A cylinder lock assembly includes a plug rotatable in a cylinder lock body. The plug includes chambers, each of which has a chamber depth axis. A plurality of thin, planar plug locking elements are received in the chambers. Each plug locking element has a key cut interface probe for interfacing with a key cut formed on a key. Each plug locking element is arranged to move along the chamber depth axis and does not rotate about the chamber depth axis. Each key cut interface probe has a predetermined orientation with respect to the chamber depth axis.