Locksmithing From Apprentice to Master, Joseph Rathjen, Copyright 1994, ISBN 0-07-051645-6, 309 pages 7" X 9".
Contents:
1. Locksmithing Intro / Getting Started
2. Tools
3. Jobs / Certifications / Law / Setting up Shop
4. Types of Locks
5. Lock Functions
6. High Security Locks
7. Door Closers
8. Keys, Spacings and Depths
9. Master Keying
10. Interchangeable Cores
11. Automotive Locksmithing
12. Alarms
Book has its strong points and weakpoints. The weaknesses are:
1. The title includes "from apprentice to master". The "master" should have been left off. I think the book has some good parts, but master locksmithing it is not.
2. It does not go over picking, impressioning, or bypassing--Rathjen did not believe in letting that information out. But if someone frequents this site, knowing how to pick is probably not a problem, and Gordon's tutorial on impressioning is hard to beat.
3. The automotive section is 20 years out of date, and does not go over opening cars--a traditional source of revenue for new locksmiths.
4. It has a door closer section, but it is very light. It does not go over door closer sizes, does not mention ADA (which had become law a few years before this book was published), etc. Maybe better than nothing but not really enough for one to offer one's services as a door closer man.
5. It has a section on going into business for oneself, but seems to be more oriented towards setting up a storefront than establishing a mobile service. Being published 20 years ago it can not help being out of date on advertising and such.
The strengths are:
1. It has a twenty page section on master keying, and I think it would be enough to actually get someone started with the rotating constant progression method. One could also search this site for an introduction to masterkeying, e.g.:
http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=62052&p=457991#p4579492. It has a 17 page section on interchangeable core locks. It goes in detail on how to work with Best SFIC, and briefly touches on Schlage and Medecco. Great content at the time, but there is better documentation online
http://www.lsamichigan.org/Tech/BEST%20A2%20-%20A4%20Key%20Systems%20Training%20ver.%2002132015.pdf or here
http://www.lsamichigan.org/Tech/Schlage_SFIC_Service_Manual_2014.pdf3. It has an almost 50 page section on alarms. It goes over hardwired systems. From designing the system, setting up the panel, running wires, installing sensors, etc., it is thorough for when it was written. I have not installed an alarm system since the late 1990's, and I can not say how out of date this chapter is, but I think it would be useful to someone with an interest in alarms.
It is apparently still in print but I would not buy it new. There are used copies on Amazon for ~$5 and if someone wanted a decent introduction to masterkeying, hardwired alarm systems, or an intro to SFIC in print form, it would not be a bad purchase.
