meaning of the word. Moreover, the word paracentric is somewhat uncommon and isn’t listed in most dictionaries. It thus de- serves a formal description at this point for the benefit of all. The word paracentric is derived from the words para, meaning along and/or closely related to, and centric, meaning located in or at a center, concentrated about a center or directed to a center. These descriptions are from Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. That reference work also describes the word along (from the description of the word para) as “in a line parallel with” and “in the direc- tion of.” The word along is also represented by the synonym, “the length of.” Putting all of these descriptions together, you can say that a paracentric key lies along the length of, is parallel and closely related to and is concentrated about the rotational center of a cylinder plug. Thus, the word paracentric efficiently describes the physical proximity and relationship of a key to a cylindrical lock when the two are used together. Identifying and Locating Paracentric Keys It’s relatively easy for experienced lock- smiths to identify the most commonly used paracentric keys and to quickly locate the correct key blanks with which to duplicate them. However, several factors can compli- cate these tasks. The main problems are that many keys have very similar blades that are hard to differentiate and some key blanks are actually interchangeable while others are not, even though they may appear to be identical. In addition, some keys lack identi- fying markings and features. These factors oſten make it difficult and time-consuming to make accurate comparisons. Another complicating factor is the lag between the time that new keys come on the market and the time that matching key blanks become available. Such delays result in requests for duplicate keys for which no exact key blanks are available, and that oſten WWW.ALOA.ORG “The main problems are that many keys have very similar blades that are hard to differentiate and some key blanks are actually interchangeable while others are not, even though they may appear to be identical.” results in time-consuming searches for suit- able substitutes. In addition, certain keys, par- ticularly double-sided automotive keys, may look the same but might actually have slight differences in blade width, thickness or other features. Some automotive key blades are the same as those of previous model years, but the bows might be different, or the bows may be the same and the blades might be slightly or completely different. These inconsistencies tend to be confusing and troublesome when you’re tying to keep up with the everyday workload in a busy lock and key shop. Another problem is that there has long been and continues to be a constant prolif- eration of oddball paracentric keys used on various domestic and import items such as lock boxes, fire safes, machinery, recreational vehicles, storage compartments, golf carts and the list goes on. Substitute key blank manufacturers eventually produce matching key blanks for most of these keys. However, there are always some keys for which no exact original or dedicated substitute key blanks are readily available. In addition, it’s impractical for most lock- smiths to stock all the seldom-used domes- tic and foreign key blanks. There are simply too many that are used infrequently, if ever, and the cost of stocking all of them would be prohibitive. It’s sometimes possible to find a substitute key blank that’s a perfect match for one of these troublesome keys. However, in most cases you simply have to find the closest possible match that will likely produce a good working duplicate. Slightly different substitutes will oſten produce good results when used on locks with loose tolerances. However, slightly dif- ferent substitutes usually do not work well on locks with tight tolerances. If you have a milling-type duplicator (equipped with an appropriate assortment of tracers and cut- ters), you can use it to modify the blade of a closely matched existing key blank and thus produce a more precise substitute. When all else fails, it is sometimes pos- sible to obtain additional pre-cut keys from the original manufacturers or from their wholesale or retail outlets. They’re oſten the only available sources for such keys. All of these different factors can turn key identifi- cation and key blank location into a difficult, time-consuming, frustrating process. You can eliminate, or at least minimize, most of these problems by becoming as familiar as possible with all the different features and markings of paracentric keys, by knowing your key blank inventories, and by utilizing the available key blank catalogs and cross references on a regular basis. The Ilco Auto/ Truck Key Blank Reference is particularly helpful in automotive key identification and key blank location. In my next article, I’ll discuss the physi- cal features of paracentric keys. Vern Bedore has an electromechanical background, having spent 12 years in the aerospace industry. He has been a locksmith for nearly four decades, some- times supervising as many as a dozen employees. He has operated shop and mobile operations from the same location for 39 years, providing automotive, residential and commercial lock services to the Sun Cities area of Northwest Phoenix, Arizona. JANUARY 2014 KEYNOTES 39
