MAGAZINE DECODING A VAUXHALL
AGILA IGNITION LOCK WITH THE GENUINE LISHI DIRECT READER
APRIL 2021 LOCKSMITHMAG.COM
ASK THE EXPERT Martin Pink answers your locksmithing questions
HARDWARE INTEL: EAR EDITION PODCAST EPISODE 6 IS OUT NOW 2-IN-1 MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION WITH PICKBUSTER
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Using the Genuine Lishi HU136 2-in-1 pick and decoder
ISSUE 6
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PICKING AND DECODING THE HU136 DACIA DOOR LOCK
CONTRIBUTORS Martin Pink The highly respected locksmith Martin Pink has been at the forefront of the development of tools and techniques for picking, decoding and opening many of today’s toughest locks. Martin has been instrumental in the development of the Genuine Lishi Brand and he wrote the definitive guide to opening car locks called the Genuine Lishi Training Kit. Martin is known around the globe for his knowledge of car lock technology and is highly sought after at locksmith exhibitions and training events around the world.
ABOUT CARS, KEYS AND LOCKS MAGAZINE Welcome to Cars, Keys and Locks – the technical journal sponsored by Tradelocks. The aim of CKL is to help advance the skills and knowledge of the everyday locksmith, using adept tips and guidance from experts in the industry. Free to all subscribers, CKL will be published every 2 months and will hold the key to solving all those procedural issues you, the professional, may come across each day. With technical guides, top tips from industry leading specialists and an ‘Ask the Expert’ section, where real locksmiths will be answering very real questions you have. The subscription form at the end of this issue has all the details of how you can sign up to receive the most up-to-date information in the industry. Our articles are in-depth and filled with actual photographs of the work in hand, giving you the most comprehensive how to guides available.
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2-IN-1 MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION WITH PICKBUSTER Keep your locks in tip top shape for up to two years.
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PICKING AND DECODING THE HU136 DACIA DOOR LOCK
Decoding the HU136 door lock used on a range of Dacia models using the Genuine Lishi HU136 2-in-1 pick and decoder.
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ASK THE EXPERT
Martin answers your questions.
P. 15 - 16
HARDWARE INTEL: EAR EDITION PODCAST EPISODE 6 IS OUT NOW FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA facebook.com/carskeyslocks @carskeyslocks @carskeysandlocks
Wrapping up the series with a discussion about third-party accreditation for fire doors.
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ACHIEVE A FLAWLESS FINISH WITH FULLEX HINGE PLATES
To improve the look of a composite door, consider using a hinge plate to conceal the cut edges of the door’s leaf.
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CARS, KEYS & LOCKS MAGAZINE
How to decode in one minute with the Genuine Lishi HU87 Direct Reader.
APRIL 2021
DECODING A VAUXHALL AGILA IGNITION LOCK WITH THE GENUINE LISHI DIRECT READER
L E T T E R F R O M T H E E D I TO R Welcome to the April edition of the new online magazine. It’s hopefully a more optimistic time for all of us with the vaccine rollout and the prospect of an end to lockdown. In this April edition, I will be focusing on two of the newer tools released by Genuine Lishi, the welcome arrival of the HU87 direct reader, allowing us to finally decode these HU87 door locks fitted with a side bar, and the HU136 Dacia 2-in-1 pick and decoder, useful with the rise in popularity of the Dacia models here in the UK. Both of these complete guides will be of use to many I’m sure, and if you don’t have these tools yet then they will become a welcome addition to your tool box. For many years as auto locksmiths, we have not been able to use the Lishi HU87 2-in-1 pick and decoder to pick open these HU87 door locks due to the effective side bar unit in the door lock; we have only been able to pick and decode the ignition lock. With the release of the HU87 direct reader, this has now changed - we can now direct read the eight key cuts in the door, cut a blade, and open the vehicle. We can then read the missing cuts in the ignition and add these to our key to produce the whole key. There’s no need to pick the lock first, so it’s very quick as we just need to direct read the cuts from the lock as the guide shows in pictures. Another job that was once hard to complete is now a simple job for all with this new tool. These new tools are available now from Genuine Lishi suppliers and UAP Tradelocks. In the next few issues, we will bring you more new guides including the guides for the HU198 ford 2017 on internal cut lock, the Hyundai HU134 guide and a guide for the Kia and Hyundai K5 tool. With vaccinations and the easing of lockdown, I hope we see things pick up, but please everyone stay safe still, maintain a regime of adequate PPE and don’t get complacent with your personal protection. Gloves, masks and PPE continue to be needed for our own safety and that of our customers. I hope to see many of you at various trade shows again in the near future, it seems to have been a long time since I have enjoyed these meet ups. Stay safe! - Martin
DISCOVER2-IN-1 2-IN-1 DISCOVER LOCKMAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE LOCK ANDPROTECTION PROTECTION AND WITHPICKBUSTER PICKBUSTER WITH We all know that locks need regular maintenance to keep them operating optimally, and UAP brand Fullex recommends you refresh your locks every 4 weeks with a silicone-based lubricant – click here to watch our how-to video. Keeping your locks secure and protected from attacks by intruders is part of this issue, as a well-maintained lock will be more secure than one that isn’t. Pickbuster is an iconic UAP product that not only lubricates Euro lock cylinders, but also helps to prevent lock bumping, keeping your doors more secure. Many locks are created to be anti-bump and pick these days, but there are still millions of homes across the UK that use older or budget standard cylinders that have little to no protection. This can be mitigated with
Pickbuster as it modifies the lock to have an anti-bump function without the need to replace. Pickbuster works by seeping into all the nooks and crannies of the inside of any barrel lock, attaching itself to the metal. This essentially creates more pins within the lock, preventing a bump key from opening the door by making the pins jump above the shear line. Packs of Pickbuster available on Tradelocks contain five sachets – one sachet is needed per lock. The sachets have been specially designed to fit easily into any narrow lock to avoid mess and maximise effectiveness. It’s recommended to refresh your locks with Pickbuster every two years. 1
DECODING AA VAUXHALL VAUXHALL DECODING AGILA IGNITION IGNITION LOCK LOCK AGILA WITH THE GENUINE LISHI DIRECT READER
Well not any longer - with the Genuine Lishi HU87 Direct Reader, you don’t need to pick the lock and can now simply and very quickly decode the lock with this tool in around a minute. KEY & LOCK DETAILS The key is an edge cut style key that has 10 key cut positions using four key cut heights. As most auto locksmiths are aware, picking and decoding the HU87 door lock has always been an issue with the Genuine Lishi HU87 2-in-1 pick and decoder. This is due to the side bar within the door lock preventing any wafers from binding to be picked. Therefore, we have always had to gain entry by alternate means and then pick and decode the ignition lock to generate a key, then hope the vehicle door runs on the same key. If not, spend time removing and stripping the door lock to read the wafers.
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Although both sides of the key house all 10 cuts on each side, only five cuts on each side interact with the lock, odd positions on one side and even positions on the opposite side. The lock does follow some basic key rules and these are as follows: All keys will contain a minimum of three different depths Most keys will contain either a 1 cut or a 3 cut in the final tip position If position 9 is a 2 cut then position
10 will always be a 1 cut. The lock itself follows a 1 up and 1 down wafer configuration with odd numbered positions on one side and even numbered positions on the opposite side. The door and trunk locks normally contain just 8 wafers. The ignition lock contains all 10 wafers.
by there only being four key cut depths used, so even worn keys can normally be site read simply enough. Below is the Vauxhall Agila key that I have written the site reading details on the image:
The key uses the following key series: 50001-51308 IP5001-IP6308 IT5001-IT6308 The Instacode key cutting card for these series is IC: 1034. The ignition lock houses 10 wafers that use 4 key cutting depths numbered 1 to 4 with 1 being the highest cut and 4 being the deepest cut.
From the key image you can clearly see the height differences between all four key cut depths, as well as the full key decode from the bow of the key to the tip of the key of “1224312421”. The key actually interacts with the wafers within the lock in the photo below:
The door lock has a side bar set up that prevents wafers from binding and picking, the ignition does not so picks as normal. SITE READING THE KEY As an edge cut key, site reading is straight forward and simplified
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Here you can clearly see that one side of the key interacts with wafers in the odd positions: 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. The opposite side of the key interacts with the wafers in the even positions: 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. For those with failing eyes that prefer to measure the key cuts with callipers, then the measurements are: 1 cut = 8mm 2 cut = 7.35mm 3 cut = 6.7mm 4 cut = 6.05mm For those not familiar with using callipers and verniers, the above measurements relate to the distance between the cuts on both sides of the key, so you measure 10 for instance from the top of the cut on side 1 to top of cut on side 2 as in the below photo:
So, site reading an edge key is a straight forward skill to possess and one that takes very little time to master by eye, or by the purchase of a set of digital callipers/verniers. It is such an important skill to learn and master as it’s needed often, and judging by the posts online for help reading keys, a skill so many seem to ignore. DECODING THE HU87 IGNITION LOCK ON A VAUXHALL AGILA Using a Direct Decoder is simplicity itself. As its name implies, it reads and decodes the lock directly with no need to pick the lock first. It really is as easy as insert the tool and read the key cut, it doesn’t get any easier. You will notice that the tool has no tension arm, this is intentional as you only need tension to pick. We are not picking, we are simply reading the decode directly. No tension is required so no tension arm is required. It’s still wise to flush the lock with lubricant to ensure it’s clean and free inside. When you fully insert the tool into the lock, you will only feel wafers on one side in either the odd positions or in the even positions.
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Let’s assume we feel wafers in only even positions, we then read positions 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 by gently moving the reading arrow along the position line moving the wafer till it stops. It will stop on one of the key cut lines, this will be your key cut reading for that position. Once you have read the even positions, you need to remove the tool and flip it over. Reinserting the tool fully, you will now only feel the wafers in the odd numbered positions 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. Read each position line as above and you will complete your key. This looks too easy I suspect some will say, and its true - it really is that easy if your lock and wafer springs are in good condition. There is a sting in the tail though, a direct reader relies upon a healthy lock and healthy wafer springs. Excessively worn locks will cause headaches and give mis-reads. I suggest reading position 10 first at the tip. From the key rules, we know that in most cases position 10 will be either a 1 cut or a 3 cut. Read this position first to see how your tool is reading the lock, is it bang on the cut line for 1 or 3 cut, or is it just before or just past the line? This will allow you to compensate
for the other positions. If you are unlucky enough to get a reading between 2 lines - it’s rare but happens in worn locks - e.g. it’s between a 1 or a 2 key cut, then cut as a 1 and use old fashioned impressioning skills to determine which is correct. This little trick can often save the day in an ignition lock - it won’t help in the door lock due to the side bar arrangement preventing wafers from binding. So, armed with knowing what to do, let’s direct read the HU87 Vauxhall Agila ignition lock. As the ignition houses all 10 wafers, we will decode the complete key in around 60 to 90 seconds. We begin by fully inserting our tool into the ignition lock. We will then determine whether we are feeling the odd or the even numbered positions first, let’s say we make contact with the odd numbered positions. We would then navigate the tools reading arrow to position 1 on the grid, and gently move the lift arm along the position line pushing the wafer gently against the spring till it stops. Where it stops will be your key cut for that position. We would then move to position 3 and so on.
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NB: As with all decoders, pressure is important. If you’re too heavy handed, you can force the reading arrow past the cut position and get a mis-read, so I reiterate: use GENTLE PRESSURE when navigating the reading arrow along the position line. You only need to push past the spring till it stops, this requires very little pressure. Perfecting your pressure yields far better results. So, let’s insert our tool and begin: With the tool inserted, the wafers felt are the ones in the odd numbered key positions in positions 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9. I will begin by positioning the reading arrow on position 1 and gently push the wafer past the spring until it stops to read the key depth.
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Next, we move to position 3 which reads as a Number 2 key cut.
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Then, we move to position 5 which reads as a Number 3 key cut.
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Position 1 reads as a Number 1 key cut. Next, we move to position 7 which reads as a Number 2 key cut.
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5
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Now we complete the read of this side by reading position 9 which reads as a number 2 key cut.
Position 2 reads as a Number 2 key cut.
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So, we now know the odd position keys cuts of the key as per the below table: Position : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Key cut :
1 x 2 x 3 x 2 x 2 x
We know from the key rules that as position 9 is a 2 cut, that position 10 has to be a 1 cut, so we only really have 4 more positions to read.
We move to position 4 which reads as a Number 4 key cut.
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We now remove the tool, flip it over and reinsert it fully so we can now read the even positions. I will insert the tool and navigate to position 2 and read the cut needed:
We move to position 6 which reads as a Number 1 key cut
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Position: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Key cut: 1 2 2 4 3 1 2 4 2 1
We move to position 8 which reads as a Number 4 key cut.
So, we now know the key we need to cut and can enter the direct cuts of “1224312421“ into your Cut to Code machine and cut a working key.
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12 Finally, we move to position 10 which as expected reads as a number 1 key cut. So we add these to our key table below: Position: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Key cut: 1 x 2 x 3 x 2 x 2 x Enter the even positions reading to complete the key.
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I hope this helps those that struggle with this lock and raise some understanding of the lock, key and tool as well as the simple skill of site reading a key.
CLICK HERE TO BUY GENUINE LISHI HU87
PICKINGAND AND PICKING DECODINGTHE THE DECODING HU136DACIA DACIA HU136 DOORLOCK LOCK DOOR USING THE GENUINE LISHI HU136 2-IN-1 PICK AND DECODER.
The top and bottom grid house the wafer position numbers. The grid on the right-hand side reads the key cut heights when decoding. KEY AND LOCK DETAILS The key code from dealer is direct cuts so it doesn’t use a key code as such. In this guide we discuss the process of picking and decoding the HU136 door lock used on a range of Dacia models.
The lock is an 8-wafer lock with 4 wafers on each side, odd positions on one side and even positions on the opposite side.
THE TOOL
There are 4 key cut heights, with 1 being the highest cut and 4 being the deepest cut on the key.
The tool will pick and decode the Dacia HU136 door lock. It will not pick the ignition lock, just the door lock which is why the tool only has positions 2 to 8 on the grid, as the door lock doesn’t use position 1, only the ignition houses all 8 wafers.
The door lock only houses 7 of the 8 wafers in positions 2 to 8. The ignition houses all 8 wafers. As stated, the key uses direct cuts, so no specific series. The key is cut
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using Instacode card 1891. SITE READING THE KEY Site reading the key is a straight forward task as there’s only four notably different key depths, with 1 being the highest cut and 4 being the deepest cut.
in positions 2 to 8, thus why the tool has no position 1. We use a medium tension and pick in the conventional way, by navigating to each numbered wafer position in turn looking for the solid binding wafer. Each time we find a binding wafer we pick it, any wafer that has movement we leave alone. So, with a medium tension applied, I navigate to each position looking for the binding wafers.
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Here you can clearly read the full key of 13222132 from bow to tip. For the old school who prefer to use callipers and verniers to measure each position between top track cut and bottom track cut the measurements are as follows: 1 cut is 7.3mm 2 cut is 6.2mm 3 cut is 5mm 4 cut is 3.8mm Picking the Dacia HU136 Door Lock Picking the lock is straight forward; you have 7 wafers in the door lock
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Position 3 is the first to bind and pick
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Position 5 is the next to bind and pick
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Position 7 is the next to bind and pick
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Position 2 is the next to bind and pick
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Position 4 is the next to bind and pick
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Position 6 is the next to bind and pick
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Position 8 is the next to bind and pick
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Once position 8 is picked, the lock opens. 11
As we had to pick all 7 positions, we know that there are no number 4 cuts in the lock as these would not have needed picking, so we know that we only have cuts 1, 2 and 3 in this lock.
Position 2 reads as a number 3 key cut
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Now, hold the lock in the picked open position ready to be decoded. DECODING THE DACIA HU136 DOOR LOCK Whilst holding the lock in the picked open position, we can decode the lock. We achieve this by simply navigating the tools reading arrow to each numbered wafer line in turn, pushing the reading arrow along the wafer line in the same direction as we picked until it pushes gently past the spring and stops on one of the numbered key cut lines on the right-side grid. This will be your key cut in that position. So, let’s begin:
Position 3 reads as a number 2 key cut
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Position 4 decodes as a number 2 key cut
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1
Position 5 decodes as a number 2 key cut
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Position 6 decodes as a number 1 key cut
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Position 7 decodes as a number 3 key cut
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We have decoded the door lock in positions 2 to 8 and we have a decode from bow to tip of “3222132”. Of course, we know this won’t yet operate the ignition lock as the ignition has 1 more wafer in it in position 1, so we must find the missing cut. The only reliable way to do this is to try each possible cut in that position starting with a 1 cut in position 1. If this doesn’t work, recut with position 1 as a 2 cut, then a 3 and then a 4 so only cutting 1 blank. In this lock position, 1 is a 1 cut, so it worked on the first key cut which was the full key of from bow to tip “13222132”. Simply enter the direct cuts into your cut to code machine and cut the correct key.
Position 8 decodes as a number 2 key cut
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AS K T H E E X P E RT Are you a locksmith unable to get a job done? Got a burning question, but not sure who to ask for advice on the latest products and tools? World leading auto locksmith professional Martin Pink is here to help! Each issue he will be answering some of your auto locksmithing questions, so if you’re in need of expert advice, get in touch! QUESTION: I don’t seem to be able to use the HU87 2-in-1 pick and decoder to pick open and decode a Vauxhall agila door lock. No wafers are binding at all and I can’t pick it, am I doing anything wrong or is my tool faulty? ANSWER: No, your tool is not faulty and you are not doing anything wrong. The HU87 door lock cannot be picked due to it having a
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side bar set up inside the lock that prevents picking. As you can’t pick it to the open position, the Lishi 2-in-1 cannot pick and decode the HU87 door lock.
This allows you to cut the correct key and open the car, so cost into a lock out the cost of cutting a key blade or upsell a manual key to them along with the gain entry.
The Lishi HU87 2-in1 pick can only pick open and decode the ignition lock on the vehicle and not the door lock due to the side bar inside the lock. The door lock has this side bar, the ignition has no sidebar, thus you can pick the ignition and decode it.
Once you have the eight key cuts in the door, you will need to use the InstaCode find bitting function to progress the two missing cuts for the ignition as this has 10 cuts in it. Alternatively, use the Lishi 2-in-1 to pick and decode the ignition to find the two cuts missing from the door.
“How do we get in or get the car open”, I suspect is the next question. This answer is a simple one too; Lishi have released the HU87 direct reader for the door lock. This tool is not affected by the side bar set up and will read the key cut readings from the door lock without needing to pick it open first. Just insert it in the door lock, read the key cuts on one track, then flip the tool over and read the readings on the opposite track and you have the full key cuts for the door in around one minute.
You can also use the direct reader to read the missing two cuts from the ignition as well which is simpler than picking and decoding the ignition. The last Agila I went to, I decoded the door lock with the HU87 reader, cut the key using one cut in the missing two positions, and opened the door. I then read the missing two cuts with the reader in ignition and recut these to my key. The whole process took five to six minutes only and was accurate.
THEHARDWARE HARDWARE THE INTELPODCAST PODCAST INTEL CONCLUDESWITH WITH CONCLUDES THIRDPARTY PARTY THIRD ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION The sixth and final instalment of the Hardware Intel podcast has now been released, sadly bringing an end to UAP’s first adventure into podcasting. If you’re new to the podcast and just catching up, our six episodes have covered a broad range of topics, including how COVID-19 will affect the industry, effective staff training, how we can make our company operations more sustainable, hardware safety and globalisation, and product testing and certification. TV presenter and property expert Sian Astley hosts each episode, accompanied by UAP’s hardware experts across various fields. Episode six features UAP’s Specifications Manager, Paul Goggins, and Simon Marr, General Manager of Intelligent Hardware, discussing third party accreditation for fire door hardware. Paul explains that, while UAP’s hardware is sourced from overseas
like the majority of hardware producers in the UK, that doesn’t mean that the products lack thorough testing and accreditation, as the products are accredited before they reach us, then go through our own testing process and are finally overseen by a third-party testing organisation such as WarringtonFire and BMTrada. Paul then goes on to discuss how modern technology has made fire door hardware safer, as systems and devices can be used to read important information from a door,
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much like reading a microchip in a pet. These systems make it easier to check how up to date a fire door is, what fire rating it has, how it has been accredited, and more, helping to make detection of ineffective fire doors easier so that they can be replaced. Technology can also help us to detect fires more quickly and automatically compartmentalise a building, both of which help to prevent a fire from spreading beyond its original source, giving people more time to evacuate to safety. A lack of compartmentalisation is one of the serious issues that lead to the Grenfell tragedy being so deadly, as there was little in place to prevent the fire from spreading.
Thankfully, everything that fire door producers do seems to be working, as there are much fewer serious fires in buildings these days. UAP will always be ahead of the curve in testing and accrediting our hardware, as doing so can prevent more incidents like the Grenfell tragedy from happening, saving lives. We hope that our listeners have enjoyed the series and learned some helpful and interesting information from our experts. Click here to catch up on the previous episodes. Alternatively, find them on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podfollow, and ListenNotes. Full videos of the podcast episodes can also be found on our YouTube channel.
A typical fire door test
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