WHy did you have to take it to Ace? Home Depot duplicates those keys.

 

Home Depot tried, but the key didn't work. For some reason, their machine compressed the cut area by about 1/4".

 

One or the others of the keys were not clamped correctly. It's Operator Error. I do these all the time.

 

I can tell you from plenty of experience, Land Rover keys can be a PITA to cut. I use my local True Value. If one of the younger kids cuts the key there's a 50/50 chance it won't work. If I get an old timer there's seldom a problem. Nevertheless, when I have keys made I bring the ignition switch with me to test the keys (an uncommon luxury available to someone who parts these trucks out).

I think the biggest problem is using a ten to twenty year old key to make copies.

 

If you take it to an experienced locksmith, they can read the cut depths from the old key and looking at the depth & space charts for the key, tell what it should have been before wear.

Then they can use a code cutting machine to cut a key that's as good as new.

I can do this, but I don't do it very often because my business is web based. Someone has to show up with the key.

Needless to say, I did this for my D1.