Top ten (or more) things that piss a locksmith off!

[In.Xanadu]

Does this count?

[GWiens2001]

I think that is when you ask if there is a back door into the place. Looks like they had the key in the lock, then after closing the inner door, locked it from the inside, flipping the key ring onto the handle.

Any possibility of pulling the hinge pins on that storm door?

Gordon

P.S. Yes, I think that would count!

[In.Xanadu]

It's not mine, thank god. I just pulled it from the blago-tubes, but felt the need to share it.

[dll932]

I get called to a auto lockout today, I'm about 30 KM away and tell the guy I'll be about 30 min. I arrive to find some CAA dude with his opening tool stuck in the door trying to open the lock. So the tell the guy next time don't bother to call me lol.

The last guy I worked for just told people he wouldn't come unless he could run their credit card first.

[dll932]

Tell them that they're welcome to order it themselves, just as long as they are happy with a lock-shaped hole in the door and no way of locking it for the x many days it will take for the eBay seller to ship the lock.

Global, that's hilarious, I hadn't heard of that one before!

One issue I have is when you quote a price and they *somehow* have $100 less than the agreed cost when I finish the work and expect me to do a discount.

Other times when I do a lockout and the customer has a whinge about how much it costs versus how long it takes. Never mind the fact that the lockout charge is about $50 less than most competitors, but I always say 'that's almost 6-and-a-half years of practice to do it that quick. Would you rather still be outside?'

There's much more gripes I have, but paperwork calls. Oh wait...

If someone wanted us to install their hardware we told them yes, but we would only warranty the install, not the hardware.

[dll932]

"do you cut keys?"
Must be the in the top 3!!

What would always tick me off is people would look at the key I just cut and compare it to theirs like they could tell the diff without a micrometer...IF they know what to look for!

[Squelchtone]

"do you cut keys?"
Must be the in the top 3!!

What would always tick me off is people would look at the key I just cut and compare it to theirs like they could tell the diff without a micrometer...IF they know what to look for!

I don't know if what I'm about to write is a good pro tip or a hack job tip, but when I first ventured out into doing side work for friends and family, and I wanted to check if the key I made would work 100% in the the customer's lock, I would grab a spare cylinder I had laying around, and would quickly pin up the plug with their original key inserted in it, so it had a perfect shearline. Then I would assemble the lock and made sure it worked smoothly. Then I would insert the key I just duplicated and made sure that also worked smoothly. It helped teach me how to properly clamp the keys in my key machine, as well as some minor calibrations I had to do on that machine. I did this so that I could guarantee when they went home their new copy would work in their lock, or at least as well as the current key did. Since it was a 1 for 1, and not a code cut key, if their old key had to be jiggled or lifted then the copy would have to be as well depending on how worn the original was or how worn the pins and wardings in the lock were.

This was most helpful when I was cutting ASSA Twin keys. I cut a bunch and they "looked" perfect when compared to the original, but they would not open the lock! Turns out they were cut too deep or too shallow (I dont recall) all the way across. I have an ILCO 027 machine, and don't recall at this point what the fix was to get them copying accurately.

Squelchtone

[zeke79]

If memory serves me correctly, the assa twin keys can be cut under somewhat but can't be over. I'm sure the problem you had was cutting them on a duplicator. The cuts are not true flats due to how the key feeds into the cutting wheel. Instead of the cut being a true flat like | it ends up like / which is just the nature of the beast. You can adjust the machine to get a working key but I have never found a way to eliminate the angled cut.

[MBI]

In my certification class they simply told us never to use a duplicator for ASSA high security keys and that all "copies" should be code cut. He said the locks have tight enough tolerances and you'll end up wasting a lot of expensive blanks if you insist on using a duplicator for them.

[Achyfellow]

i hate it when someone just hands over a lock and doesnt say anything, like he thinks i can read his mind and know whats wrong. like is it broken, need a key, need a rekey, etc.

After years fixing everyone's computer, that sounds very familiar…

[someguy7]

"can you fix these shoes" -.-

[cledry]

In my certification class they simply told us never to use a duplicator for ASSA high security keys and that all "copies" should be code cut. He said the locks have tight enough tolerances and you'll end up wasting a lot of expensive blanks if you insist on using a duplicator for them.

Makes sense, a code key should be more accurate. However we had a 16 story building with ASSA Twin locks and didn't find them difficult to duplicate. I think we used either a Dominion or Ilco automatic at the time and rarely recall a bad key. If they didn't work we would have stopped for sure since we had so many code machines available. Perhaps it is a different series of ASSA your instructor was referring to.

[keysman]

Makes sense, a code key should be more accurate. However we had a 16 story building with ASSA Twin locks and didn't find them difficult to duplicate. I think we used either a Dominion or Ilco automatic at the time and rarely recall a bad key. If they didn't work we would have stopped for sure since we had so many code machines available. Perhaps it is a different series of ASSA your instructor was referring to.

I was taught the same thing at the factory certification class. Since a properly adjusted code machine will always cut to specs, out of specification keys don't exist and problems with the lock can't be blamed on the keys.

While your duplicator(s) may be adjusted properly, most are not. Several generations of duplicates will normally show some variance from factory specs, eventually not working at all.