Lock Picking 101 Forum
A community dedicated to the fun and ethical hobby of lock picking.
       

Lock Picking 101 Home
Login
Profile
Members
Forum Rules
Frequent Forum Questions
SEARCH
View New Posts
View Active Topics


Live Chat on Discord
LP101 Forum Chat
Keypicking Forum Chat
Reddit r/lockpicking Chat



Learn How to Pick Locks
FAQs & General Questions
Got Beginner Questions?
Pick-Fu [Intermediate Level]


Ask a Locksmith
This Old Lock
This Old Safe
What Lock Should I Buy?



Hardware
Locks
Lock Patents
Lock Picks
Lock Bumping
Lock Impressioning
Lock Pick Guns, Snappers
European Locks & Picks
The Machine Shop
The Open Source Lock
Handcuffs


Member Spotlight
Member Introductions
Member Lock Collections
Member Social Media


Off Topic
General Chatter
Other Puzzles


Locksmith Business Info
Training & Licensing
Running a Business
Keyways & Key Blanks
Key Machines
Master Keyed Systems
Closers and Crash Bars
Life Safety Compliance
Electronic Locks & Access
Locksmith Supplies
Locksmith Lounge


Buy Sell Trade
Buy - Sell - Trade
It came from Ebay!


Advanced Topics
Membership Information
Special Access Required:
High Security Locks
Vending Locks
Advanced Lock Pick Tools
Bypass Techniques
Safes & Safe Locks
Automotive Entry & Tools
Advanced Buy/Sell/Trade


Locksport Groups
Locksport Local
Chapter President's Office
Locksport Board Room
 

How busy are you?

This is the old Locksmith business info area and will be broken down to fill in the new sections below.

How busy are you?

Postby Marcus27 » 15 Aug 2006 18:19

Interested to see how busy some of the UK locksmiths are at the moment.
Marcus27
 
Posts: 6
Joined: 15 Aug 2006 14:57
Location: UK

Re: How busy are you?

Postby p1ckf1sh » 15 Aug 2006 19:11

Marcus27 wrote:Interested to see how busy some of the UK locksmiths are at the moment.

Locked out? :)

Or thinking about becoming one?
Due to financial limitations the light at the end of tunnel has been turned off until further notice.
p1ckf1sh
 
Posts: 711
Joined: 16 Mar 2006 9:55
Location: North Germany, Europe

Postby Wrenchman » 15 Aug 2006 19:17

Very busy!

http://www.lockpicking101.com//viewtopic.php?t=4708&start=15

pinky says that he is busy, so start practicing"

:D
Before you pick a lock:
The first thing that you should do is check to make sure that
the lock is your's and secondly make sure its not in use.
Wrenchman
 
Posts: 588
Joined: 11 Sep 2005 19:04
Location: Brazil

Postby zeke79 » 15 Aug 2006 19:35

I know that chatting with alot of UK lockies that do not know me by screen name here say they are swamped with lockouts at this point. I guess some locks are getting problems with high low keying problems (lever locks) after wear and that has caused some problems after time.

If you are in the UK, practice up on common locks!!
For the best book out there on high security locks and their operation, take a look at amazon.com for High-Security Mechanical Locks An Encyclopedic Reference. Written by our very own site member Greyman! A true 5 Star read!!
zeke79
Admin Emeritus
 
Posts: 5701
Joined: 1 Sep 2003 14:11
Location: USA

Postby NickBristol » 15 Aug 2006 19:42

Not very... but still new to the business so guess I have to be thankful for ANY work. Been doing one or two lock replacements a day - all installing BS locks to complement cylinders already on the door.

Only done one lockout so far where I had to pick anything... a cheap Yale padlock to let a dog out of a shed and took under 2 mins.
NickBristol
Supporter
Supporter
 
Posts: 160
Joined: 2 Aug 2006 17:29
Location: Bristol

Postby zeke79 » 15 Aug 2006 19:44

Great job picking the yale mate :wink: . Keep us informed of your progress both in the industry and outside of it in your hobby picking :wink: .
For the best book out there on high security locks and their operation, take a look at amazon.com for High-Security Mechanical Locks An Encyclopedic Reference. Written by our very own site member Greyman! A true 5 Star read!!
zeke79
Admin Emeritus
 
Posts: 5701
Joined: 1 Sep 2003 14:11
Location: USA

Postby Marcus27 » 16 Aug 2006 2:36

Ive been learning to pick locks for a while. Ive recently considered it as a job but dont want to enter a dying trade. How has locksmithing changed over the last 20 years? I guess you are still busy because of increased population but do less masterkeying etc because this has been replaced by assecc control systems etc. Am I right?

Im also concerned by the number of training courses available. I always thought locksmithing was a family type business and to get into it you had to know someone who would be prepared to teach you.

From my experience of other trades once training courses etc appear and the trade is hyped then the bottom has already dropped out of it.

Is there a shortage of locksmith here in the UK?

Sorry for the questions but Im just trying to gauge the situation.
Marcus27
 
Posts: 6
Joined: 15 Aug 2006 14:57
Location: UK

Postby Shrub » 16 Aug 2006 9:46

There are enough locksmiths but far too many door openers,

What you need to do is look in your yellow pages and turn to locksmiths, look at all the companies there and think to yourself if you can compete with them and get to the top of that list, thos adverts cost a lot of money as well,

I would suggest you need to look at the training threads and the tool threads on whats needed to get going,

You can go out with a drill and a few locks in a bag and get some money but you wont last long, to set up properly you need to be spending thousands and thousands of pounds to just set up (10-15k ish)
Shrub
Moderator Emeritus
 
Posts: 11576
Joined: 23 May 2005 4:03
Location: uk

Postby taylorgdl » 16 Aug 2006 10:32

There are 14 :!: pages of locksmiths in my YP.
It's all about the tension . . .
taylorgdl
 
Posts: 530
Joined: 3 Aug 2005 10:04
Location: Northumberland, UK

Postby Mark A » 16 Aug 2006 15:29

I agree with with Shrub about too many door openers.

Locksmithing is a huge subject and covers many different areas of work, trying to survive on just lock outs would be a very big ask, if you could identify a specialist area which is lacking in your Yellow Pages then you could maybe concentrate on filling that gap.

BTW I am very busy at the moment and have been for the the last few months. (Mainly jammed UPVC Doors). :D

Mark
Mark A
 
Posts: 157
Joined: 23 May 2006 12:03
Location: Kenilworth England

Postby taylorgdl » 16 Aug 2006 17:01

Mark A wrote:...

BTW I am very busy at the moment and have been for the the last few months. (Mainly jammed UPVC Doors). :D

Mark


Snap.

Lacking up here in the North East? Vehicle entry (done properly, and not by dynolock etc).

G.
It's all about the tension . . .
taylorgdl
 
Posts: 530
Joined: 3 Aug 2005 10:04
Location: Northumberland, UK

Postby Marcus27 » 16 Aug 2006 18:11

What problems do UPVC doors give Mark A?

I have looked in YP and there are a few pages of locksmiths.
Some adverts look like they are the same person working under a different name.

What was the trade like in the 70s and 80s? Anyone old enough to remember?
Marcus27
 
Posts: 6
Joined: 15 Aug 2006 14:57
Location: UK

Postby Mark A » 16 Aug 2006 18:32

Marcus27

UPVC doors having mutipoint locks with numerous locking points are prone to expansion and contraction caused by heat and cold.

This causes a number of different problems with doors dropping/twisting causing the MPL and keepers to be misaligned.

If this is not remedied then the continued use can cause the MPL to break/jam either in locked position or open.
Some people will have the door realigned as soon as it becomes difficult to lock, others just keep forcing it until it breaks.

Following the recent hot spell we had I've had loads of this type of work.

Mark
Mark A
 
Posts: 157
Joined: 23 May 2006 12:03
Location: Kenilworth England

Postby Marcus27 » 16 Aug 2006 18:35

Mark A,

What you do if it jams in the locked position. Take it picking or snaping the lock is no good.
Marcus27
 
Posts: 6
Joined: 15 Aug 2006 14:57
Location: UK

Postby Mark A » 16 Aug 2006 18:54

Marcus27

There are many different makes of MPL with hundreds of variations in total, cerain makes/models will tend to break in the same way and only with experience in opening these will you learn to "feel" what has broken.

I cannot give you examples on how to open MPL's as it is dependant on make/model and most opening techniques are forms of bypass methods which cannot be discussed in the open forum.

Mark
Mark A
 
Posts: 157
Joined: 23 May 2006 12:03
Location: Kenilworth England

Next

Return to Locksmith Business Information Archive 2003-2014

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests