Worrall lever lock

[jdeacon]

Got a call last night. Keys stolen and customer wanted two Worrall replacements, which I don't have in stock. I was tempted to say, "why not replace them with something stronger and more commonplace?", like these 3G114s I do have in stock.

However, knowing almost nothing about Worralls, other than a brief course note I have that the 8852 is a double-throw mortice deadbolt, I wasn't very pushy and the client decided to carry on ringing round.

Anyone know if Worralls are good, bad, indifferent? Should I have been pushier?

(I was also tempted to offer to do a lever swap, but while modifying one set of keys for the lower lift is easy on the doorstep, I don't know how to modify a key for a higher lift on the doorstep.)

[Shrub]

Never push a customer in to making one choice over another, you should always offer options and you could have shown some of the locks you have in stock and explained how they are insurance approved and just as good, then its the customers decision,

You have to start from a blank if a higher lift is needed than the original key will allow.

You still get your callout if you charge one and say if they want such a lock fitted it would cost this much and be done here and now, if they call out another lockie they will also have to factor in their callout on top of that price.

The customer is always right even when they are so very wrong

[Dimmy Locks]

Personally, I think the 3G114 should have been offered as a replacement, you're a working 'smith, sure the next company she called would have not just offered but insisteshe have the lock replaced.

Worralls are a family run, lock making company up in the Midlands. Pretty famous for their custom built locks for furniture.

I wasn't even aware they made locks for standard opening doors though, largest lock of theirs I've seen was for a sliding door, but the finish was excellent. Shame I didnt have my picks with me at the time eh. lol

[jdeacon]

Yes, one of the things I most remember from my course is "options, that's what comforts the locksmith on the doorstep, lots of options".

I did manage to offer the client a couple of options. Unfortunately the "two identical locks; rats, I could have done a lever swap" only occurred to me after I'd hung up.

One thing I'm learning is that the brain isn't too good when it's just woken up at three in the morning and the heart is still thumping from the sound of the phone. Must remember to switch the phone down from 'firestation shout' to 'discreet cough' when going to bed.

[pinky]

The worral double throw in red normaly is a low security 5 lever lock, an L shaped wire and a buttonhook pop these in seconds, though obviously as a double throw you need to pick these twice. so you may have been doing them a favour offering a BS3621 lock replacement.

if you have a cutting machine and the blanks, an easy quick rekey to do would have 2 swapped the 1st 2 lever positions about, ie putting lever 1 in lever 2's position and vice versa, then cut new keys using old key as depth and space guide, old keys now useless and new key config to lock.

[jdeacon]

One of my biggest surprises when starting all this was the cost of key-cutting machines. They'll be out of the question for me for a good while yet.

Unfortunately these premises were only inhabited at night and the customer wasn't having any of my options that included, "and then tomorrow".

[pinky]

you can pick up some bargain second hand machines every so often, an old mancuna is what many start with as a reliable and accurate dual machine.

the start up costs are huge if setting up properly, Not the Low start up cost easy money industry the training outfits suggest, ie , £50,000 easily earnt low start up.

But the amount there is to learn too is daunting for many, years down the line you feel you are getting to grips with it all and the new locks out force a total rethink and back to square 1.

[toomush2drink]

Get the sks tempest key cutting machine for a good start up machine. Its about £380 with the vat and can do both mortice and cylinder. Ok you have to change cutters and calibrate it each time but it will get you out of situations like that one. Ive done a few rekeys with one now and all you do is file down the highcut by hand till its working the lever then pop the key in the machine but dont cut the new high cut too low and file it down by hand till it works.

[jdeacon]

The SKS Tempest - very interesting. Thanks. I'd managed to miss that despite it being the first one in the catalogue! That goes to very nearly the top of the shopping list.

Did you get the 12V? Or did you get the 220V and use an inverter when out and about?

[toomush2drink]

I got the 220v one and have a generator but on the look out for a 2000w pure sine invertor in the future.

[Keyring]

toomush: They do a cylinder code cutting wheel for the Tempest. Do you have any idea what they mean by code cutting in this case? Presumably the manual gives some indication.

I am assuming that this is not just cutting using depth keys, as I can't see why it would be a separate wheel. So what additional equipment does this assume?

[toomush2drink]

Im not sure about that code cutting wheel either, maybe it is easier to use with space and depth keys.