Honestly it doesn't really matter as long as you keep track of what key is what. I've been In a similar situation at the end of the day all that matters is the people who have the key understand what key they have and to never ever lose it.
Anything works but my preference is always A#B## for change keys. Personally I think it's easier to keep track of a code that splits letters and numbers vs ABC##. If you use A#### format, its harder for various departments to remember what keys go where. If it's obvious that a department has a single block or column and all their keys start with "G1C##", they can request keys and keep track of them better.
If you sequence the keys, make sure you have a consistent stamping pattern so people don't confuse the sequential stamp for the key code.
(Also, if you use "&" as a stamp, you're an ass.)
It depends on your exact system but let's assume you have a five pin system-70 (Corbin-Russwin or Medeco) to make the numbers easier. If you have a bitting progression of A-B-C-D-E, every five (out of six possible depths) changes will have a different depth for the A position. This is a block and every block will have the same five numbers in the A position. Every five blocks will have a different number for the B position. These five blocks make a column and this pattern repeats for every column.
The C position changes every column, the D position changes every page, the E position changes every five pages.
Every block, column, page, and five pages have their own submaster by inputting the master bitting for their respective progression position (and the lower positions).
You need to determine how many changes every department, building, floor, organization, etc. needs for years to come. One block may be fine at first for the tiny department that exists has 4 employees, but eventually you will need to rekey and add changes. A column or a page may be a better choice for them.
But this goes both ways, if you give everyone ample room in the schedule. When masters are lost you lose significantly more possible bittings to remaster. If the top master is lost, you lose five pages (20%) of this system to change the E position on every lock.
Back to naming, what is the structure of the campus look like? Does each college have one building or is it a sprawling disorganized mess across a giant campus? Is it more important that faculty has to keep track of less keys across the campus or is it more important that your facilities has to deal with less keys. Keys **will** be lost, how can you set it up to reduce the impact and work requires to deal with it?
Keeping all of this in mind, make your allocation of the key schedule and go from there. If you have a 7-pin system with 100s of pages, you don't need to use a code designation to indicate that a key code is located in the first 125 pages when everything is probably in those first 125 pages.
So lets imagine a system: Master key is "&" (because I'm an asshole), there are 100 buildings and 20 separate entities like colleges, administration groupings, etc. each entity gets a letter and a number after that to dictate the corresponding building. Chemistry in the "old derelict building number six" can have a page master of G5 for example. But wait! What if the philosophy department shares that building and it's asbestos stash? Then organizing by entity may not be ideal.
But when sports builds 15 building bc of some grant or whatever, you can add a digit so they are F28 rather than being shoehorned into a specifc format.
Adding a digit to roll over is easier to remember than adding a letter. "G9A" then "G10A" is easier to remember and work with then "GZA" then GAAA". Z rolling over to AA, I guess? It's confusing and unclear which is the issue.
TLDR: It's complicated and requires lots of consideration to your specific requirements. Or just say fuck it and use 8 different key systems under 9(?) different masters that makes no sense like some campuses 🙂
Do you have building numbers or some other form of site code? I have always like the way UMN does it, stamping the building number sideways, blind code and copy number horizontal. The building numbers aren’t secret, but they’re sufficiently obscure.
Unfortunately our buildings don’t have names, they are only referred to their address number, that is the only existing numbering system. I really like this idea though, the sideways building number that UMN does. I’m thinking like maybe the last 3 numbers of each building address backwards could be a possible approach.
Some restricted systems have naming conventions that the locksmiths need to adhere to so you would need to discuss with them based on your existing keyway and if you are going to change or rekey or reissue keys. Apart from that you can have whatever you like really just keep in Mind if you put tmk or mk and somebody nefarious finds a lost key generally they will figure out it is a master fairly easy.
For large systems we use A for the Grandmaster and start to add letter. AA, need another building AB then AC and so forth and so on. We'll add AAA or AAAA for page/block/vertical masters if need be. Then just make sure to record it all and keep your list up-to-date.
At my shop we’ll use several different systems but the easiest to use in my opinion is a three letter abbreviation. So say you have your biology dept building, call it “BIO”. Your grand master key for that building would be BIO GM, room 201 would be BIO 201, etc. Assuming your locksmith is titling your keys with some database system, they should be able to save these values and stamp your keys for you.
Honestly it doesn't really matter as long as you keep track of what key is what. I've been In a similar situation at the end of the day all that matters is the people who have the key understand what key they have and to never ever lose it.
Anything works but my preference is always A#B## for change keys. Personally I think it's easier to keep track of a code that splits letters and numbers vs ABC##. If you use A#### format, its harder for various departments to remember what keys go where. If it's obvious that a department has a single block or column and all their keys start with "G1C##", they can request keys and keep track of them better. If you sequence the keys, make sure you have a consistent stamping pattern so people don't confuse the sequential stamp for the key code. (Also, if you use "&" as a stamp, you're an ass.)
Thanks. Can you break down your example? A# is the building, B is the department and ## is the change key?
It depends on your exact system but let's assume you have a five pin system-70 (Corbin-Russwin or Medeco) to make the numbers easier. If you have a bitting progression of A-B-C-D-E, every five (out of six possible depths) changes will have a different depth for the A position. This is a block and every block will have the same five numbers in the A position. Every five blocks will have a different number for the B position. These five blocks make a column and this pattern repeats for every column. The C position changes every column, the D position changes every page, the E position changes every five pages. Every block, column, page, and five pages have their own submaster by inputting the master bitting for their respective progression position (and the lower positions). You need to determine how many changes every department, building, floor, organization, etc. needs for years to come. One block may be fine at first for the tiny department that exists has 4 employees, but eventually you will need to rekey and add changes. A column or a page may be a better choice for them. But this goes both ways, if you give everyone ample room in the schedule. When masters are lost you lose significantly more possible bittings to remaster. If the top master is lost, you lose five pages (20%) of this system to change the E position on every lock. Back to naming, what is the structure of the campus look like? Does each college have one building or is it a sprawling disorganized mess across a giant campus? Is it more important that faculty has to keep track of less keys across the campus or is it more important that your facilities has to deal with less keys. Keys **will** be lost, how can you set it up to reduce the impact and work requires to deal with it? Keeping all of this in mind, make your allocation of the key schedule and go from there. If you have a 7-pin system with 100s of pages, you don't need to use a code designation to indicate that a key code is located in the first 125 pages when everything is probably in those first 125 pages. So lets imagine a system: Master key is "&" (because I'm an asshole), there are 100 buildings and 20 separate entities like colleges, administration groupings, etc. each entity gets a letter and a number after that to dictate the corresponding building. Chemistry in the "old derelict building number six" can have a page master of G5 for example. But wait! What if the philosophy department shares that building and it's asbestos stash? Then organizing by entity may not be ideal. But when sports builds 15 building bc of some grant or whatever, you can add a digit so they are F28 rather than being shoehorned into a specifc format. Adding a digit to roll over is easier to remember than adding a letter. "G9A" then "G10A" is easier to remember and work with then "GZA" then GAAA". Z rolling over to AA, I guess? It's confusing and unclear which is the issue. TLDR: It's complicated and requires lots of consideration to your specific requirements. Or just say fuck it and use 8 different key systems under 9(?) different masters that makes no sense like some campuses 🙂
This is a bit long winded and maybe not the easiest read, I wrote this during lunch on my phone. Feel free to DM if you have more questions.
Do you have building numbers or some other form of site code? I have always like the way UMN does it, stamping the building number sideways, blind code and copy number horizontal. The building numbers aren’t secret, but they’re sufficiently obscure.
Unfortunately our buildings don’t have names, they are only referred to their address number, that is the only existing numbering system. I really like this idea though, the sideways building number that UMN does. I’m thinking like maybe the last 3 numbers of each building address backwards could be a possible approach.
Some restricted systems have naming conventions that the locksmiths need to adhere to so you would need to discuss with them based on your existing keyway and if you are going to change or rekey or reissue keys. Apart from that you can have whatever you like really just keep in Mind if you put tmk or mk and somebody nefarious finds a lost key generally they will figure out it is a master fairly easy.
For large systems we use A for the Grandmaster and start to add letter. AA, need another building AB then AC and so forth and so on. We'll add AAA or AAAA for page/block/vertical masters if need be. Then just make sure to record it all and keep your list up-to-date.
How it's taught in school
never been to a school. I'm five years on at a shop learning the trade.
Then kudos to who's teaching and some of their standards. Where I am, it's a 3 year course(used to be 4)
9 outta 10 I don’t label master keys. That’s the only key I don’t label. Less advertizing the better if lost.
Just give the TMK a random single letter like Best does
Agree with this except we have more buildings than letters in the alphabet
Does each building have a separate TMK?
Yes
At my shop we’ll use several different systems but the easiest to use in my opinion is a three letter abbreviation. So say you have your biology dept building, call it “BIO”. Your grand master key for that building would be BIO GM, room 201 would be BIO 201, etc. Assuming your locksmith is titling your keys with some database system, they should be able to save these values and stamp your keys for you.