CML Automotive Locksmithing Flashcards

What is the purpose of a vehicle key code book or cutting specification chart?

Answer: To provide exact cut depth and spacing for each position on a vehicle key by code

Key code books and cutting charts provide the precise depth values and spacing dimensions for cutting keys to a specific vehicle's key code or bitting number.

When impressioning a vehicle door lock, what is the primary indicator that a tumbler has made contact with the key blank?

Answer: A bright, shiny witness mark on the key blank

Contact between a tumbler and the key blank leaves a bright, shiny witness mark that shows the locksmith exactly where material must be filed.

What documentation does ALOA professional standards require for automotive key origination jobs?

Answer: A record of the customer's ID, vehicle information, and work performed

ALOA professional standards require documenting customer identification, vehicle information, and work performed on all key origination jobs to protect both the locksmith and the customer.

What type of lock cylinder is most common in vehicle door locks, allowing key removal in multiple positions?

Answer: Wafer lock cylinder

Vehicle door locks typically use wafer lock cylinders, where flat spring-loaded wafers allow key insertion and removal in multiple rotational positions.

Which federal or professional regulatory framework most directly governs automotive locksmith ownership verification requirements in the US?

Answer: State laws combined with professional association standards (such as ALOA) require ownership verification

No single federal law mandates verification; instead, state laws, local ordinances, and professional standards from organizations like ALOA collectively require it.

What is the correct term for a key designed to operate all vehicles in a company fleet with different key cuts?

Answer: Fleet master key

A fleet master key is specifically designed to operate all vehicles within a fleet, though modern transponder immobilizers have largely eliminated the use of mechanical fleet masters.