Key cutting sits alongside shoe repair in a great many Australian shops, and has done for generations. If you are looking for a cobbler, the shop with keys in the window is often the same place.

Why the two trades share a counter

Both are walk-in work, both need a bench and a few specialised machines, and neither on its own fills a day. Pairing them keeps a small shop viable — which is part of the reason there are still cobblers on suburban high streets at all.

What they can and cannot copy

Standard house, padlock and window keys are cut in a couple of minutes. Restricted keys — the ones stamped "do not duplicate", common in apartment blocks and offices — cannot legally be copied without authorisation, and a reputable shop will decline. Car keys with a transponder chip usually need programming that most shoe repairers do not offer.