How it all unfolded

It was in 1851 that Börkey began producing hand-forged keys. In the same decade, the first malleable cast iron foundries arose in Germany which later replaced most hand-forging of keys.

As early as 1840, the American Linus Yale jun. revived an Ancient Egyptian drop-latch principle and created the safety lock with pairs of locking pins arranged one behind the other; this was to herald a completely new era in terms of safety locks.

And so it was that the first Börkey cylinder key blank No. 200 for Yale cylinders was produced.

Virtually all cylinder lock manufacturers later followed the Yale lock design, and even today, security technology greatly values the profile paracentric designed by Linus Yale jun. which resists the Hobbs unlocking method which was already known at the time.

Responding to the demands of the market, the Börkey key factory also developed. Since a normal family cannot make do with the standard 2 to 3 keys supplied with a lock, and a replacement key always has to be obtained quickly, the market needed a central point of purchase as offered by Börkey.

In around 1930, Börkey began producing key cutting machines and helped liberate locksmiths in Germany and in many other countries of the world from laborious work using a file, as well as achieving maximum precision and cost-effectiveness. The era of locksmith and key cutting services began.

Börkey key cutting machines and Börkey key blanks became the tool of locksmith and key cutting services.

Nowadays, the range supplied by Börkey extends from drop-forged to highly complex cylinder key blanks with transponder technology and from the mechanical key cutting machine to key manufacturing methods that use laser technology and electronic control.

A comprehensive additional product range consisting of lock cylinders, accessories for locksmith and key cutting services, opening tools and shop fittings, rounds off the Börkey product range.

The Börkey company today offers its customers a full range of blanks to which new products are constantly being added. The product portfolio is continually being adapted and expanded.

When it comes to key cutting machines we are partners and suppliers for locksmith and key cutting services, specialist security shops and industry worldwide – especially also for the automotive sector with our large ECOS cutting machines.