

These wards will be flipped images of one another because the key will need to work two different ways. The wards will be found on the sides of these keys. If the wafer is shorter, the groove will be shallower. The longer the wafer, the deeper the groove. The height they need to be raised corresponds to the size of the wafer. The wafers are spring loaded and are raised by the bitting on the key to different heights. These locks work very similarly to a standard pin tumbler lock. That means that the bitting on these keys moves some wafers up, and moves others down. However, most wafer locks found on cars have wafers on the top and bottom of the lock. The double serrations are made so that the key can be inserted two different ways. Keys that are meant to open wafer locks can be identified as having grooves on both the top and bottom of the blade. Other times the shoulder is just an elevated piece of metal that is larger than the keyway. Most often this shoulder is achieved by the blade of the key widening as it approaches the bow. It exists to orient the key in the keyway so that the user knows when to stop pushing the device deeper. This is the part of the key that keeps it from being over-inserted. Many car keys do not have a traditional shoulder. There is rarely an option to place the key upside down, as both ways will technically be right side up. Almost every car key is set up to be inserted two different ways, so the tip only needs to be oriented so that the blade fits horizontally or vertically in the lock. To insert a key, you must line up the tip with the keyway. It is on the opposite end of the key as the bow. The tip of the key is the end that is inserted first into the keyway. Everything that is outside of the lock when the key is fully inserted is not the blade. When the blade of the correct key is fully inserted into the corresponding lock, rotation of the key will open the door and/or start the vehicle. It either ends at the shoulder or the bow of the key (whichever comes first). The blade holds the bitting, the tip, and the wards. This section of the key is where most of the action happens. The warding requires you to purchase key blanks from the car manufacture. It is just to keep Toyota key from fitting in a Mercedes lock. These are cut on the key that do not affect the internal components at all. The wards on a key are what keeps it from fitting in different keyways. On newer cars there is a snake or worm type pattern on the sides of the key. Most often there is a serrated type of bitting on both sides of the key. Depending on the type of lock, the bitting will be oriented differently. They are also referred to as the ridges or teeth of the key. The bitting of a key are the cuts that manipulate the internal mechanisms of the lock. When your key is simply a length of metal, there is no place to conceal the chip. If your bow has a plastic coating, then that is a good indication that it contains a transponder chip. Your key fob buttons may also be found on the bow if they are part of the same unit. The bow is often shaped as a circle or rectangle. This part of the key is where the thumb and index finger are placed to operate the key. If you would rather leave this diagnosis to a professional, call United Locksmith. If you can determine what is damaged, you will have a better idea of what car key replacement services you need. To understand why you need car key replacement, take a look at the parts of your key. Any of your car key replacement needs can be taken care of by your local United Locksmith. We can program transponder keys, key fobs, keyless entry devices, and cut the keys themselves.


United Locksmith can purchase key blanks for any make or model of car available on the market today. You certainly can, but if you want competitive pricing it is best to go with a locksmith.
