Yeah, I wasn't too into the Res/Com Lishi's until I bought a set of 8 on sale one year. In one case a client knew they lost their house key at the river and just needed a new key made without rekeying the rest of the locks, so it did come in handy there. I find it comes in handy especially on lever handles as those are the most awkward style locks to pick as well as some of those have to be picked over to take apart, so it saves time to make a key for like the other 12 in the building and such haha Locksport wise I guess Lishi ranks with the Bump Key lol - Kilo

@@LockandKilo interesting question: at what point is it worth your time to decode and cut a key (and lose the cost of a blank + equipment wear) because it's just faster than picking the lock if the customer does not explicitly request a new key? Ie your picking minute rate vs decoding minutes rate + blank cost + cutting time, any idea?

@@froggypicker That's a good question! It's not often I find myself using these Lishi's as opposed to the Auto Lishi's(when I was on the auto side of the trade), since it's usually going to be a rekey job. Usually in your mind as a Locksmith you just know you are going to end up making a new key or rekey a home, so most of the time I just pick the lock the standard way since my pick kit is always by my side as opposed to where I keep the Lishi's hidden lol For the one job with the client who just lost their key in the river and were 100% certain on that, they had a Defiant, so I used the KW1 Lishi to pick, decode and cut a key in about 3 minutes overall. It kind of depends on the shop owner on this tho.. Some owners will not even entertain the thought of picking longer than a couple of minutes, they will drill a lock and sell a customer a new one in a lot of cases, others will spend a decent amount of time if their schedule permits it. Really a major deciding factor is the schedule. If you are back-to-back-to-back booked up, then you'll rake everything and shim the locks and just rekey, if they are certain they just misplaced the key and only want a new copy made then you can knock it out in a few minutes for a service charge and move along to the next call. There are a lot of variables to it, sometimes you'll have some massive jobs coming up and your boss will squeeze in one of these calls, it's also helpful to many Locksmith's as the majority can't really pick much above a Kwikset consistently. Lock Picking isn't generally even taught at shops so much as it's a skill you obtain with trial and error on-the-job and lock-out's like this are maybe 5% of the job...usually the owner sends the best picker they have and trust so many guys never learn it. If the client has like 4 different keyways on 14 different locks on 6 different doors then you'll pick them standard, shim and rekey. If they have 14 smartlocks all keyed alike, this would be the option as you can decode, cut the key and then change the key over in 1/8 of the time it'd take you to take them all apart...if you didn't have the LockTech Tool lol - Kilo

Lishis are badass for cars. I had like 5 or 6 I used all the time. The Ford 8 cut lishi, gm 10 cut, gm z keyway 10 cut, Chrysler 8 cut. Just those 4 made me a ton of money. The Ford 8 cut lishi made its money back like 1000 fold. I bust ass with the lishi Ford 8 cut. I can cut a full working key in like 5 minutes with it. I definitely use autotel to tell me where the cuts are if it's 1-6 or 2-7. Then use a code software to get the last 2 cuts. It's a max of 3 keys. The Ford 8 cut lishi is hands down the best one in my opinion.

Outside of the scope style decoders, this is the best/less expensive option, it also makes you look more professional than drilling them.

ever seen the smartkey decode which decodes it visually?

@@moisheshekelbag6336 $350

@@keithhaynie7950 it’s worth it though when you don’t Ben have to pick it at all to make a working key

Totally agree with the pain pain in the brain pain and the… Pain in the fingers pain in the excuses pain in the non-repair drive away pain in the missed opportunities. Pain in the everything with the Lishi tool. No more pain.

Thanks, Bear! Prior to this and the Lock Tech tool I used to just use a slide hammer lol

You’re welcome friend. Please tell your friend I have more great Door and lock tips coming your way. Thanks again.

DAKOTA!!!!!

The LockTech Decoder is definitely worth the investment as it can decode all KW1 models. But, as Gen 1 and 2's are still much more common, this will get you by!

What’s the Schlage tool? The locktech is definitely nice. Skips having to even do this step straight to hell recording with it. Pushing it in the lock an pulling it out a little slower. An going back to a van or wherever an watch back the video while making the key.

The vice I used in this video is from Harbor Freight. I bought it for other purposes as I do not pick locks in a vice normally lol I have had many requests and have someone working on shirts for the channel due to several requests over the past few months. I am honestly shocked I have such a following as I have been inactive due to a recent surgery that just took a toll on me, so I have just been working and resting any free time I have had. For the inserts you can always grab some material from Walmarts craft section cheap and wrap it with some small padding! Thank you for the sub and the support!

Unfortunately no, this method only allows decoding on Gen 1 and Gen 2 Smart-Key locks. You will still need to cut the key to actually unlock the door this way.

@LockandKilo thank you Sir....

The easiest way to know if this will work or not is when you insert the Lishi and apply tension and it remains loose. You'll start to identify these with time and experience. If you check out my video number [8], I pick and decode a Master Number 3 with the M1 Lishi. In that video I show some of the issues, such as over tensioning and cuts reading slightly off!

@@LockandKilo Thanks Kilo. I will just use my M1 lishi for decoding!

I have not tried it on all Gen's, I know that it works for sure on Gen 1 and Gen 2. I Know it doesn't work for the new SC1 version. If you are dealing with an early Gen and it's not working, remember to loosen tension until you reach a depth, then apply heavy tension. If it still is not working it may not work for that model. - Kilo

It's possible, when I was a new apprentice the veteran locksmith used to key these up to blanks and have us practice picking. Then we would key it up to 12345, 54321 and get a feel for it. Regardless of how many times I did it, I could only ever pick that lock after hours of trying. When I came to them in the field, I couldn't get a feel on it tbh. But, real world locks are always more difficult with positioning and wear. The side bars also make them tough to pick lol

Thanks! It's goin well, we have a heat wave here in So Cal, so I have been hiding from the sun haha Yeah, this is definitely a quick way to unlock one of these in a more professional way than having to drill them. Smart Locks are the boogeyman of the trade for a lot of the new guys.

@@LockandKilo Bump keys will also do the same thing on the job if they are locked out, but a tool that used to cost $120 and than dropped to around $50 is useful but not game changing like other KZfaq channels have tried to make it. Certain channels have tried to over hype the original and genuine Lishi tools, if trying to Easter egg hunt for the original Lishi they would be paying upwards of $800 to $1000 for all the original Lishi, the genuine Lishi for all of them on the market looking at about $5000 give or take. I have a list of both the original and genuine Lishi tools in 2 separate videos the genuine Lishi list came from a distributor out in California actually that I put to use publicly. If you haven’t seen the video for both of them I’d encourage you to watch them both.

@@BelmontClan You can’t bump them.They don’t use a pin tumbler mechanism, but a wafer sidebar system(Similar to old GM 6 cut locks)

@@lokpikr999 So I gathered from googling it, so if it’s wafers than a person should be able to use a medium set of jigglers to open it. Unless you are going to come in and disagree with every comment I leave lok? That does seem to be what you’ve done on a few of my comments, that does seem a little trollish to be honest. I don’t claim to be an expert, and a wafer lock would have a smaller profile and bitting logically. I happen to have a set of wafer picks and jigglers and 2 sets of bump keys for wafer locks for cabinets, drawers, and mailboxes.

@@BelmontClan Jiggling isn’t bumping.Bumping is a kinetic attack to create a shear line.Also. It isn’t a traditional wafer lock.The wafers interface with a sidebar(Which is what prevents the lock from turning)

The newer gen versions added a side bar that prevents this method. Gen 5 also used different style wafers inside so the Locktech tool can’t differentiate the first 3 cuts. But, they did make a new decoder tool for those cuts lol

​@@LockandKilo, It truly is an arms race. haha

Which tool is that?

For the Smart Key Lock, you can only decode it and make a new key. On a standard lock it is possible to pick it over either way, but the Lishi is designed to make a working key on top of picking the lock open.

It doesn’t matter they’re all bypassed with lishi tool like nothing you have to take them apart which is completely crazy. I can do it but why do it is pointless just by Lishi

I'll try and film some more impressioning style videos soon! If you haven't checked out the most recent one you can find it here! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hpOohLBntJ3NeIU.html

You are looking for excessive play. When you go through your progressions, you are testing each depth for play. When it rests on a number you will move to the next until you see it move significantly. You aren’t looking for the needle to rest on a particular depth, you want to start out on each depth and see which depth has excessive play.

Locktech Decoder is sweet for newer models. They also make an SC1 version as well, but that keyway is not very popular. I was made aware by viewers and other locksmiths that new gen Smart Locks have a different layout than previous models for the Locktech however.

It could possibly be turning the wrong direction or if the lock is picked in the correct direction, it could even just be a damaged lock/spindle or thumbpiece.

@@LockandKilo I think we was was turning it the wrong way .. 😆Embarrassing…Pops and I finally opened it Old Antique Sager …It was fun though.. Thanx BUD 🫡

@@antwontaylor3385 it happens lol glad to hear you got it!

With Master Lock it kind of depends on the lock. I noticed on the lower quality locks you add 1. On some of the medium priced locks they are spot on. Master is the outlier lol… also you’ll see a bit of a difference on locks with standard pins vs after market.

@@LockandKilo I had 2 keys made with the Lishi numbers and they didn't fit. Then I had 2 more keys made with 1 number shallower pin cuts and they didn't fit either. Fortunately I only spent around $50 for my Lishi. I feel sorry for people who spent $100 or more and still can't decode their locks. My M1/MS2 will never pay for itself and shouldn't be advertised as being able to decode Master Locks.

nope ... never

Actually Think I Have, Been a While, was a While Back, Think I used Emory Cloth to Slowly Bring Down, May have been a Cheap Foreign Lock Copy?

It isn't impossible to pick them, but it is extremely difficult. Especially one on a door with time constraints and an impatient client lol

This only works on Gen 1 and Gen 2 versions. If you are having trouble with it and it is one of those models the most common issue people have is applying tension before setting the needle to the depth first.