Leopard 44: Where to Get a Key to a Salon Door Made

[C&G]

Ahoy, fellow Leopard/Robertson & Caine forum members! This is my first post to this forum and only my second to Cruisers Forum. We recently became the owners of a 2012 Leopard 44.

We are trying to have an extra key or two made to the salon door but have ran into some difficulty finding a blank key for the lock. Home Depot, Lowe's, West Marine and two locksmiths haven't been much help.

I assume the sliding door is the one installed by Robertson & Caine. The key we have has a "W" and "West" stamped on it. A photo is attached. One of the locksmiths said locks on some sliding doors cannot be changed.

Anyone else have a similar problem? We appreciate any comments/suggestions you might have.

The boat is in the Kemah-League City, Texas, area.

[rwidman]

I would keep trying different locksmiths. A good, experienced one will have the blanks or know where to get them.

[bumblevi]

I had the same problem. I went to Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Walmart and they did not have the correct blank. I finally went to a local locksmith and on the first try, the keys they made did not work and I had to go back. They tried again and the second set of keys worked. Your best best is to keep trying with a local locksmith.

[CaptsWife]

Like others have said, keep trying your luck with different locksmiths.

[Benny42s7]

Hi.

When I needed a key that wasn't available in the US, I found www . keytrader . co . uk and they had what I needed. I think your key is a WST3: www . keytrader . co . uk/Cylinder-Keys/WEST/WST3-Key-Blank.html. If you send a picture of your key to keytrader, they can help you. I ordered blanks from them: the price was reasonable and the shipping by Royal Mail was reasonable and prompt. I had a local locksmith cut the blanks.

I have no affiliation with keytrader: I was just in the same situation as you, where I couldn't find blanks locally.

Good luck and cheers.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by Benny42s7

Hi.

When I needed a key that wasn't available in the US, I found www . keytrader . co . uk and they had what I needed. I think your key is a WST3: www . keytrader . co . uk/Cylinder-Keys/WEST/WST3-Key-Blank.html. If you send a picture of your key to keytrader, they can help you. I ordered blanks from them: the price was reasonable and the shipping by Royal Mail was reasonable and prompt. I had a local locksmith cut the blanks.

I have no affiliation with keytrader: I was just in the same situation as you, where I couldn't find blanks locally.

Good luck and cheers.

They will need an image of the other side of the key as well as the image you have to be sure they get the right one. Following Benny's key code above it does match the profile pretty well.

PS. You should take that image off the internet.

[SV Bacchus]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

PS. You should take that image off the internet.

Excellent suggestion, please heed the advice.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, C&G, & Benny.

[UNCIVILIZED]

If it's proving to be a major headache, you could have a blank ground to spec. Meaning start with a piece of metal, & first have them machine grooves of the proper depth in the correct places, & then dupicate the key in the usual manner.

Plan B would be to swap the lock on the boat for a more common mechanism, & then have multiple keys made for it.

[LeeV]

Or find somebody with a 3-D printer in your area.

v/r

[billgewater]

Have you contacted Robertson and Crane in Cape Town?

An email may just save you a lot of trouble or put you onto appropriate alternatives.

Nice boat though.
Cheers

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

If it's proving to be a major headache, you could have a blank ground to spec. Meaning start with a piece of metal, & first have them machine grooves of the proper depth in the correct places, & then dupicate the key in the usual manner.

Plan B would be to swap the lock on the boat for a more common mechanism, & then have multiple keys made for it.

I've encountered similar difficulties, but I worry that Plan B might result in an easier-to-pick lock? A local professional locksmith was able to make duplicate keys for me. I personally feel that the lack of blanks for these locks affords an added level of security, but I could be wrong. BTW, Uncivilized, thank you for all the unselfish work you've done for the sake of making this forum what it is.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by Dave_S

................ PS. You should take that image off the internet.

I think you're letting your imagination run away with you. Chances are very, very slim that someone with the skills to duplicate that key will just happen to see that image, know where your boat is and be dishonest enough to make the key and enter your boat and take stuff.

A lock on a typical boat (or home or business) will only go so far to protect it. If someone wants badly enough to get inside, he will find a way. Breaking a window is pretty simple. There are other ways including drilling the lock.

[Rock-Head]

Yes, my opinion here is to keep the endeavour within reason. Locks just keep honest people honest.

OP good luck on your hunt, a locksmith would be a safe bet.

[rwidman]

The lock for my cabin door is one that keys are hard to come by. Home centers don't have the blanks. Hardware stores do not have the blanks. Good locksmiths do have the blanks and can cut the keys.