similar functioning?

yes, yes, and you understand correctly...

You have two different functions, the nipper is a free form tool and any spacing and depth is provided by a steady hand and a keen eye.

The latter required no keen eye and very little skill. It cuts one brand of key and you can cut them to factory specs, both in depth and in geometry.

The nipper is not much better than a file, and you as a locksmith should be able to make a key by file before you worry about this tool.

The second one because of it's limited utility might be in ones arsenal but only after a good versatile code machine.

Not really. The nipper is basicly a free hand type of tool and the blue punch will punch each cut the same everytime automatically. If you want to punch out Schlage, Best, and Kwikset get a Pak-A-Punch from A1 with that tooling setup. Does a bunch of automotive too.

Indeed. But Looking at the punch type tools I can see a very tangible benefit to using a pressure cutting type method to produce bitting as opposed to manually grinding away the unneeded bits of key (time). Even provided the key nipper can only make V shaped cuts, producing marks of the correct depth in one pass of a tool would make grinding away the left over bits much less demanding a task; no?

----------------------------------------------------- > yes,

Thanks for the help Key.

I have no reason to assume that it would be any harder to use than a heavy wire cutter.

I don't know about the nipper you are talking about but a good handheld punch like the Pak-a-Punch is pretty effortless to use.

A true punch tool that originates the entire correct cut is usually faster. Using a 'rough' for lack of a better word punch and cutting the rest of the way conventionally would probably be considerably slower overall. Most people who use punches do a lot of the same keyways, or automotive where punch capability is more extensive. Even if the tooling is available it can get expensive to set up to do multiple keyways across multiple manufacturers with a punch.

That thing looks like a piece of junk to me. Why not just get a $5 file?

Punch machines are in use for most common keyways and all kinds of auto work e.g. Curtis Clippers. You have to make a lot of keys to pay for any key machine.

That thing you are looking at, not the blue punch but the other one, is an El Cheapo version of a punch though. A good punch machine will cost you in the $400 and up range depending on what accessories it has.

Well I can duplicat 5 keys on a Borkey duplicator in about the time that you can punch out one.

I have a Code Pro code machine that can cut them as fast as I can deburr them.

The punch is not going to replace the file for impressioning as the surface left from the punch is no good for seeing the marks.

You have not done much lock work have you?

Your questions were answered. You can for the price of 2 blue punches buy a used code machine that can cut thousands of different brands of keys and your 2 punches will cut two.

Learn to use the file, and you will not worry about spending $130 on a gimmick.

None. In the first few throws of trade school and looking around for an apprenticeship... My apologies if the questions I've asked sound stupid, but everyones gotta be there sometime right?

The little nipper looks like fun, but I would have to fashion a clamp for it.

I've had a Pak-a-Punch for years.Great for originating and progressioning, but as one poster put it, not impressioning. I use it mainly for automotive, some Schlage and BEST.

It can easily be adjusted to cut half-steps and is quite portable-no running back and forth to the van.

However, some keyways do not do well on a punch-for instance Yale 8. Because of the thin milling, the punch will distort the keyway.

The only complaint I've had is that the T-handles on the vises are plastic and I have had some break-The company replaced them free of course.

It depends on what work you are going to do.

And no Stormin, it has'nt killed my hands-LOL

my2, goma.

OK then save your money. The little nipper tool was sold in conjunction with a gimmicky and overpriced wafer lock reader that used little feeler gizmos to trace the profile to a piece of paper that you were then supposed to tape to a blank and nibble away to the line.

Not very practical.

Right now the file is your best friend, and you can get by with depth keys and a duplicator for code cutting.

Much appreciated roger.

I will definitely be trying the file set before I approach anything else for three reasons,

-I'm cheap and don't want to spend the money on a nipper/punch (especially after you advice)

-My curriculum outline says I will be filing before anything else

-I'm of the sort that likes to do things by hand (loud noises upset the little man in my head)

But afterwards I will be making use (at least once) of the cutting wheel/tracing machine that comes included in the course I have registered too. I was just asking about the key nippers and punch devices to satiate a curiosity and to get some informed discussion of the pro's/cons of the tool.

Kind regards ~David~

---snip some--

I remember back when I started. I was handed a cube shaped hunk of brass and a pippen file. I was then told to make it round like a ball.

I have impressioned a lot of locks, usually quickly and easily, and I never needed a $35 file to do any of them.