Cam Phasing

Is the off-set woodruff key for the camshaft itself an acceptable way to adjust the phasing? I have a good older chain and gears. I have read the typical horror stories of the new stuff. The damned keys start a $30. Another $100 plus gets me an adjustable crank sprocket and new chain and gears. I'd like to stick with my old stuff. I need to advance 4 degrees and Summit has the key to do it.
They have the key to do it IF the set you have now is machined correctly. Here's how it works. If a timing set is machined DEAD ON when you install the timing set dot to dot, it would be in correctly. Modern cams are ground with the advance already in the cam. The whole reason for degreeing is to make up the difference in tolerance stacking. No one machines exactly the same. We're talking minute measurements here......degrees. Half a degree off with the camshaft......another half with the cam sprocket and another half with the crank sprocket.....and yet another with where the crankshaft keyway is. And here's the kicker. All those "half degree" amounts I mentioned.......you would be DANG LUCKY if that's all it was out. I've seen one I built years ago that wheeled in at 12 degrees retarded set dot to dot. We never wouldda known had we not put the wheel on it. So put the wheel on it.