Normally I'd just take the knobs to Home Depot, but this time I have 9 cylinders to do. I figure that should make a decent dent in the price of the supplies I'd need to do they re-keying myself, so what the heck. The fact that I'd like to have some master/sub keys makes DIY even more attractive. :-)

FYI - these are Schlage pattern, but I'll probably wind up working on Quickset Kwikset too.

Basic questions - what should I have on hand before I start this? Amazon kits seem to start at $20 and likely go up as far as my CC can cover. What are essential tools / parts and what are not worth bothering with? Where should I look for the supplies? I get the impression that the Amazon kits are geared towards maximum profit from the uneducated tinkerer. 

Master Keying... I've looked up the 'proper' process. Split the difference on the pins that are different and both keys will work the lock. How wrong is the idea of using two keys that are only off on one pin, leaving that pin/slot empty on one cylinder so both keys will work, and having it normal on another cylinder so only that one key will work in it?

I found a kit at HD - $13 for three new keys, three tools and some pins. It only covers 6 cores though, and there's no way to tell if any two sets have perfectly matching keys.

I have rekeyed Kwikset cores. I did not need any special tools, just had to be careful not to lose any springs or pins.

Schlage has 9 different lengths of bottom pins, and Kwikset has 7.



I've never messed with master keys. Looks like master pins are related to that. Your idea of omitting a common slot, and having a difference in keys for that slot in another core seems logical to me.

Looks like you should either buy a kit for 12 cores (since they seem to jump from 8 to 12), or buy a large pack of pins of each size. If you go with just the pack, you should be able to ID each length to match a core you currently have. Then you'd already have a key to duplicate. That appears to be the less expensive method. Go ahead and order some extra springs too if you find them. You'll inevitably lose some parts doing 9 cores.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FOOWRO?tag=vglnk-c102-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJNU31O?tag=vglnk-c102-20

Who is the manufacturer of the kit? Typically they have codes on the back of the package that identifies the keying.

I didn't catch the manufacturer, but I looked for keying codes like the full locksets have, and didn't see any.

The part/model numbers are 2400 for kwikset and 2402 for schlage. Yes... here they are. Prime-Line. (Linky) I really, really like the color keyed pins in that set. 

HD wants $5 a cylinder, so that means the first $45 +tax of a kit and/or supplies is free. :-) Now to find the right kit. Something that includes at least a few dozen (but not 200!) of each pin, the right tools to make it easy(er), master pins, hopefully color coded pins, and doesn't cost too many times what HD wants to do the basic rekeying.