A general question for professional locksmiths

[shutterstuff]

I know most customers (and builders) will opt for the cheapest option when it comes to door locks so I'm guessing this problem (hopefully) doesn't come up too often. But I've always thought it must be a bugger to attend a call-out and find an armoured metal door with two Protec deadbolts in it, or something :S. I guess also the lingering question "Are they a lock enthusiast, a paranoid individual or a gangland drug runner".

I have no trouble at all opening those sort of locks. Fortunately the most I ever run into is a couple of Medeco locks on a door. One I had was from Locksport enthusiast (otherwise known as a time waster) who thought it would be fun to waste my valuable time. Charged him a service call for his trouble and left him laughing believing his locks were secure. Don't call me if you aren't really locked out.

If I saw a Medeco lock on a home, I would definitely be asking questions!

I had to drill out another crappy lock last week. After spending about 5 minutes trying to get it open, the guys wife shows up and said she was having trouble with that door that morning getting it to lock... turns out they have been having problems for a while. They now have a new lockset.

From now on if I see a tulip shape door knob that looks like it has seen better days, just plain ask them if they would like a new one to begin with for only $29 more (cost is ~$11).

[billdeserthills]

I know most customers (and builders) will opt for the cheapest option when it comes to door locks so I'm guessing this problem (hopefully) doesn't come up too often. But I've always thought it must be a bugger to attend a call-out and find an armoured metal door with two Protec deadbolts in it, or something :S. I guess also the lingering question "Are they a lock enthusiast, a paranoid individual or a gangland drug runner".

I have no trouble at all opening those sort of locks. Fortunately the most I ever run into is a couple of Medeco locks on a door. One I had was from Locksport enthusiast (otherwise known as a time waster) who thought it would be fun to waste my valuable time. Charged him a service call for his trouble and left him laughing believing his locks were secure. Don't call me if you aren't really locked out.

I would have charged him double

Stick the die grinder right into both of his locks!

[Robotnik]

Stick the die grinder right into both of his locks!

At that point, you'd have the little-known Medeco "all section" keyway. For your convenience, any Medeco key will fit, as will any Kwikset, Schlage, Master padlock or other readily sourced key. Only problem is, neither the original key or any others named will ever open the lock again.

[Sinifar]

Not to give away trade secrets, as a locksmith for now 50 years, there is nothing you cannot get apart / into. There are special tools which allow you to literally pull a lock apart and get access to the cylinder.

I have done this with Primus, both classic and Everest - Medeco, Assa Twin, and others which got glued, died, or were otherwise made inoperable.

Not to reveal how, but know it works, leaves no marks on the lock and is reversible.

Sinifar

[CapeCodLocksmith]

IMO, time is money so every customer that calls us out pays a service charge.

It's very rare to come across a lock that needs to be drilled, but it happens. There are some strange creatures that would rather die than have their locks drilled.

Medeco and equivalent are very rare to come across in a lockout situation. Usually those types of people will have back up keys, or the locksmith that installed them will have their key info on file.

[Raccoon]

I've had no problem explaining to customers when I'm having difficulty getting into their vehicle or door. I have always treated the customer as a spectator who is both paying for your professional service, and is expecting the "thrill ride" of having a real-life locksmith perform their magic in front of them. To take the focus off me as a performer doing an staged act that is expected to go smoothly, like something on TV, I take the opportunity to explain everything I'm doing and what the different tools are and how they work. By adding in a little small talk to humanize me and keeping the customer updated with every action I am about to take, it lifts the veil of mystery and now I'm just a plumber who is struggling to get a seized pipe fitting loose. Just another day on the job.

There have been a few occasions where I really spent an internment amount of time before finally bypassing their locks. I think it's a win-win, because these customers feel their security isn't quite so bad when it took me 35 minutes to pick their locks. Indeed, the worst thing you can do is pop a lock in under 15 seconds. Less than 30 to 60 seconds is either going to get your customer really enamored by your skill, or pissed off at the price-per-minute you just charged him. And if you're really stuck and just want to give up, you can simply tell the customer (who by this point already knows more about locks than they ever wanted to) that the lock really isn't designed to be opened this way, and sometimes the manufacturer wins. That's why their brand is so popular. Go from there.

One thing that really helped me a lot when I was getting started, was a good lubricant for locks that have been really exposed to the elements and have had all kinds of crap put in them previously. Improves your chances of a successful pick greatly, IF the lock is all corroded or gummed up.

https://www.amazon.com/Lock-Saver-0-5-o ... 004OBQF7I/

[billdeserthills]

I have heard about so-called 'locksmiths' like yourself, usually after I finish picking open, or rekeying an entire house full of locks,
in record time. My clients many times will tell me about the 'last guy' who was here, and how it took him 30 minutes to get in the front door,
or how he spent 4 hours at their kitchen table with his pin kit, rekeying 4 locks. Actually you folks make me and other competent locksmiths
look really great, please don't bother attending any lock seminars, or learning anything else, cause you are doing us a great favor just being your
own incompetent selves!!

[GWiens2001]

ladies, ladies... you are both pretty. Please play nice.

Gordon

[Tyler J. Thomas]

I have heard about so-called 'locksmiths' like yourself, usually after I finish picking open, or rekeying an entire house full of locks,
in record time. My clients many times will tell me about the 'last guy' who was here, and how it took him 30 minutes to get in the front door,
or how he spent 4 hours at their kitchen table with his pin kit, rekeying 4 locks. Actually you folks make me and other competent locksmiths
look really great, please don't bother attending any lock seminars, or learning anything else, cause you are doing us a great favor just being your
own incompetent selves!!

Come on man....

[ltdbjd]

I thought I recall reading this somewhere. I can't quite place it though. "This forum postings are to be kept clean and professional. This forum exists to educate in a clean manner, to bring lock picking hobbyists and locksmiths together." I think it was close to something like, "Flaming other posters is not in permitted on any forum."

[billdeserthills]

I thought I recall reading this somewhere. I can't quite place it though. "This forum postings are to be kept clean and professional. This forum exists to educate in a clean manner, to bring lock picking hobbyists and locksmiths together." I think it was close to something like, "Flaming other posters is not in permitted on any forum."

I'm sorry, I shouldn't be insulting to someone seeking to better themselves. Actually in the time I have been here I have
overcome some of my troubles with picking open locks, if for no other reason that I know lots of other folks can.

I just wish that raccoon would understand that lying to the customer isn't really part of being a locksmith
and feeling proud of lying isn't either. I been there raccoon, in the beginning, trying to pick open a lock for
a half hour, not knowing that when your pick gun needle is loose, it doesn't actually pick anything. I learned
to question Why? When the pick gun doesn't work in a few clicks, just like I learned to ask Why? when that drillbit
keeps spinning but no more metal is coming out of that hole you are drilling & lots of other pressing matters.

I hope you stick with it and succeed & I do apologize for belittling you, Man

[CapeCodLocksmith]

IMO, each locksmith is like an individual artist. No locksmith does a job the same way as another. If a customer likes their locksmith, they will continue to use their services. If they don't, they'll find somebody else. Simple.