Why do some copied keys never work right?
A key copy is only as good as the key it was cut from and the blank it was cut on. Most of the frustration people have with spare keys comes from one of three places: the original was worn, the blank was the wrong one, or the machine was out of adjustment. Any one of those gives you a key that slides in, turns halfway, and sticks. You find that out at the front door at night, not at the counter.
A copy of a copy makes it worse. Every generation adds a little error, and a cut that is a few thousandths of an inch off can be enough to make a pin stack bind. That is why we ask where your key came from and, when we can, cut from the original or from the key code instead of from a tired duplicate.
Key duplication looks like the simplest job in our trade, and the basic version is. But doing it properly means matching the keyway, picking the correct blank, cutting to the right depths and spacing, removing burrs, and then testing the new key in a lock. Skipping that last step is how people end up with a spare that fails the first time it is needed.
How do we duplicate a key, step by step?
Here is how a standard duplication goes when we do it, whether it happens at our Westwood storefront or from a mobile van.
- Look at the original. We check the brand stamped on the bow, the keyway profile, and how worn the cuts are. If the key is badly worn or bent, we tell you before cutting anything.
- Check for restrictions. Some keys are marked Do Not Duplicate, and some are patented or controlled. A stamp is not the whole story, so we identify the actual keyway and tell you plainly whether we can copy it and what authorization is needed.
- Choose the correct blank. Blanks that look nearly identical can differ in keyway, shoulder, and length. A close match is not a match.
- Cut the new key. We trace and cut so the depths and spacing match, then clean off burrs that can scratch pins and chew up a cylinder over time.
- Test the copy. We run the new key in the lock, or a representative lock, and check that it turns smoothly and returns without sticking. If it drags, we adjust it or recut it.
- Hand it back with advice. We note which key is the best original to keep safe and whether a worn key means it is time to think about rekeying or replacing the lock.
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We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Which kinds of keys can we copy?
Most keys people carry fall into a handful of groups. Here is how each one usually goes.
- House key copy and spare house key: standard residential keys are the most common request. These are usually straightforward, provided the original is in decent shape.
- Duplicate deadbolt key: deadbolts often use a different keyway from the knob lock, so one key may not fit both. We match each key to its own lock and can label them so the family stops guessing.
- Apartment key copy: these are fine to copy when the key is not restricted and your lease allows it. If the building uses a controlled keyway or a master system, the property manager may have to authorize the copy.
- Office key duplication and commercial key duplication: standard office keys copy like house keys. Keys that belong to a master key system are a different matter, covered below.
- Mailbox key duplication: mailbox keys are small, and the lock types vary. We identify the lock first and tell you if a new lock is a better route than a copy.
- Key cutting service for odd keys: padlocks, file cabinets, cabinet locks, and similar small-format keys are usually workable once we see the keyway.
What about high security and restricted key duplication?
This is where honest answers matter more than a quick sale. A high-security key, such as a patented-keyway or restricted key, is built so that it cannot be copied casually. The blanks are controlled, and the maker typically requires proof that you are authorized, often through a registered owner, a security card, or a request from the account holder. A kiosk in a big-box store cannot do this, and a locksmith who says it can copy one with no questions is either cutting a lookalike that may not work or ignoring the restriction.
When you bring us a restricted key, we start by identifying it. Then we tell you one of three things: we can copy it here with the proper authorization, we can order a factory-controlled key through the right channel, which takes longer, or the manufacturer will only deal with the registered owner, and we will tell you what to contact them with. We do not guess and we do not promise something the system will not allow.
If you are considering that kind of protection for a home or business, our page on high-security locks explains how those systems work and why the key control is part of the point. For offices that use a master key system, copies of individual keys and of the master need to follow whatever rules the system owner set. See our master key system page for how that works.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Can you come to me? Mobile key duplication in Camarillo
Yes, with some honest limits. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, and Camarillo is roughly 50 miles from there. For a spare house key, driving that far rarely makes sense, so the mobile van is the practical route. Our mobile locksmith service brings the work to your door, your office, or your building.
Mobile key duplication works well for standard residential and office keys, for cutting a spare while a technician is already on site, and for matching a handful of keys to a lock that has been rekeyed. It is less suited to jobs that need a controlled blank we do not carry or a manufacturer authorization that has to be processed first. We will say so at the start so you are not waiting around on a van that cannot finish the job.
Our phone line, (213) 577-1366, is answered around the clock, every day of the year. Most key duplication is not an emergency, but if you are locked out with only one key and no copy, or a key has snapped off in the lock, that is a different situation. A snapped key is its own repair, covered by broken key extraction, and you will want the extracted pieces kept, since they can help us cut a replacement.
What affects the cost of key duplication in Camarillo?
We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the real price depends on the key in your hand. Here is what moves it up or down.
- The type of key. A plain brass house key is the lighter-cost end of the work. Keys with unusual keyways, tubular or dimple cuts, or controlled blanks take more time and cost more.
- Whether the key is restricted. Authorization steps, factory orders, and manufacturer paperwork add effort and wait time.
- How many copies. Cutting several keys in one visit is usually the more economical route than coming back for them one at a time.
- The condition of the original. A badly worn key may need to be decoded or cut by the key code to get a copy that works, which takes more care than a straight trace.
- Where the work happens. A copy at the storefront is a different job from a mobile visit to Camarillo, where travel is part of the cost.
- What else is on the visit. If the lock is also sticking, worn, or due for a change, we may suggest handling it in the same trip.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Where does key duplication come up around Camarillo?
Camarillo is mostly single-family tract homes from the 1960s through the 1990s, with newer master-planned areas like Village at the Park and Sterling Hills from the 2000s. A lot of those houses have had the same keys in circulation for decades: kids who are now grown, a past cleaner, a neighbor, a former tenant. Many have a front-door key that has been copied from a copy several times. That is exactly the situation where cutting a clean new set from a good original, or rekeying so older copies stop working, makes sense. Our lock rekey page covers that second path.
Home sales are a common trigger. In neighborhoods like Mission Oaks and Village at the Park, a seller usually needs extra sets for the agent, the lockbox, and the buyer's closing, and the buyer often wants the locks rekeyed afterwards. Cutting duplicates before the sale and rekeying after it are two different jobs, and it helps to plan both.
Leisure Village is a large gated 55+ community with HOA-managed homes. Residents there often want spare keys for family, a caregiver, or a neighbor who checks in while they travel. Gate access and HOA rules are separate from a door key, so check with your HOA about what they control. We handle the door keys.
Around CSU Channel Islands, students and roommates in apartment and dorm-area housing tend to need extra keys. Check your lease first, and if the key is marked Do Not Duplicate, expect to go through the landlord or property manager. Along Ventura Boulevard in Old Town Camarillo, business owners often need extra keys for staff and opening and closing shifts. If your business has several doors, take a look at our commercial locksmith page.
We work throughout Camarillo, including ZIP codes 93010 and 93012. The mild, damp marine air on the Oxnard Plain can slowly corrode exterior lock hardware, less aggressively than right on the coast. A gritty cylinder and a worn key together are a common reason a spare key stops working. If you are copying a key for an exterior lock that has been sticking, tell us, because the cylinder may be the real problem.
Is a copy always the right fix?
Not always. A spare key is a good answer when the key you have is in decent shape and you simply want another one. It is the wrong answer in a few situations.
If you do not know who has copies, because of a former roommate, an old tenant, a contractor, or a recent breakup, then another copy does nothing about the keys already out there. Rekeying changes the lock so old keys stop working, and then new keys are cut to match. That is the better fit.
If you manage rentals, turnovers are a common time for this. Our locksmith for landlords page covers how we handle key sets across units.
If the key is worn so badly that every copy fails, or the lock itself has gotten stiff, we will tell you and look at the lock instead. We would rather say that than cut you a key that wastes your time. And if a key is lost and you have no original at all, we can still work from the lock or the code in many cases, which is a separate job from duplication and one we will explain when you call.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for key duplication?
We have been in business since 1987, and key cutting is one of the first things the trade teaches and one of the easiest to do badly. We would like you to know who is doing yours.
We are one company. When you call (213) 577-1366, you reach us, not a national dispatch center that sells your job to whoever is closest. We have a storefront on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood and mobile service vans that serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, Camarillo included. David, the owner and lead technician, oversees how the work is done.
One more thing worth knowing: California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask any locksmith you hire for it. It is a fair question and a reasonable way to tell a legitimate company from a fly-by-night one. Ask us, and ask anyone else on your list.
We also try to be plain about limits. If a key cannot be copied without authorization, we will say so. If a cheaper-looking fix will not hold up, we will say that too.
Frequently asked questions
How many spare keys should I have made for my Camarillo home?
Most households do well with one spare for each adult plus one stored somewhere safe outside the house, such as with a trusted person. More copies means more places a key can go missing, so cut what you need and keep track of who has them.
Can you copy a key marked Do Not Duplicate?
The stamp is a request, not a legal barrier in every case, but we take it seriously. Many such keys are tied to a restricted keyway, a building owner, or a property manager. We will identify the key and tell you what authorization is needed before copying anything.
Can you duplicate a high-security or restricted key?
Sometimes. High-security keys use controlled blanks and generally require proof you are authorized. We identify the keyway first, then tell you whether we can cut it, order a factory key, or whether you need to go through the manufacturer or the registered owner.
Do you duplicate mailbox keys?
Yes, in many cases. Mailbox locks vary, so we identify the lock first. If the key is lost or the lock is damaged, a new lock may be the better route than a copy, and our mailbox lock replacement page explains that option: mailbox lock replacement.
Will a copy made from a worn key work?
Sometimes, but a copy inherits the wear of the original. If a key is very worn, we may cut by the key code or from the lock instead. We test the new key and will tell you honestly if the original is too far gone to copy well.
Can you duplicate a key for my apartment or dorm-area rental near CSU Channel Islands?
If the key is not restricted and your lease permits copies, yes. If the building uses a controlled key system or a Do Not Duplicate key, the property manager may need to authorize it. Check your lease first to avoid trouble.
What is the difference between duplicating a key and rekeying a lock?
Duplication makes another key that works in the same lock, so everyone with an old copy still has access. Rekeying changes the lock's internal pins so old keys stop working, and new keys are cut to match. Rekey when you are unsure who holds copies.
Do I need to bring my key to you, or can you come to Camarillo?
We can come to you. Our storefront is in Westwood, about 50 miles away, so mobile service is the practical choice for most Camarillo customers. Call (213) 577-1366 and tell us what kind of key you have, and we will say whether a van visit can finish the job.
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Key Duplication near Camarillo
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.