ARCHIVE 2003-2013 Introduce yourself HERE if you are new. :)

[icghogger]

Thanks, Gordon!! This old dog is looking for new tricks to learn so I can capitalize on my previous mechanical and electricals skills. Serviced teletypes and selectric typewriters back in the day, but that stuff is long gone now!

Robert Tomb
Spring, TX

[MacGyver101]

Robert: if you can service a whiffletree linkage, I'm looking forward to what you can do with a set of lockpicks. :-)

(I think I may have just dated myself there a bit... but, nonetheless, Selectrics were great machines.)

[GWiens2001]

Don't talk about dating yourself by using selectrics and wiffletrees! That dates me, too! I learned to type on a manual typerwriter. My grandmother's winchester, to be precise! Didn't use an electric until high school, where the teacher kept yelling at me to stop banging the keys so hard. I was already a touch typer, but used to the force needed to operate the manuals.

Gordon

[icghogger]

Ah, the old whiffletree linkage....my boss would have kicked my butt for calling it that. We referred to it as the tilt/rotate differential, however, we did call the universal joint connected to the tilt ring a "dog bone"! Tape replacement was pretty much a routine task, and earned IBM a whole lotta cash. For some reason, folks were fascinated by those little bands of steel and could not resist messing with them. My contracts were relegated to airline ticket lift desks and reservation centers, so there was always somebody who thought they could "fix it" by pulling the tape when the ball didn't move to suit them.

Robert Tomb
Spring, TX

[shatar]

Looking to get started in locksport as a hoby. also as a IT Geek I am wanting to work on lockpicking skills to be able to unlock cabinets with lost keys.

[GWiens2001]

Welcome Shatar!

Gordon

[shatar]

Oh byt the way for fun i decided to use my main rouge charter name. it is actually spelled shátar (shuh-tār) kinda lame but in use for years

[EdwardMc51]

Have dabbled with picking. The more that I can do the more interrested that I become. Looking forward to stepping up in the practice and hoping to get some good ideas from this forum.

[Brandon314159]

Hello!

Came across your site after doing some poking around on the sponsors web-site.

Needed to replace a rake so bought a mid-range set to play with again. Many hours around the campfires spent passing the tools and the locks between friends.

Latest lock was my wife's 1968 CT90 Honda motorcycle! Lost the key for the steering lock, but wanted to ride! Picked it, hot-wired it, and off we went :-)

Ordered two brand new keys from a photo of the original (codes) from a fellow back east and all is well again.

Cheers!

-Brandon
Portland, OR

[phoneman85]

Hey all, been a lock collector for awhile, and learned to pick several years back. Love high security stuff, and figuring out how locks work.
Great site!

[Puritanen]

Hi from Sweden!
I am a hobby picker mainly interested in pintumblers. I´ve been picking for quite a few years but has gotten more active the more recent years. I´m looking forward to learn even more from you guys here! And maybe I can contribute to the discussions aswell. See you around!

//Puritanen

[smooth]

Hello

I am Terrance. I live in Atlanta, Ga. I found this site because I am teaching myself how to be proficient at locksmithing. I got into the trade after locking myself out of my car one afternoon. I went on the internet and shopped around for a good deal-couldn't find any. The company I chose contracted the work out like a dispatcher and the worker who arrived wanted to charge me $130 for less than 3 mins of work! After talking it down to $90, I thought ", how much do you think he makes in a day if everyone is paying $100??
This question got me going and I researched a lot of topics on the different jobs a locksmith has to be prepared to do. For the most part, it seemed simple enough to execute-as long as you have the right tools, ofcourse. After developing a business plan, I presented it to a close friend and he agreed to lend me $3,000 to start my Locksmith career.
I have taken the Locksmith Video School course and I have been in business 3 months-following this typing. I must say, the most difficult thing about the business is not having the correct tools for the calls. Make sure you have at least $6,000 to start this business right. Also, get the gear you need to practice, practice, practice. There is nothing more embarrassing than getting to a job site and not being able to perform.
I will be on this site to give stories on my adventures down here in the South. PM me anytime if you want to chat!

[davenutt]

Hi from Wales UK, full time working locksmith, found site through referal, looks interesting will hopefully find areas I can involve with.

[feedthedog1]

Hello,

I'm new from the east coast of the US. I'm trying to educate myself about locks, while I'm working on my house.

[MisterPhi]

Hi All,
Full time Locksmith for 16 years in Australia. I hope we can all learn a little something new