Key duplication in Irwindale, CA: house, office and mailbox keys

What does key duplication in Irwindale actually involve?

A key copy sounds like the simplest job in our trade, and it is, but only when it is done carefully. A duplicate has to match the original's cuts closely enough that the pins in your lock lift to the right height every time, without you jiggling, lifting the door or forcing the key. A copy that is off by a hair will work on the day it is cut and then wear the lock a little more with each use. We have been cutting keys since 1987, and most of what we know comes down to one rule: the copy is only as good as the blank and the care taken in cutting it.

Irwindale is an unusual place for this work. The city has fewer than 2,000 residents, living in a few small enclaves of modest, mostly early-to-mid 20th century single-family homes near the Civic Center along Arrow Highway. Almost everything else is gravel quarries, warehouses and manufacturing plants. So the keys we copy here lean toward the commercial side: a ring of door keys for a plant, a gate or padlock key for an equipment yard, a key for a cabinet or a mailbox, and, in the residential pockets, the plain house key and deadbolt key that every family wants a spare of.

This page covers copying keys you already have in hand. If you have lost every key to a lock, you are looking at a different job, usually rekeying or a lock change, and we link to those below rather than blur the two.

How do we copy a key, step by step?

Whether we cut the key at the storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood or at your location in Irwindale from the van, the process is the same. Each step exists to catch a problem before it becomes a key that does not work.

1. Look at the original. We check the key for wear, bends, rounded edges and cracks. A badly worn original produces a badly worn copy, and we will tell you if that is what we are seeing.
2. Identify the key type. Standard house keys, deadbolt keys, mailbox keys, padlock keys, office keys and high security keys all use different blanks. We read the markings on the key and the keyway profile to choose the correct blank.
3. Match the blank. The blank has to fit the keyway exactly, since a blank that is close but not right will bind in the lock.
4. Cut the copy. We trace and cut the new key, then remove the burrs left behind by cutting so the key does not drag or snag inside the lock.
5. Test it in the lock. A key that looks right but has not been tried in the actual lock is only a guess. We test the copy in the lock it is meant for whenever we are on site, and we ask you to try it too.
6. Check the original again. Sometimes the copy works well and the original is the one sticking. If so, we say so, because it may point to a lock that needs attention.

Which keys can we duplicate, and which ones need extra care?

Most keys can be copied on the spot. Some need a conversation first. Here is how it breaks down for the keys we see in Irwindale.

• House key copy and spare house key: standard residential keys for entry doors, back doors and side gates are usually the quickest copies.
• Duplicate deadbolt key: deadbolt keys are often a different profile from the knob lock on the same door, so we check each lock rather than assuming one key fits both.
• Apartment key copy: we can copy an apartment key when it is a standard, unrestricted key. If the key is stamped as restricted or the building has a management policy, we will ask for the authorization described below.
• Office key duplication and commercial key duplication: office door, cabinet, desk and storeroom keys are routinely copied. Plants and warehouses often have many doors on one system, which changes the approach.
• Mailbox key duplication: mailbox keys are small and easy to lose. We can copy many of them, but if the lock itself is the problem, replacing it may be the better path.
• Padlock and gate keys: keys for chains, padlocks and perimeter gates take a beating outdoors, so we pay close attention to wear on these.
• Car keys: a metal-only car key can be a simple cut, but many vehicles use keys with electronics in them. Whether a given car can be copied, and how, depends on the make, model and year, and we confirm by VIN or in person rather than guessing over the phone.

What about restricted and high security key duplication?

Some keys cannot be copied at an ordinary key counter, and that is by design. Restricted keys, usually stamped with a warning such as "Do Not Duplicate," use keyways and blanks that are controlled by the manufacturer. High security keys, often with unusual cuts such as side milling or dimples, need specialized blanks and cutting equipment.

We will be straightforward about this. The stamp itself is not a legal barrier, but the real control is the blank and the authorization on file. For many restricted systems, the lock owner or the manufacturer controls who can order more keys. In some cases that means a dealer or the factory is the only source, and if that is your situation we will say so plainly instead of promising a copy we cannot deliver. In other cases we can work with you through the proper authorization process.

If you are weighing whether to keep a restricted system or move to something more controlled, our high security locks page explains how those systems work and why the key control is part of the security. For a business, key control matters even more, because an uncontrolled key copy defeats the point of the lock.

What affects the cost of key duplication?

We do not quote numbers on a web page, because the honest answer depends on what is in your hand. Here is what moves the cost up or down, so you can judge a quote from anyone, including us.

• Key type: a plain brass house key is a simpler cut than a high security or restricted key, which needs a special blank and more setup.
• Blank availability: some blanks are common, and some have to be sourced. A rare blank takes more effort than a common one.
• Quantity: one spare is a different job from a set for a whole crew or building. Larger sets are usually the more economical route per key, since setup is shared.
• Condition of the original: a worn or damaged original may need extra work to produce a copy that functions, and we may recommend a lock rekey instead.
• Electronics: any key with a chip or remote involves programming, which is a separate step from cutting.
• Where the work happens: bringing your key to our Westwood storefront is the lighter-cost option when it suits you. Mobile key duplication brings the work to Irwindale and reflects the travel and the van time.
• Time of day: our line is answered 24/7, and after-hours calls are handled differently from a planned daytime visit.

Key duplication around Irwindale: Arrow Highway, Live Oak Avenue and the Civic Center

Because Irwindale is mostly industrial, the way keys get copied here is different from a typical residential suburb. Along the Live Oak Avenue industrial district and the Arrow Highway corridor, the common request is a set of keys for a shared building or plant: multiple doors, storage rooms, offices and gates. When many people need access, the question is not only how to copy a key but whether the keys are tied to a hierarchy. That is where a master key system comes in, so that one key can open many doors while others open only one. If your facility already has a master system, copies must be handled carefully, since one stray master key can compromise every door.

Out toward the Irwindale Avenue corridor and the Santa Fe Dam area, the work leans toward gate, chain and padlock keys for yard perimeters. Quarry operations add dust that works into exterior padlocks and gate hardware, and Santa Ana winds periodically rake the open San Gabriel River corridor. Dust and grit wear down keys and lock cylinders faster, so a key that has been in use for years in an outdoor padlock is often worn enough that a copy cut from it will not work well. In that case we may suggest cleaning or replacing the padlock, and for a damaged gate setup our gate lock repair service is the better fit.

The small residential enclave near the Civic Center, around Arrow Highway and Irwindale Avenue in ZIP code 91706, is where house key copy and spare house key requests come from. These are older homes, and older locks tend to have worn keys. If your house key has been used for decades, we would rather cut a fresh copy from a carefully checked original, test it, and tell you if the lock itself is tired. Irwindale also uses ZIP code 91702 for part of the area, and we serve both.

Can we come to you for mobile key duplication?

Yes. Our vans carry key-cutting equipment and a range of common blanks, so we can handle many copies on site. Irwindale is roughly 32 miles from our Westwood base, so we treat a visit here as a planned trip, and when you call we tell you plainly what the arrival looks like instead of making a vague promise.

Mobile service makes the most sense when the keys cannot leave: a plant manager who cannot step away from the floor, a yard gate that has to be tested where it hangs, or a business that wants copies cut and tried in the actual locks. It also helps when you have a stack of keys for several doors, since we can test each copy at its own door. You can read more about how that works on our mobile locksmith page.

If you would rather drop the key off, our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood is open to walk-in work, and calling ahead lets us confirm we have the right blank before you make the drive.

Mailbox keys, car keys and the jobs that are not really copying

Some requests start as key duplication and turn out to be something else. We would rather tell you that early than cut a key that will not solve your problem.

Mailbox keys are a good example. If you have one key left and want a spare, copying is usually fine. If you have none, you are looking at a lock replacement, and our mailbox lock replacement page covers that. Car keys are similar. A plain metal car key may be cut like any other, but many vehicles use keys that must be programmed to the car. We do not guess at that over the phone. Based on the make, model and year, we confirm what is possible by VIN or in person, and if a vehicle turns out to be dealer-only for its keys, we tell you that honestly. If you have lost your only car key, that is a replacement job rather than a copy, and our car key replacement service is the right place to start.

The same is true when a key has been lost and you are worried about who has it. A copy of a key whose whereabouts you do not know does not fix the security problem. For that, changing the lock's internals through lock rekeying makes the old key stop working, and then new keys can be cut.

Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for key duplication?

Key copying is a business where anyone can buy a machine. What we offer is a bit more specific, and we would rather you judge us on the facts.

• We have been in business since 1987, and key work is where this trade starts.
• We run a real storefront in Westwood plus mobile vans, so you can bring keys to us or have us come to Irwindale.
• You deal with one company. There is no dispatch middleman passing your call to a stranger.
• David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work, and standards on how keys are cut and tested come from him.
• Our phone, (213) 577-1366, is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
• We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and Irwindale is one of them.

How should you choose a locksmith for key work?

California requires locksmith companies to hold a license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, known as a BSIS LCO license. It is reasonable to ask any locksmith for that number before they start work, especially if they are going to handle keys to your business. The same goes for anyone offering to copy restricted keys: ask how they verify authorization.

A few other habits help. Ask the locksmith to test every copy in the lock it is for. Keep the original somewhere safe once the copy works, so you are never down to one key. And for a commercial site, keep a short written record of who holds which key, because key control is mostly a matter of record keeping. If you manage several doors or units and want help setting this up, our commercial locksmith page describes what we do for businesses.

More locksmith help in Irwindale

• Change Locks in Irwindale
• Deadbolt Installation in Irwindale
• Gate Lock Repair in Irwindale
• High Security Locks in Irwindale
• Lock Installation in Irwindale
• Lock Rekey in Irwindale
• All services in Irwindale

Key Duplication near Irwindale

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• Duarte
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