Key making: duplicates, chip car keys, access fobs
A simple key and a complex key are different stories
A duplicate of a flat key for an interior door can be cut in a few minutes. But a car key with a chip, an access fob for a gated building or a safe key needs special equipment and programming. So prices differ several times over, and comparing “a key” with “a key” makes no sense until you say what type it is.
On BlaBlaPrice you describe what you need once, and locksmiths reply with offers in the chat. Each can see where their price stands, so terms often improve. It is free for buyers, and your contacts stay hidden until you choose a locksmith.
Types of keys
- Flat, standard keys: the simplest, copied quickly.
- Cross and lever keys: need more precise cutting.
- Laser-cut (dimple) keys: have grooves on the flat side and are cut on special machines.
- Access fobs, cards and tags for a building or gated society: they must be programmed for the particular system.
- Car keys: with a chip, a remote or a smart key, they need to be set up for the car's electronics.
With the original or without
The easiest and cheapest way is to copy from an existing key. If there is no original, more complex methods are needed: making a key from the lock, from a code, or by taking the mechanism apart. For a car with no keys at all, separate programming work is required, and responsible locksmiths ask you to prove ownership.
One more thing for safety: if you lost your keys rather than just making a spare, consider changing the lock. And if the door is closed right now and you have no key, you need emergency lock opening.
What to include in your request
- Key type — flat, cross, laser-cut, access fob, car key.
- Original — whether you have a key to copy from.
- Car model — make, model and year, for example Toyota Camry 2015.
- Lock brand — if you know it.
- Chip and remote — whether there is an immobiliser chip or a remote control.
- Number of copies — how many you need.
- Deadline — today, or can it wait.
- City — and area.
- Budget — if you want to name one.
Example: “Central: I need 2 copies of a Toyota Camry 2015 key with a chip and a remote. I have the original. To be made today. Budget up to HK$63.”
How to compare offers
Check whether the price is for the key alone or for the key plus programming. For chip keys, ask whether the key is a new original or a compatible alternative, and whether it comes with a guarantee that it works. Find out whether the locksmith comes to you or you have to go to the workshop: for a car, a visit to you can be more convenient. Reviews next to the offer show whether the key actually works afterwards.
Common mistakes
Saying only “a car key” without the model and year. Not bringing the original. Thinking a chip can just be “copied”: many models need setting up through diagnostics. Buying the cheapest key, which then wears out in the lock after a few uses.
Other small workshop services, such as jewellery repair or housekeeping services, are in “Household services”.
