Back cutting

= Back Cutting =

Back cutting describes a situation in which the slopes between the cuts on a key are too steep, causing the key to become stuck in the lock. Back cutting can also happen when proper keying specifications are not followed, particularly MACS between components. To remove the key, a broken key extractor may be used to attempt to lift components out of the way or the lock may be fully disassembled.

To prevent back-cutting, key specifications should be followed, in particular the angle of slopes between key cuts.