Lose Your Car Keys? 2 Reasons To Head To The Locksmith Instead Of The Hardware Store

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These days, you might turn to big-name retailers for everything from buying your groceries to replacing your missing car keys. However, although there are many places that offer a huge variety of products and services, sometimes it is still a better idea to visit with a professional. The next time you lose your keys, remember these two reasons that you should head straight to a locksmith instead of your local hardware store service desk.

1: Convenience

As you start thinking about how to replace your keys, images of those key kiosks at your local hardware store might pop into your head. However, although it might seem more convenient to go to a place that you are already familiar with, trying to get car keys cut by the high school student that works there might be more difficult than you anticipate it being.

Believe it or not, there is a science behind key cutting that professional locksmiths learn over the course of several years. While a professional locksmith will be able to quickly find the necessary key blank, copy your key, and polish the edges so that it doesn't stick in your lock, that grocery store clerk might spend an eternity shuffling through drawers to find the right version, and even longer to troubleshoot their automated machine. To make matters even worse, that key copy that you just bought from your favorite hardware store might not work, which could mean another trip and a lengthy, painful refund request.

If you want a truly convenient key replacement experience, head straight to a professional locksmith shop. Not only will they be able to replace your key without any problems, but they will also stand behind their product so that you don't end up with a key that you can't use.

2: Equipment

To fend off car theft, auto manufacturers have actually developed new types of keys that are harder to replicate. However, some of these new security features can only be manufactured with these pieces of expensive equipment, which your local store probably doesn't own:

• Laser Cutting Equipment: Have you ever seen those thick key blades that have a weird groove cut into the side of them? These types of keys are called laser-cut or sidewinder keys, and they require very special equipment to make. Machines that create these keys use lasers to engrave a thick, highly customized groove into the key surface. When these machines are used to copy laser-cut keys, they are accurate within micrometers.
• Transponder Key Programmers: To improve your car's security even more, most laser cut keys also use transponder chips, which work in conjunction with your car's ignition system. When the right key is placed in the ignition, the key will relay information to the engine and allow the car to start. On the other hand, if a thief uses a fake key or a bad copy, they won't be able to move your car without the transponder chip present. When professional locksmiths make copies of transponder keys, they are capable of using special devices to program your new key to work with your car's ignition system.

Although some car dealerships own this type of equipment, they usually charge much more for key replacements than a locksmith would. For example, some dealerships charge upwards of $250 for a laser cut key, while the average locksmith only charges around $120. 

To avoid calling a bunch of stores trying to find a place that owns this equipment, contact a professional locksmith first. They will be able to quickly create new keys for you, without charging a boatload.  

Taking advantage of the services that professional locksmiths can offer might save you from dealing with unskilled employees, bad key copies, and extra trips. For more information, contact a company like Big Red Locksmiths.

17 November 2014