CRL Key Identification & Duplication — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which manufacturer's residential locks commonly use the SC1 keyway?

Kwikset
Schlage (Correct answer)
Yale
Master Lock

Correct answer: Schlage

SC1 is the standard 5-pin residential keyway used by Schlage.

Question 2: On most pin tumbler keys, how are the cut positions numbered?

From the tip toward the bow
From the bow toward the tip (Correct answer)
From the center outward
Randomly by manufacturer

Correct answer: From the bow toward the tip

Position 1 is conventionally the cut closest to the bow (head) of the key.

Question 3: Which tool is used to measure the depth of existing cuts on a key?

Feeler gauge only
Depth gauge or key caliper (Correct answer)
Tension wrench
Plug follower

Correct answer: Depth gauge or key caliper

A depth gauge or caliper measures cut depths so they can be matched to the manufacturer's depth chart.

Question 4: A key blank that is aligned in the duplicator vise by the very end of its blade is called:

Shoulder-stop
Tip-stop (Correct answer)
Bow-stop
Collar-stop

Correct answer: Tip-stop

Tip-stop blanks are positioned against the end of the blade rather than the shoulder.

Question 5: What is the main purpose of a key blank cross-reference guide from Ilco or Silca?

Listing pin counts of padlocks
Matching a key to the correct compatible blank (Correct answer)
Pricing keys for customers
Identifying lock manufacturers' serial numbers

Correct answer: Matching a key to the correct compatible blank

Cross-reference guides show which blanks from different brands fit the same keyway.

Question 6: Why should a freshly cut key be deburred with a brush wheel?

To harden the metal
To remove metal burrs that can jam or damage the lock (Correct answer)
To change the keyway profile
To mark the key for identification

Correct answer: To remove metal burrs that can jam or damage the lock

Burrs left from cutting can catch pins and cause the key to bind or wear the cylinder.

Question 7: The typical Kwikset KW1 residential cylinder uses how many pin positions?

4
5 (Correct answer)
6
7

Correct answer: 5

The KW1 keyway is used in standard 5-pin Kwikset cylinders.

Question 8: What does the transponder chip in an automotive key communicate with?

The door lock actuator only
The vehicle's immobilizer system (Correct answer)
The tire pressure sensors
The GPS unit

Correct answer: The vehicle's immobilizer system

The chip sends a coded signal that the immobilizer must recognize before the engine will start.

Question 9: A laser-cut (sidewinder) automotive key differs from a standard edge-cut key because its cuts are:

Milled into the flat side of the blade as a track (Correct answer)
Only on the bow
Made with a drill press only
Located on the tip

Correct answer: Milled into the flat side of the blade as a track

Laser-cut keys have a milled track in the blade's side and require a specialized milling cutter.

Question 10: Wafer locks are most commonly found in which application?

Deadbolts with 6 pins
Filing cabinets, desks and some older automotive locks (Correct answer)
Bank vault doors
High-security padlocks

Correct answer: Filing cabinets, desks and some older automotive locks

Wafer tumbler locks are inexpensive and widely used in cabinets, desks and older vehicle locks.

Question 11: Medeco keys are considered high security partly because their cuts:

Are all the same depth
Use angled cuts that rotate the pins to align a sidebar (Correct answer)
Are made with a laser only
Require no keyway

Correct answer: Use angled cuts that rotate the pins to align a sidebar

Medeco pins must be both lifted and rotated by angled cuts to align the sidebar.

Question 12: A key stamped 'Do Not Duplicate' should be handled by a professional locksmith by:

Copying it freely because the stamp has no force
Verifying authorization before copying (Correct answer)
Refusing all key work for that customer
Removing the stamp and copying

Correct answer: Verifying authorization before copying

The stamp is not a lock, but ethical practice requires confirming the customer is authorized to have copies.

Question 13: Before cutting a key from a VIN-derived code, a reputable locksmith should:

Skip any verification
Verify proof of ownership and identity (Correct answer)
Ask only for a phone number
Request payment first and verify later

Correct answer: Verify proof of ownership and identity

Proof of ownership prevents key cutting that could facilitate vehicle theft.

Question 14: Why must many transponder keys be programmed after cutting?

The blade is not strong enough
The vehicle must learn the chip's code (Correct answer)
The key needs a battery
The cuts need to be calibrated by laser

Correct answer: The vehicle must learn the chip's code

Cutting only makes the blade turn the lock; the vehicle computer must still be taught the chip's ID.

Question 15: What is the key difference between a code-cutting machine and a tracing duplicator?

Code machines cut from bitting specifications rather than tracing an original (Correct answer)
Tracing machines work only on car keys
Code machines require a pattern key
There is no difference

Correct answer: Code machines cut from bitting specifications rather than tracing an original

Code machines position the cutter by numeric bitting data, so no original key is required.

Question 16: The standard depth increment between cuts for a Schlage key is approximately:

.005 inch
.015 inch (Correct answer)
.050 inch
.100 inch

Correct answer: .015 inch

Schlage depth increments are .015 inch, while Kwikset uses .023 inch.

Question 17: Cut spacing (center-to-center distance between cuts) for Schlage SC1 keys is about:

.156 inch (Correct answer)
.250 inch
.300 inch
.075 inch

Correct answer: .156 inch

Schlage spacing is .156 inch, versus .150 inch for Kwikset.

Question 18: If a copy cut from a worn original does not operate smoothly, the best remedy is to:

Recut from the lock's code or a less worn key (Correct answer)
Add lubricant to the blade
File the cuts deeper
Replace the cylinder immediately

Correct answer: Recut from the lock's code or a less worn key

Copies of worn keys inherit and compound the wear, so cutting from code or a better key is more accurate.

Question 19: A duplicate key that will not fully insert into the lock most likely has which problem?

Cuts too shallow
Blade not seated properly in the vise, causing wrong shoulder or tip alignment (Correct answer)
Too much lubricant in the lock
A damaged bow

Correct answer: Blade not seated properly in the vise, causing wrong shoulder or tip alignment

Improper vise seating shifts all cuts and often makes the key fail to insert or turn.

Question 20: A worn cutter wheel on a duplicating machine will most likely result in:

Cuts that are inaccurate or rough (Correct answer)
Longer key blades
Keys that are too hard
Faster cutting with no issues

Correct answer: Cuts that are inaccurate or rough

A dull or worn cutter produces imprecise cuts and rough surfaces.

Question 21: A paracentric keyway primarily helps to:

Speed up key cutting
Restrict picking and unauthorized blank availability (Correct answer)
Reduce lock cost
Allow keys to work in multiple brands

Correct answer: Restrict picking and unauthorized blank availability

Paracentric profiles with warding extending past the centerline make picking harder and limit blank access.

CRL Key Identification & Duplication

Which manufacturer's residential locks commonly use the SC1 keyway?

🃏 Study This Quiz as Flashcards →

📚 Want to go deeper? Read the Full Exam Study Guide →

What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CRL

An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:

A timed, full-length CRL mock exam — 100 questions in 120 minutes with a 70% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
A fixed CRL question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
A printable CRL cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
CRL flashcards built from the same question bank.

Start the Timed CRL Mock Exam →

These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

aloa.org — Score release, test delivery, eligibility, exam format, test dates, exam information · verified Nov 2026
aloamembers.org — Fees, retake fee, retake policy · verified Oct 2026