Why get a spare house key before you need one?
Most people call a locksmith about keys at the worst possible moment: the only key is gone, or it snapped in the lock, or a tenant moved out with the one copy that existed. A spare house key cut ahead of time is the quiet fix that keeps those moments from happening. It costs far less in time and stress than a lockout, and it gives you something to hand a family member, a dog walker, a contractor or a neighbor without lending out your only key.
In Lynwood this matters for a practical reason. A lot of homes here are compact houses with a rear unit behind them, and a lot of the apartment buildings along the main streets are small, with one or two keys per unit passed between tenants, managers and family. When a household or a building runs on a single key, one loss becomes everybody's problem.
Key duplication is the simplest thing we do, and it is also easy to get wrong. A copy that is cut a hair off will work for a week, then start to catch, wear the pins, and eventually stick or break off in the lock. This page explains how we cut copies, what can and cannot be copied, what changes the cost, and how to tell when a copy is not the right answer.
How do we duplicate a key, step by step?
Copying a key is not just pressing a blank against a machine. The steps below are how we approach a standard house, deadbolt, office or mailbox key, whether you come to our storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd or we work from a mobile van.
- Look at the key you bring. We check how worn it is, whether it is an original or a copy of a copy, and what is stamped on the bow. Each generation of copying adds a little error, so an original is always the better starting point.
- Identify the keyway and pick the matching blank. The blank has to fit the lock's profile, not just look similar. A close-but-wrong blank is one of the most common reasons a copy feels rough.
- Cut the new key to the original's pattern and remove the burrs. Burrs left on the cuts scrape the inside of the lock and are a quiet cause of premature wear.
- Test the copy. Where we have the lock in front of us, we test it there. At the counter, we compare it against the original and check that it enters fully and turns without forcing.
- Check the original too. If your key is badly worn, we tell you, because copying a worn key only passes the wear along. In that case we may suggest a different approach, which we explain further down.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Which keys can we copy: house, apartment, office, mailbox and deadbolt?
Most everyday keys can be duplicated without any fuss. The list below covers the ones Lynwood customers ask about most.
- House key copy: front and back door keys, including the keys for a rear unit or a detached garage.
- Duplicate deadbolt key: deadbolts often use a different keyway from the knob lock on the same door, so we match each one on its own.
- Apartment key copy: standard unit keys, provided you are the tenant, the manager or the owner and the key is not a restricted type.
- Office key duplication and commercial key duplication: suite doors, storage rooms, desks, file cabinets and back-of-house doors.
- Mailbox key duplication: individual mailbox keys and keys for older cluster-style boxes, when the lock is a standard type. If the lock is damaged or the key is lost entirely, mailbox lock replacement is the better route.
- Padlock and gate keys: common on older residential blocks where driveway gates are closed with a padlock.
- Security screen door and window bar keys: these are small, separate keys that people forget about until the day they are needed.
Can high security and restricted keys be copied?
Sometimes yes, sometimes only with authorization, and a few only through the maker. We would rather explain this plainly than promise something we cannot do.
High security key duplication is different from copying a basic brass key. These locks use more complex key profiles and tighter tolerances, and the blanks are not always sold openly. Some are patent-protected, and the manufacturer controls who can order copies. If you have one, bring the key and any card or paperwork that came with it. We will tell you whether we can cut it ourselves, whether we need to confirm your authorization, or whether the copy has to go through the manufacturer's process, which can take longer.
Restricted key duplication exists to protect the person who owns the system. That is a feature, not an obstacle. If your building or business has a restricted keyway, the property owner or an authorized contact usually has to approve additional copies. We will ask, and we will not cut a restricted key just because someone is standing at the counter asking for one.
If you are thinking about moving to a key that is harder to copy in the first place, that is a lock question rather than a copying question. Our page on high security locks covers how those systems control who can make duplicates.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of key duplication in Lynwood?
We do not quote prices on a web page, because the honest answer depends on the key in your hand. These are the things that move the cost, in rough order of importance.
The type of key matters most. A common house key on a standard blank is the simple end of the range. A high-security or restricted key needs a specialized blank, more careful cutting, and sometimes an authorization check, so it sits at the other end.
Quantity matters, as you would expect. One spare and a set for a whole household or a staff of ten are different jobs, though setting up the cut once usually makes additional copies more efficient.
Condition matters too. A clean original is quick to copy. If the original is worn or damaged, or you only have a copy of a copy, we may need to spend more time getting a usable result, or recommend a better path.
Where and when the work happens also plays in. A copy cut at the storefront is usually the more economical route. A visit from a mobile van, or a call outside normal hours, involves travel and scheduling, and that is reflected in the cost. We will tell you what applies to your situation before we begin, so there is no surprise at the end.
Is mobile key duplication available in Lynwood?
Yes, within limits we will be upfront about. Lynwood is about 18 miles from our Westwood storefront, and we serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties with mobile vans, so a trip out to the 90262 area is part of normal service.
Mobile key duplication makes the most sense when it is more than one key, when you cannot leave the property, or when the work is combined with something else on site, such as testing every lock in a small building so each key is matched to the right door. A van visit is also useful when there is a lock to test against, since we can confirm the copy works before we leave.
Some key types are better handled at the storefront, particularly specialty or restricted keys that need specific equipment or an authorization step. If that is the case, we will say so on the phone rather than send a van that cannot finish the job. To understand what a visit involves more broadly, see our mobile locksmith service in Lynwood.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for key copying?
Key cutting is a trade skill, and the differences show up months later, not at the counter. Here is what we can honestly point to.
We have been in business since 1987. That is a long time of seeing which worn keys can be saved, which blanks fit which locks, and which shortcuts cause trouble down the road.
We have a real storefront at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, plus mobile vans. You are dealing with one company, not a call center that passes your job to whoever is free. The person who answers the phone is part of the same operation that does the work.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. If a key looks wrong or a request seems off, it goes to someone who has the experience to make the call.
We answer the phone around the clock, every day of the year, at (213) 577-1366. Keys do not only get lost between nine and five.
One more point worth knowing: California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, and you should ask any locksmith, including us, for it before they work on your locks. Asking is normal and it is a good habit.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366Key duplication around Lynwood: what we see on these blocks
Lynwood's housing is mostly compact single-family homes from the 1920s through the 1950s, many with added rear units, alongside small apartment buildings on the main corridors. Density and the renter share are high. That mix shapes what people ask us to copy.
Near Plaza Mexico, around Long Beach Boulevard and Imperial Highway, apartment and condo living means plenty of keys changing hands. Residents here ask for extra unit keys for partners and relatives, and for a spare to leave with someone they trust. If you live in the 90262 ZIP and have only one key, a copy cut now saves you a lockout call later, and if one does happen, our apartment lockout page is not what you want to be reading at midnight.
In the Ham Park neighborhood and around Lynwood City Park, older single-family homes often have a deadbolt, a knob lock and a security screen door, each with its own key. People tend to copy the front door key and forget the rest. We usually suggest a quick check of every lock on the property when you come in, so the spare set is complete.
Landlords with small rental homes and rear units, a common situation in Lynwood, often need a set of copies for each tenant and one for the owner. If you have recently changed locks between tenants, the new keys need to be copied correctly from the start. Our lock rekey service handles the lock side, and our page for landlord locksmith work covers handling multiple units.
Along the Long Beach Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue corridors, storefronts and small offices need working keys for staff, and sometimes for roll-down gates too. Near St. Francis Medical Center on Imperial Highway, clinics and small offices have a similar need: extra keys for a new hire, a cleaning crew, or a manager, without losing track of who holds what.
One practical note on the climate: Lynwood is a flat inland area with weak marine influence, so there is no meaningful salt-air corrosion on keys or locks. Older wood doors can swell slightly in summer, which can make a lock feel stiff. That is a door fit problem, and a new key will not change it. If a freshly cut key feels tight only in hot weather, we will check the door before blaming the key.
When a copy is not the right answer
Key duplication solves one problem: you need more working keys for a lock you want to keep. It does not solve every key problem, and part of our job is telling you so.
If your key is badly worn, a copy inherits the wear and may not turn smoothly. A better route is often to cut a fresh key from the lock's code or from the lock itself, and we will explain what is possible once we see the key.
If you do not know who holds copies of your keys, the problem is control, not quantity. After a tenant leaves, a break-up, or an employee departure, the quieter solution is to change what the lock accepts, which is what rekeying does. For offices with many doors and many people, a master key system lets one key open several doors while others stay separate.
If a key has already snapped in the lock, copying will not help until the broken piece is out; see broken key extraction. If you need a car key, that is a separate job with its own rules, covered under car key replacement. Many vehicles have chips or programming involved, and we confirm the specifics by VIN rather than guess.
A few habits help any copy last: keep the original as a master and cut spares from it rather than from other copies, avoid keeping keys on heavy rings that wear the lock, and store a spare somewhere that is not under the doormat.
Frequently asked questions
Can you copy a key stamped 'Do Not Duplicate'?
That stamp is a request, not a lock on the key, so it does not always stop a standard copy. We still ask a few questions first. If the key is a restricted type or belongs to a building or business you do not control, we may need approval from the owner before cutting.
Do I need to bring the original key?
Yes, in most cases. A good original gives the best copy. If you only have a worn key or a copy of a copy, bring it anyway and we will tell you whether it is good enough to copy or whether another approach would work better.
Can you duplicate a deadbolt key separately from my door key?
Yes. Many doors have a knob lock and a deadbolt on different keyways, so each key needs its own matching blank. We can cut either one, or both if you want a full set of spares for the door.
Can you copy an apartment key in Lynwood?
We can copy a standard apartment key if you are the tenant, manager or owner. If the key is a restricted type, the property owner or manager may need to authorize extra copies. Your lease may also have rules about copies, so check with the landlord if you are unsure.
Can you make mailbox key copies?
For standard mailbox locks, yes. If the key is lost and the lock is damaged, copying will not solve the problem and the better fix is to replace the lock. Tell us what you have when you call and we will point you to the right option.
Do you offer mobile key duplication, or do I have to come in?
Both are available. Our mobile vans serve Lynwood and the surrounding area, and the storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood. Some specialty or restricted keys are better handled at the storefront, and we will tell you which when you call (213) 577-1366.
How do I know a key copy will actually work?
We test it against the original, and against the lock when we are on site. Copies that catch or need force usually come from a wrong blank, a poor cut, or a worn original. If a copy does not turn smoothly, bring it back and we will look at the cause.
Can you copy high security keys or keys for commercial buildings?
Often yes, depending on the key system. High security and restricted keys usually need authorization, and some can only be ordered through the manufacturer. Bring the key and any paperwork that came with the lock, and we will confirm what is possible before cutting anything.
What does key duplication cost?
It depends on the type of key, how many copies you need, the condition of the original, and whether we cut at the storefront or travel to you. Standard house keys are the simple end of the range, while high security keys need more work. We explain what applies before starting.
More locksmith help in Lynwood
Key Duplication near Lynwood
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.