Get Crazy with Keys

Keys are the key to everything these days. We used them to open doors, keep safes locked with our precious items inside, in our cars and for locking just about anything that can lock. The history of the key dates back to the medieval period when keys were initially crafted and carved from wood. The keys were used for jails, castle doors and home locks in a bid to keep out the enemy. However, the locks in which the wooden keys would fit were heavy and clumsy and tended to break too often.

Later the metal key was forged and the locks they fitted were also made from metal or iron so that they were longer lasting and more convenient. The metal keys were still huge and bulbous but they were less delicate and far stronger. Eventually, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries keys began to decrease in size as new technology moved forward. Soon, we used them in automobiles and the small keys could be replicated using a machine devised to ‘cut’ a copy of the key. This made it easier to use keys and locks on doors and other items and if a key was lost it was easier to get a new one cut.

Types of Key

House keys are flat cut keys which fit into a locking barrel, which, when turned can either lock or unlock the door. No two locks are identical and no key should fit a lock for which it was not made. However, there are instances where this is not the case and mostly with the use of a master key. Many apartment blocks have mastered locks so that access can be granted to the landlord or maintenance crews in the tenants absence.

Most hardware stores sell Ilco key blanks, which is one of the many brand names that supplies blanks for cutting replica keys. The keys come in many shapes and sizes for cutting different styles of keys, which is very handy if you need a new door key cut for another household member, or simply as a spare to hide in case you forget your own key. Many keys can be printed with colors, logos and patterns to make them more customized and more personal, making your keys more interesting.

To find the best Ilco key blanks call or check out Key Craze for an idea of prices and key blanks available in their huge range of choices.