While I'm not familiar with that key blank, I might be able to clear things up. The only ASSA locks I seen over here are high security with restricted keyways. The locksmith I used to work for was a big believer in them. I do know that over in the UK however, ASSA is much more common and makes ordinary residential locks as well. The locksmiths you have talked with over here are probably not familiar with ASS locks over there. Since the only ones over here are of the high security models, you will probably find it next to impossible to find a blank here. Depending on how much time & money you have, one option is to have a friend in the UK FedEx a couple of blanks to you. Any locksmith here should be able to do the actual copying. Good luck.
Tom Collins tom_collins[at]bellsouth.net
I'm in the US. I have an apartment in the UK as well. The key to it is an
> Assa 05-14 blank. I needed to cut a copy of the key here because I am
> loaning it to a friend and didn't want to give away the original key.
> Locksmiths over here say the blank is restricted, but the hardware store
> near the complex over there copies the keys without a peep. They have
> nothing to do with the apartment complex and certainly did not install the
> locks in that complex. The complex wanted £15 to copy the key. The
> hardware store copied it for £3. It just strikes me as unlikely that the
> key is restricted.
>
> That said, I assume that the blank for this lock is difficult to come by in
> the states. Is there any other blank that can be cut down to fit this lock?
> Do I sound like a moron arguing this point with a locksmith over here. > Thanks.
>
> Thanks.
>
>