I’d have made a terrible carpenter; but I did learn one rule from my father in law and that was the old rule, "Measure Twice - Cut Once". I’m sure that it can’t be applied to many other professions; locksmith work would have to be included.
When I cut a key from code, one that needs to be put on the expensive transponder technology key blanks, I first make sure that the information is correct by cutting the coded information on a less expensive key, one that doesn’t have the transponder. If the cheap key works smoothly in all the locks I then cut that same information onto the expensive key and finish off with the programming.
This morning I had a chance to work on an older Corvette, a total reconstruction job that had the appearance of a brand new vehicle. They’d finished all the windows with fresh weather stripping and new chrome. All the windows fit snuggly and had fancy tint film applied. The paint job must have cost as much as the car as I admired the extra clear coats that made it look an inch thick. The owner had left the car for some other improvements and mentioned, almost in passing that he didn’t have a door key yet, only an ignition key.
That information had not been shared with the young fellow responsible for locking up at the end of the day. He’d methodically gone around closing and locking doors, locking tool cabinets and making sure that each Corvette was carefully parked in close proximity to the next so that the doors could not be opened except for the last car in line. Some cars were up on lifts which suspended these cars above the others to take advantage of the limited safe spaces.
When I got there it took them several minutes to sort out the morning ritual of moving all these “sardines” so they could work on them. The one I was supposed to work on, to make a door key, was up on a lift. It was locked up tight as a drum; but at least they were able to lower it to ground level for me.
I admired the restoration work and at the same time realized that it would be a crime before God to put a scratch on that beautiful paint job, take a chance on scratching the brand new chrome strips or tear any of the freshly replaced weather stripping. The car qualified as an antique, or nearly one and I had to scratch my head to remember the last time I’d worked on a 1978 classic Vette.
The owner of the garage watched as I studied the vehicle, similar to the way a billiard player plots a strategy around a pool table prior to taking a shot; knowing all to well that it might be the only shot he’d get if he didn’t run the table. I determined that attempting to go down inside the door was not an option and remembered an old trick, an ancient Corvette trick that took advantage the tiny opening where the door handle was hinged, an opening which would permit a small right angled piece of rigid material to hook the linkage. I never was good at that particular option; all the same I was glad to have at least one viable option.
I tried for a while and was very careful as I noticed that the handles had also been reconditioned with a new coating of chrome. How long do you spend on a procedure that you were never very fond of; ten minutes, fifteen, twenty?
“This isn’t working; I’m looking for another way in.” There was a glimmer of hope on the passenger side where the window looked to have about a sixteenth of an inch gap at the top where it met with the T-tops. I had an old window bypass tool that I hardly ever get to use anymore, one that was designed to get past wing windows.
I might have to explain what a wing window is to the newer generation since I haven’t seen one in years. Wing windows permitted stale inside air to be pulled outside, mostly for those who smoked. There was a chrome lever that would keep the triangular shaped window shut and this tool would slide under the weather stripping, position part of it on the button that permitted the latch to turn while the rest of the tool put pressure on the side of the latch in order to flip the latch. Once the latch was bypassed it would permit you to reach in and open the door.
I sprayed a coating of lubricant on the window where it met with the weather stripping so that the tool wouldn’t grab. I think I was more afraid of putting pressure on the top edge of the window, pressure that could break the window. It slipped in so easily I found myself smiling. I then tripped the lever which holds the T-tops latched to the windshield frame and was relieved that they hadn’t been left in the locked position. The T-top came right off and all I had to do then was reach down and open the door. I fitted the door key from off the glove box lock and breathed a sign of relief; “Yes!”
I watched a ball game the other day where the pitcher plunked the first batter, gave up a single to the next and followed that with a walk. He was in a real jam with no outs and the heart of the line up approaching. He struck out the clean up hitter and produced a ground ball which turned into a double play to get out of the inning without any damage. That’s about the way I felt as I picked up my check, the owner having watched the whole time as I “operated on his baby”. I was able to get out of the inning without any damage; a very tough inning even for a seasoned locksmith.
The picture of this Silver 1978 Corvette was pulled from the internet (Link provided in the title bar). The one I worked on looked so similar as to nearly be a twin.
When I cut a key from code, one that needs to be put on the expensive transponder technology key blanks, I first make sure that the information is correct by cutting the coded information on a less expensive key, one that doesn’t have the transponder. If the cheap key works smoothly in all the locks I then cut that same information onto the expensive key and finish off with the programming.
This morning I had a chance to work on an older Corvette, a total reconstruction job that had the appearance of a brand new vehicle. They’d finished all the windows with fresh weather stripping and new chrome. All the windows fit snuggly and had fancy tint film applied. The paint job must have cost as much as the car as I admired the extra clear coats that made it look an inch thick. The owner had left the car for some other improvements and mentioned, almost in passing that he didn’t have a door key yet, only an ignition key.
That information had not been shared with the young fellow responsible for locking up at the end of the day. He’d methodically gone around closing and locking doors, locking tool cabinets and making sure that each Corvette was carefully parked in close proximity to the next so that the doors could not be opened except for the last car in line. Some cars were up on lifts which suspended these cars above the others to take advantage of the limited safe spaces.
When I got there it took them several minutes to sort out the morning ritual of moving all these “sardines” so they could work on them. The one I was supposed to work on, to make a door key, was up on a lift. It was locked up tight as a drum; but at least they were able to lower it to ground level for me.
I admired the restoration work and at the same time realized that it would be a crime before God to put a scratch on that beautiful paint job, take a chance on scratching the brand new chrome strips or tear any of the freshly replaced weather stripping. The car qualified as an antique, or nearly one and I had to scratch my head to remember the last time I’d worked on a 1978 classic Vette.
The owner of the garage watched as I studied the vehicle, similar to the way a billiard player plots a strategy around a pool table prior to taking a shot; knowing all to well that it might be the only shot he’d get if he didn’t run the table. I determined that attempting to go down inside the door was not an option and remembered an old trick, an ancient Corvette trick that took advantage the tiny opening where the door handle was hinged, an opening which would permit a small right angled piece of rigid material to hook the linkage. I never was good at that particular option; all the same I was glad to have at least one viable option.
I tried for a while and was very careful as I noticed that the handles had also been reconditioned with a new coating of chrome. How long do you spend on a procedure that you were never very fond of; ten minutes, fifteen, twenty?
“This isn’t working; I’m looking for another way in.” There was a glimmer of hope on the passenger side where the window looked to have about a sixteenth of an inch gap at the top where it met with the T-tops. I had an old window bypass tool that I hardly ever get to use anymore, one that was designed to get past wing windows.
I might have to explain what a wing window is to the newer generation since I haven’t seen one in years. Wing windows permitted stale inside air to be pulled outside, mostly for those who smoked. There was a chrome lever that would keep the triangular shaped window shut and this tool would slide under the weather stripping, position part of it on the button that permitted the latch to turn while the rest of the tool put pressure on the side of the latch in order to flip the latch. Once the latch was bypassed it would permit you to reach in and open the door.
I sprayed a coating of lubricant on the window where it met with the weather stripping so that the tool wouldn’t grab. I think I was more afraid of putting pressure on the top edge of the window, pressure that could break the window. It slipped in so easily I found myself smiling. I then tripped the lever which holds the T-tops latched to the windshield frame and was relieved that they hadn’t been left in the locked position. The T-top came right off and all I had to do then was reach down and open the door. I fitted the door key from off the glove box lock and breathed a sign of relief; “Yes!”
I watched a ball game the other day where the pitcher plunked the first batter, gave up a single to the next and followed that with a walk. He was in a real jam with no outs and the heart of the line up approaching. He struck out the clean up hitter and produced a ground ball which turned into a double play to get out of the inning without any damage. That’s about the way I felt as I picked up my check, the owner having watched the whole time as I “operated on his baby”. I was able to get out of the inning without any damage; a very tough inning even for a seasoned locksmith.
The picture of this Silver 1978 Corvette was pulled from the internet (Link provided in the title bar). The one I worked on looked so similar as to nearly be a twin.
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