How are copies of keys made at a locksmith – or whatever you call it- shop?
The locksmith has a stock of blanks. These are the same shape as the key that you want to copy, but without any cutouts, indentations etc. When they make a copy, they clamp a blank and your original key in a machine. This has a tracing point that follows the profile of your key and a cutting wheel that moves in and out and side to side exactly as the tracing point does. The operator needs to trace the profile of the original key carefully. Sometimes they try to rush the job and that makes a poor copy.
