows your house might have taken them and has an ill attention. There have been many reported cases of stolen and lost keys which end up in the wrong person and end results becomes a break-in and theft. So every time you misplace or lose your key, replace the entire lock with immediate effect.

House remodeling

Change your locks if you remodel your home and give a key to a contractor. No matter how reliable you think your contractor is, you can’t guarantee that he won’t make a copy of your key and give it to his workers or other people you do not know. You can’t control what your contractor does with your key, so as soon as your renovations are complete, rekey the locks.

Moving to a new house

Moving into a new house is one of the automatic times when you should change your locks. Many people understand the need for this precaution, but if you don’t think you need to change them after a move, think again. You can never be sure that the previous resident turned over every single key ever made. It is simply not worth worrying about someone you do not know having a copy of a key to your house. Change them and be done with it. Otherwise, even your home security system can’t provide the protection you need…read more.

Using of bump keys and replacing your locks immediately should go hand in hand. In the event that you had to have a locksmith use a bump key to open your locks, the lock has been forcibly unlocked and thus needs a replacement. It’s not really a requirement to do so because the locksmiths are licensed and trusted professionals. However, if you want to play safe and think your lock has been loosened, then have it replaced.

Image Credits: http://colorado-springs-locksmith.us/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Bump-Key-Colorado-Springs.jpg.

Check this at our blog: Locksmith Pros Buffalo NY.