Unlock Your Potential: Master the 2025 North Carolina Locksmith Challenge!

The term for the mark made by a tumbler on its key cut is "impression." In locksmithing, when a key is inserted into a lock, the tumblers—small pins or levers—interact with the cuts on the key. The impression is the visible mark that is created when the tumbler is pushed against the key cut. This can often be seen in the form of slight indentations on the key itself, which correspond to the position of the tumblers.

Understanding the concept of an impression is vital for locksmiths as it plays a crucial role in the processes of key duplication and lock picking. It is often the evidence that helps a locksmith ascertain where the key needs to be cut in order to match thetumblers properly. The other terms mentioned, like serration, notch, and groove, refer to specific types of cuts or features on keys or components but do not specifically describe the mark left by a tumbler. For example, a "notch" typically refers to a cut out from the key's edge, while "groove" describes a longer indentation or channel on its surface.