It's fussy work, you might ruin a blank or two, but you can cut your own keys.

You need:

• a jig to hold the blank,

a way to read the angles of the cuts,

• a band saw or some such,
• a blank, and
• some patience.

Blanks are common on eBay, and there are some locksmiths online who sell them.

The Tibbe key for the Scorpio uses only 6 cuts (as opposed to 8 for the Jaguar), and four 'depths' (as opposed to 3 for the Jaguar). One depth on either is 0 (no cut), and each is a progressively wider angle. 1 looks like about 10°, a 2 cut looks like about 20°, and a 3 cut looks like 30°. Each cut is made four times around the key.

Checks the pictures closely or your own key. Here are some more pictures to help gauge the cuts.

Picture above shows the 3 cut highlighted.

Picture above shows the 2 cut highlighted.

Picture above shows the 0 and 1 cuts. The picture below shows the 0 (no) cut slightly more highlighted.

The door lock cylinders carry the key code. *AS BEST I RECALL* (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), the code on the cylinder is the cuts needed on the key, starting at the handle end of the key.

If you have an old key, obviously it's easier. If you don't, and want someone else to cut it, there are some options.

Getting Someone Else to Cut Your Keys

Ford (Rotunda, really) will cut new keys, based on the serial number of the car. Here's the ticket (from Jerry at IMON, late 2007):

"Rotunda will deal directly with Merkur Scorpio owners and offer us the same price as they do to dealers:
$25 + shipping ($5-6) (Includes the blank and cut)

It is true that they have a master Scorpio VIN decoder book. You provide her with the VIN of your Scorpio and she can look up the key code of the 'cuts' on your key. FYI, Scorpio Tibbe keys have FOUR cut levels in SIX positions. This is different from Jag keys which used three levels in eight positions. I asked her to look up my VIN and compare her key code to my decipher. It matched perfectly!!

So.. if you have worn Scorpio keys, $25 + Shipping is a deal for these rare keys. Here is what you do:

Call Rotunda at: 800-768-8632 and without listening to the computer, hit '3', then ask for Cindy or Val. Both of those nice ladies will take your order over the phone.. just have your VIN for them and credit card. You will have a new Tibbe key in a week or so. If the key does not work for some reason, they will refund.

You can also get these ladies by dialing direct:
313-865-5000
Ext. 3309 - Cindy
Ext. 3310 - Val"

This assumes you still have the original lock set.

Dedge's can also cut Scorpio keys, both Tibbe (on the left) and Chubb (on the right) versions.

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