The always 'fun' battle to get a key made

[Lee Bruns]

Went to four places in town. None had anyone that could simply LOOK at the key and compare the profile. Every one of them was 100 percent locked into 'the book', so when they asked "what is it for" and I replied "It's a specialty thing. It won't be in the book, but the profile is the same as other things" they looked at me as if I had three heads. They simply can't comprehend not using the book. So, after failing everywhere else in this small town, I went back to the first place, the key blanks are right there, so I walked up to them, eyeballed a bit, found the blank that looks like my Quota key, and handed it to the lady. "Carve this key onto this blank", and she did, and it works fine. It's a triumph key, if anyone needs that info. The one good lock place we have here, is only available during the day, when I'm at work. I'm left to the hardware stores and farm stores after 5pm. New key procured!

[Oca Grassa]

I’m quite lucky. In the next town over is an outstanding locksmith shop.

Retired Navy guy owns & operates. Kids work there too. My go to place.

Can still cut a key from a key code. Reasonable rates. Even makes house calls to fix locks on house doors or cars.

Gotten spare keys to all my bikes cut there. Ducati, Aprilia, Suzuki….Nissan, GM etc. Not needed one for my Norge…not yet anyway. Thanks for the tip on the Triumph key.

[Lee Bruns]

I’m quite lucky. In the next town over is an outstanding locksmith shop.

Retired Navy guy owns & operates. Kids work there too. My go to place.

Can still cut a key from a key code. Reasonable rates. Even makes house calls to fix locks on house doors or cars.

Gotten spare keys to all my bikes cut there. Ducati, Aprilia, Suzuki….Nissan, GM etc. Not needed one for my Norge…not yet anyway. Thanks for the tip on the Triumph key.

Oh for sure. We have one great locksmith shop that can do it, but they're not open after 5. So, no one with a day job can go there. The reality of businesses not being open after 5 or on weekends is a real FU to people with day jobs.

[ridingron]

That's one of my big reasons for working the evening shift. All the stores were open and usually with fewer customers. The doctor appointments were closer to being on time.   

It's sad that people operate a service business and close at 5. If you want to live a 9 to 5 life, get a 9 to 5 job.

[monkeyodeath]

With older stuff I've had the best luck just buying a blank online and going to my local key cutting guy. (Hardware store won't do it anymore, alas)

Blanks are usually pretty cheap and never paid more than like $7 to have it duped from an original.

[Perazzimx14]

BMW makes it easy. Call up any BMW Motorrad and give them the bikes VIN and provide proof of ownership then wait a few days and a new key will be delivered to you in the mail.

[Moparnut72]

Do hardware stores do anything anymore other than sell s**t. I worked in a hardware store many years ago, we cut glass, cut plywood to size, I even cut laid out stair stringers for decks. Which brings to mind, my local hardware store has a lot of empty shelves and hangers, standard hardware stuff, lots of high ticket items though, generators etc. Sorry for the thread drift, I couldn't help myself, very frustrated.
kk

[kballowe]

I had a similar experience.  Finally ended up at ACE Hardware and an 18 year old girl took me in the back to a tub of old keys and found one that was "close".  She cut the key and then proceeded to file it here and there.  It worked better than the original.

My latest experience was an 85 year old "locksmith" in a 40 year old clapped-out conversion van.  I met him in the parking lot of a small local cafe.  He popped the hood and hooked an inverter to the battery with a set of loooong jumper cables and then plugged in a key cutter that was bolted to a board.  He cut the keys out the back of the van, and they worked perfectly.


hahaha - remember the old days when everyone cut keys and half of them didn't work ? 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

If not in a hurry, Keys4Classics in Australia has blanks and can cut to code.

MG Cycle has blanks for the Quota and other models of the era.
https://www.mgcycle.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_140&products_id=1229

Some information here: https://www.thisoldtractor.com/moto_guzzi_tonti_keys_for_the_ignition_switch.html

[Bulldog9]

I'm fortunate to have a local old school hardware store near me that still cuts keys. This thread reminds me I need a spare key for the Convert. I imagine Harpers or MG Cycle?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I'm fortunate to have a local old school hardware store near me that still cuts keys. This thread reminds me I need a spare key for the Convert. I imagine Harpers or MG Cycle?

Per the link I posted above...


Key blanks for the early Moto Guzzi V1000 I-Convert

Thanks to Charlie Mullendore of Antietam Classic Cycle for sending me additional cross-reference information. In Charlie's own words:

    Key blank cross-reference for the original switch on early Converts like my '76. Alfa Romeo and Fiat blanks. Key codes starting with an "H".

        Silca AF5D
        Ilco F91H
        Dominion 63SH
        Taylor F69H
        Curtis FT31

[yackee]

I've had such a similar experience with trying to get a trunk key made for my Fiat Spider. I only have one original, and am worried it will snap and mean I can't open the trunk. I do the Internet thing, see hints that some once-common lawn tractor blank will work, go to Ace, get an old guy willing to experiment, and he makes me a key with what he guesses is the modern equivalent of the blank, says "if it doesn't work come back and I'll give you a refund". It works great! But I manage to snap off the handle due to my own idiocy. I go back to Ace, they have just installed a new computerized key reader, which tries to read my original key and spits back a message "no key found". I try to explain that so-and-so law tractor blank will work, but the youngster can't compute. The computer says nothing exists for this key, and so, nothing can be done.

[DoubleGuzzi]

On eBay, I got a spare for my Breva made from front & back photos, onto a Silca blank. Works great, keeping the original as the spare.
 

[wirespokes]

I've gotten the blanks (probably from Charlie's link) and filed them myself. I've got a key cutting machine, but don't trust it.

Small hobby craft files - the triangular one - make the job easy.

On some bikes I got without keys, I've taken the switch apart, measured the pins and filed the new key by hand.

[nc43bsa]

On some bikes I got without keys, I've taken the switch apart, measured the pins and filed the new key by hand.

I've done that with ignition locks on British bikes.  I've had to pick the lock to get the cylinder to the position it has to be to be removed from the switch.

[John Croucher]

A Guzzi key cross reference over to hundreds of different vehicles.

Including John Deere, lawn mower, Harley.  The blank is generic.

[Bulldog9]

I've gotten the blanks (probably from Charlie's link) and filed them myself. I've got a key cutting machine, but don't trust it.

Small hobby craft files - the triangular one - make the job easy.

On some bikes I got without keys, I've taken the switch apart, measured the pins and filed the new key by hand.

Patience of a saint. I could never do that.

[Moparnut72]

Years ago I was on a family camping trip when my BIL lost the only key for my truck. I called a lock smith, he had the correct blank. He kept putting it in the door lock and would turn it a bit then take it out and file on it. Even though it was a double sided key he had it working in less than 20 minutes. I was very impressed to say the least. When I got my first Guzzi, a 1400 it came with only one key. I had a couple of extras made after getting a couple of blanks. Needless to say the ignition switch turned but the bike wouldn't start. Duh.
kk

[Lee Bruns]

A Guzzi key cross reference over to hundreds of different vehicles.

Including John Deere, lawn mower, Harley.  The blank is generic.

That may be true, but it doesn't change the reality that if the people MAKING THE KEYS don't have it listed in the book, they're often stymied. Which brings us back to the very first post.