Locksmith Test #1 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Mushroom and Spool pins is:

Make keys harder to duplicate
Make a lock easier to pick
Make keys easier to duplicate
Can hinder normal picking attempts (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Can hinder normal picking attempts

Mushroom and spool pins are types of security pins used in locks to increase their resistance to picking. Their irregular shapes create false sets when a pick attempts to manipulate them, making it difficult for a lock picker to determine the true shear line. This effectively hinders normal picking attempts by confusing the picker about the pin's actual position.

Question 2: The 10 cut wafer sidebar locks made by General Motors typically have:

A sum total of cut depths that must equal an even number (Correct answer)
Up to four of the same depth cut in the 7,8,9 and 10 spaces
A maximum of five number 1 depths in a code combination

Correct answer: A sum total of cut depths that must equal an even number

General Motors 10-cut wafer sidebar locks often incorporate specific keying rules for security and manufacturing. One such rule dictates that the sum total of all the key cut depths must equal an even number. This mathematical constraint serves as a security feature, making it harder to create unauthorized working keys without knowing this specific pattern.

Question 3: A MACS of a Kwikset Titan is:

2
3
4 (Correct answer)
5

Correct answer: 4

MACS stands for Maximum Adjacent Cut Specification, which defines the maximum allowable difference in depth between any two adjacent cuts on a key. For Kwikset Titan locks, the MACS is 4. This specification is crucial for preventing key breakage due to excessively deep or shallow adjacent cuts and ensuring the smooth operation of the lock's pinning mechanism.

Question 4: A key in a knob lock whose default setting is that both knobs are locked and demand the use of a key to unlock it is

A function lock
A school lock
A classroom lock
An institution lock (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An institution lock

An institution lock, also known as an institutional function lock, is designed so that both the interior and exterior knobs are always locked. This means a key is required at all times for both entry and exit. This function is typically used in settings like storage rooms or specific institutional areas where strict control over access and egress is necessary.

Question 5: How many pin tumbler sets make up the average house door lock?

5 or 6 (Correct answer)
7 or 8
3 or 4
11 or 12

Correct answer: 5 or 6

Most standard residential pin tumbler locks, commonly found on house doors, utilize either 5 or 6 pin tumbler sets. Each set corresponds to a specific cut on the key, and all pins must be aligned at the shear line for the lock to open. While high-security locks might have more, 5 or 6 is the average for typical household applications.

Question 6: On GM autos, the following common lock style is employed:

An Automotive tubular key
A sidebar wafer (Correct answer)
An Automotive Bit key
A Medeco pin tumbler

Correct answer: A sidebar wafer

GM autos commonly employ sidebar wafer locks, which are a type of disc detainer lock. This design utilizes a series of rotating wafers and a sidebar mechanism, providing enhanced security. This system makes them more resistant to common picking techniques compared to traditional pin tumbler locks.

Question 7: Which manufacturer's interchangeable core locks are the most well-known?

Ilco Interchangeable Core Corporation
Best Lock (Correct answer)
Interchangeable Core Corporation
Kwikset Corporation

Correct answer: Best Lock

Best Lock is widely recognized as the most prominent manufacturer of interchangeable core (IC) locks. Their patented IC system allows for quick and easy rekeying without disassembling the lock housing. This efficiency and widespread adoption have made Best Lock a standard in the industry, especially for large facilities and master key systems.

Question 8: These are the two most typical key stops:

Keyway grooves and bittings
Bow and blade
Blade and v cut
Shoulder and tip (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Shoulder and tip

The shoulder and tip are the two most typical key stops that limit how far a key can be inserted into a lock. The shoulder is the flat part where the blade meets the bow, and the tip is the very end of the key blade. These stops ensure the key is correctly positioned for the bitting to align with the lock's internal components.

Question 9: Basically, a blank is merely

An uncut or uncombinated key (Correct answer)
A master key with no words or numbers on the bow
A change key with cuts on one side only
Any key with no words or numbers on the bow

Correct answer: An uncut or uncombinated key

A key blank is fundamentally an uncut piece of metal shaped to fit a specific keyway, but without any bittings (cuts). It is in its raw form, ready to be cut or 'combinated' to match a particular lock's internal mechanism. This allows locksmiths to create new keys for various locks.

Question 10: What kind of cylinder is commonly used on a "jimmy proof" or interlocking deadbolt?

Key in knob cylinder
Rim Cylinder (Correct answer)
Tubular Deadbolt Cylinder
Mortise cylinder

Correct answer: Rim Cylinder

A 'jimmy proof' or interlocking deadbolt commonly uses a rim cylinder. Unlike mortise or tubular cylinders that fit within the door, a rim cylinder mounts to the surface of the door. Its tailpiece extends through to engage the deadbolt mechanism on the inside, characteristic of these specific deadbolt types.

Question 11: A key machine's cutter must be inserted into the jaw of the vise.

False (Correct answer)
True

Correct answer: False

The statement is false because the cutter of a key machine is a rotating tool that cuts the bittings into the key blank. It is the key blank, not the cutter, that must be securely inserted into the jaw of the vise. The vise holds the key blank steady while the cutter shapes it.

Locksmith Test #1

Mushroom and Spool pins is: