Most people have never chosen a key type. It arrived with the house. However, the type determines something important that grade and brand do not: how easily someone can make another one.
Standard edge-cut keys
The familiar shape with notches along one edge. Consequently they are cheap, universally available and cut in minutes anywhere. However, that availability is exactly the weakness, because anyone holding your key can copy it for a few dollars with no record. Therefore they suit low-risk doors rather than a front entrance where keys have circulated.
Restricted and patented keyways
Restricted blanks are not sold commercially, so no hardware counter can cut one. Consequently every copy requires authorisation against a documented list. Meanwhile patented systems go further, because the design itself is legally protected. Therefore for a household with cleaners, contractors or tenants, this single feature usually justifies the upgrade on its own.
The trade-off
Spares must be ordered rather than cut while you wait. Consequently plan ahead if family need copies.
Dimple and sidebar keys
Dimple keys carry conical indentations on the flat faces rather than notches on the edge. Consequently they resist picking better and cannot be duplicated on a standard machine. Additionally many pair with a sidebar, which adds a second mechanism the pick must satisfy. Therefore they occupy a useful middle ground between standard and fully restricted.
Where smart locks fit
A keypad removes the key from daily use, though almost all retain a mechanical cylinder as backup. Consequently the key type still matters, because that backup cylinder is what someone would attack. Therefore pairing a keypad with a decent cylinder makes sense, whereas pairing one with a builder-grade cylinder undoes much of the point.
Questions we get about this
Can anyone copy my house key?
If it is a standard keyway, yes, for a few dollars with no record.
What is a restricted key?
One whose blanks are distribution-controlled, so copies need authorisation.
Are dimple keys more secure?
Generally yes. They resist picking and cannot be cut on standard machines.
Does the key type matter if I have a smart lock?
Yes, because the backup cylinder is what an attacker would target.
Can I upgrade without changing all my locks?
Often, by swapping cylinders rather than whole locksets.
