If being used on a sub-standard quality lock, there is a higher chance of issues.  The bump key can misalign the pins it is designed to manipulate.  This will cause the lock to become jammed and cease to function normally.  This can happen if the lock is in the secure position or after being popped open.  If jammed in the secure position, the lock will most likely need to be further broken and/or removed.  If jammed in the open position, the locking mechanism will fail, and not be able to return to the secure position again.

In untrained hands, the bump key can cause the same issues as above.  The bump key can also be broken at the head, leaving the business end stuck in the target keyhole.  However, training and practice with a bump key can be done quick and easy, making it a miniature locksmith in the hands of almost anyone.  In higher graded locks, particularly those made of hardened steel; it is actually less likely that the bump key will cause damage, as the pins and lock mechanisms are more resilient.  The important of whether a bump key will cause damage is two-fold.  From the locksmith’s point of view, it allows an fast and simple way to bypass a lock.  Destroying a locking mechanism is usually the locksmith’s last resort.  From the vantage point of law enforcement officials, it can be difficult to tell a point or method.  This is good, if being used by them to plant listening devices or execute certain types of warrants.  The ability of the bump key being used by criminals to avoid detection, however, is worrisome.

There are two types of skeleton keys.  Neither type designed to work with tumbler locks.  A skeleton key is crafted to work with a warded lock.  Warded locks are either old or very inexpensive.  In older buildings, where one can actually look through the keyhole, we will see one type of skeleton key.  These are typically long iron keys that have a bulbous although hollow head to grip when turning the key.  They are thought to have gotten their name from the way they look like a skeleton.  The other type of skeleton key is similar in that it is made for more simple locks.  Filing cabinets, bike locks, and other low end devices use what are known as warded locks.  These are a predecessor to the tumbler locks, simply requiring the right fit to grab hold of and nudge the actual locking mechanism to the side.  Skeleton keys were designed to be able to fit multiple wards and are considered the predecessor to the bump key.

In either of these cases, the bump key differs drastically, because the master and skeleton do not require force or skill to use.  They are designed to fit multiple locks and work.  Both skeleton and master keys were produced by the manufacturers while the bump key was designed and made mostly by locksmiths.  While the bump key is meant to defeat security systems only some skeleton keys are made to the same.  Of the remaining skeleton and master keys, they are legitimate pieces of hardware meant to work in accordance with their locking mechanism’s design.

bump keys are used as a means to subvert traditional tumbler locks.  Most homes, businesses, and other locked facilities today use tumbler locks.  The basic idea is simple.  Find a key that fits the lock, although it will not open it, cut all grooves to the appropriate width and length, while also sizing them to the deepest setting possible.  When the bump key is employed, it now fits a lock and with the appropriate method and force can be used to gain entry.

The bump key is a tool used for lock picking.  While the legitimate uses of locksmiths and law enforcement are readily apparent, so is the potential for criminal activity.  A bump key can be utilized on virtually any tumbler lock, 5 and 6 pin being the most prevalent.  All that it requires is a key that fits and a little bit of know-how.

Conversely, bump key is also sometimes referred to as a technique rather than a tool.  Again, with the proper combination of power and skill, standard keys that have not been specially cut can be used to open similar (albeit lower quality) tumbler locks.  As technology has increased and specifications have grown more stringent, this technique can rarely be used without the aforementioned tool: a proper bump key.

If you are concerned about the security of your lock and whether it is easily overcome by a bump key, you should consult a security professional or locksmith.  Even some high grade locks can easily be opened within seconds to someone skilled with a bump key.

A tumbler lock is the standard type of lock found on most businesses and homes today. It is crafted to accept a key with certain dimensions into its entryway. In the industry, this is called simply “keyhole.” What happens within the tumbler mechanism, however, is a series of pins of varied sizes move back and forth. In one position, these pins will prevent the rotation of the actual bolt or rod that the lock relies upon. In the unlocked position, the pins move slightly to allow movement to one side or another and thus disengage the actual locking mechanism.

A bump key is designed to work alongside these principles, rather than against them. The bump key is one that fits into a keyhole and has typically been cut to the deepest specifications permitted by the manufacturer. What this does is allow the bump key to depress every pin within the lock. This will not open the lock, however. Either by jiggling the key, or most commonly by striking the key with an object such as a mallet or other tool, the bump key temporarily jars the pins to allow the locking rod to then move and open. Some styles of locks require that they bump key be fully inserted and then withdrawn a step before the strike or “bump” takes place. With a well-crafted bump key and a skilled handler, this can be done in less than a second with minimal noise. Even clumsy bump key users, if they have the proper bump key, can usually bypass the locking mechanism within seconds. Sometimes, this causes a fair amount of attention to be drawn due to the multiple strikes required to unsettle the pins properly.

The use of a bump key can be virtually undetectable. If done properly, a bump key only temporarily dislocates the tumbler’s pins, allowing them to fall back in place once the lock has been engaged. In other cases, the bump key can permanently dislodge the tumbler pins, rendering the invasion obvious and the lock useless.

You are not going to walk into you typical hardware store or even locksmith and get a positive answer when asking to purchase a bump key.  bump keys are used by professional law enforcement, locksmiths, and criminals.  The first two know exactly where and how to get a hold of a bump key.  The last group either knows, or is not going to find much help.

Similarly, bump keys are not made or distributed by manufacturers or dealers.  Instead, bump keys are made.  By gaining the proper blank for a given manufacturer’s tumbler lock, a bump key must then be cut down to size.  This includes crafting the proper shape and length of grooves.  The bump key must also have each depth at its highest setting.

Even if one cannot acquire an actual blank, because the key is patented or otherwise not available to the general public, this does not make it impossible for a bump key to made.  Such a tactic only deters the attempt.  bump keys can also be made from an impression of a key, requiring some skilled to shape one to the appropriate dimensions.

Obtaining the bump key is the hardest part about this form of security bypass.  Experts have shown that it takes minimal training for someone to effectively utilize it.  One well respected authority indicates it can be taught in under an hour and that those who choose to teach themselves can easily do it by purchasing lock mechanisms and repeatedly practicing.

With the ready availability of most residential duplicate keys, the news of this technique spreading is detrimental to security.  Although bump keys have not been cited as causing any major increase in criminal activity, instructions on how to make and use them are readily available on the Internet.  If you look, one can even find videos on free sites showing everything you need to know and more about bump keys.

Unfortunately, almost all of these things require the expenditure of money.  Consumers have been particularly stingy with their money when it comes to locks; believe one is as good as any other.  This is simply not true.  As knowledge and use of the bump key continues to spread, it is imperative to take the right steps before it is too late.  Some insurance companies already require business and homes of a certain value or in particular areas to take additional precautions.  They will often require you to install advance locking and/or security systems.  This is most likely only going to become more commonplace right next to its causes, such as the bump key.

If you are concerned abut the security of you home or business—and, who isn’t?—one of the first things you can do is hire a locksmith.  The locksmith can evaluate your doors and locks and make suggestions as to how vulnerable they are to circumvention including by intrusions made with a bump key.  The locksmith can also recommend what locks to purchase, if you do need new locks.  Be prepared as good locks come at a premium price.

Other things you can do to prevent illegal entry include hiring a security consultant, but there are a few simple steps you can take here as well.  Install multiple locks by different manufacturers.  The more bump keys needed, the less likely a target.  Make sure all entry ways are visible and well-lit.  Someone may otherwise hear the noise caused by using the bump key, but not know where it came from unless they can see.  Simple overhangs can also be installed on a doorframe, making it difficult for one to strike the top of a bump key.  Something suggested here and by others may seem hardly worth the trouble, but protecting yourself from the damage of a bump key and other methods of intrusion can be priceless.

A bump key is designed to with tumbler and dimple locks. The lower quality locks can usually easily be thwarted by a bump key. At the same time, a lock of too low a quality can also be shattered relatively easily. While investigating the option of a higher quality lock, home and business owners may be surprised to find out just how much a so-called “good” lock can cost. Furthermore, many manufacturers’ locks were rated without consideration being given to the wide-spread use of bump keys. It is quite likely that at least some of these “high quality” locks will lose their rating upon closer inspection of the proliferation of the knowledge of bump keys.

Typically, the more expensive a lock, the harder it is to defeat. This isn’t necessarily always the case when faced with the prospect of a bump key. The tumbler locks made of hardened steel can be more resistant to damage that would cause lesser locks to jam. At the same time, stricter tolerances in regards to the pins positioning can also prove to be a better lock’s own defeat, and these typically allow the pins to move smoother and more freely.

One particular type of tumbler lock that has proven especially resistant to bump keys is one that employs horizontal sidebar technology. Of course, as with anything else, you generally get what you pay for. Locks that do not require keys are impossible to compromise with a bump key. For standard 5 and 6 pin tumbler locks, however, the bump key poses a serious threat.