Making bump keys is very easy if you have access to the right tools and materials. Some people can make their own keys for locks out of material they have and with electronic grinders. Others buy a blank key for the lock and use a hand file to make a bump key.

1. Get a blank key for the lock you want to open or make one if possible. There is no master key, you’ll need the exact key needed for the lock, but you won’t need the unique notches cut into it, that’s where the bumping comes in. There are more and more cheap online sources for bump keys, and they are not illegal for someone to purchase over the Internet. If you go to a locksmith, most won’t even know what a bump key is. Online you can also get bump key sets, or an assortment with bump keys and a lock pick set.

2. When looking at the original key, you’ll notice the cuts are evenly spaced. If the key has 4 cuts, make 4 notches in the key, so the teeth will all be in contact with a pin when pushed all of the way in. If the key has 8 cuts, you will need a key with 8 notches. The notches should be V shaped and all evenly spaced and even height. The way a bump key works, is when you bump it in, it strikes all of the pins and and forces the upper pin to jump higher creating a large gap between them. If you can find a picture of a bump key for your lock, it’s much easier to make the correct key the first time. Once you have a key that makes contact with every pin when all of the way inside of the lock, play with it a few times and figure out the timing and pressure when turning and bumping the key to open the lock.