Whats the most used tool in your kit.

[vector40]

Sure. And I'd expect that electrician to inform the client of such before he took the job, and maybe do what he could to help him find someone else. The impression he creates may be relevant in terms of his image, but that is not really anyone's problem but his own.

If I found an electrician who only did a very specific thing, I'd likely think he was pretty goofy, but it wouldn't cause me any psychological trauma. As a matter of fact, if his specialty was exactly what I needed, I might even be glad, on the theory that he might actually be better at it then a general practitioner. (Whether this has any accuracy regarding locksmithing is another matter.)

[NKT]

I can see the limits of this analogy.

You have a dodgy light switch. The guy comes out, and pulls the switch off, then complains he can't do it because these are the wrong colour wires, they are black and red, not brown and blue. Oh, and you can't have a match on the switch, because it isn't one he carries because the bike he's using has limited space...

I can't even count the number of jobs I've gone on where the customer got it utterly wrong. One woman told me she had a wooden front door with a mortice lock. I'm stood outside thinking I wrote the number down wrong - both sides of me are wooden doors, but this one is white uPVC, with a euro cylinder. Back to the van, it's the right house when I phone the customer. So I'm changing a Euro. If I had come in the car, or with a sub-set of locks, I'd have had to go away.

Another time, it was a pair of shutter locks. I can pick these in minutes, every time. I wasn't expecting to have to drill, and it was on charge, so I left it behind! I should have known better - I do now - but this was about my first job, before I was even properly trading (and I was still using the car) and so I get there, and there are two bullet locks glued in. I heat them up, nothing happens. It's all solid. I keep trying, and call for back-up from the rotary pick (yes, it was driven out by my other half) and eventually I had to give up and drill them both. Half a tube of epoxy in each. How would a picker-only deal with that from a bike?

Walk away? The shop is trying to open, and they are turning customers away - you are costing them money! And just try charging a call-out fee. No chance.

[11]

it appears i've accidently started a riot????

Apologies to all who feel that i don't offer a full locksmith service but theres some points that i feel need saying.

I work full time anyway - i work as a locksmith in what spare time i get. That doesn't mean however i'm substandard. about 40% of my day job involves teaching NDE to people.

Most of my work is sub-contracted. I only offer/accept a lockout service, thats what the customer gets?

Believe me, you can fit enough equipment, including locks in the tankbag/panniers of a bike to cope with this.

I don't drill locks as a matter of course, i do carry one in case though. I don't like destroying something for the sake of it. If it takes me 20 minutes to get in somewhere using non-destructive tecniques, or 5 to put a drill into something, guess what? I'll use ND everytime.

Customers have a phobia of drills. They hear horror stories about them all the time, it's nice to see there face when you don't get it out.

I'm sorry if i offend people with only accepting lockouts, but that is what i'm setup for.

[toomush2drink]

I work full time anyway - i work as a locksmith in what spare time i get. That doesn't mean however i'm substandard. about 40% of my day job involves teaching NDE to people.

I never doubted your ability to open a lock nde its just that i cannot see how you can do lockouts only without the correct stock etc on a bike.If someones locked out it can be for a variety of reasons like lost keys,faulty lock,shut the door behind them,dropped snib etc. Just from these few examples you can see the need for stock, dropped snib normally means the lock is failing due to wear and needs replacing. Faulty lock could be a broken lever spring, you need replacement levers or a new lock.Lost keys may require all the locks changed after gaining entry. If you can cover all that on a bike well my hat goes off to you.
Training others too eh ? Just what the industry needs......

[11]

Training others too eh ? Just what the industry needs......

Just to clarify the above point. I don't train others who work in the industry. If thats not a good enough answer then PM me.

You can find an example for every situation. I find that i can carry enough stock and equipment on my bike. I'm not criticising others for carrying too much kit in his/her van? You have your opinon and i accept that there will always be people who don't agree with what i do/how i do it.

I would rather be critisised for only accepting work that i'm capable of doing with kit that i have, rather than turn up at a job that a "full blown" locksmith, with all the kit on the market has been to and botched because they couldn't do it.

As i've said, i'm sorry if i offend people by what i do and the way i do it. I do however respect your opinions and work ethics, there are too many people in the industry who act like cowboys and i'm a huge supporter of bringing in regulations to prevent this. If these regulations mean that i have to carry enough equipment for xyz and what ifs and buts, then so be it. I'll get a van to carry it all, probably a merc vito?

[acl]

Didnt notice you were in Oxford another town where 2 wheels could be better than 1 ,if you were working in the centre of Oxford only that is.
Are you running your own training school or do you train for others?
You havent offended anyone or started a riot, we can have differnces of opinon here without getting "psychologically traumatised" i was merely saying that even with a large van full of stock/tools i sometimes get caught out,on a pushbike i cant see how its possible.

[jdeacon]

11 did say "tank bag" so I don't think it's a push bike we're talking about, I guess it's a motor-bike. Round here, there are paramedics on motor-bikes. I think there's a place for both the "... and I've got the kitchen sink in the back" approach and the "I'll be there in 10 minutes and no, don't worry about the parking" approach.

It probably is necessary to distinguish the business that has a cachement of, say, 40 mile radius from an urban business with, say, a 5 mile radius.

As you might guess, I have a vested interest: I use a (large - three paniers, glovebox (!) and rucksack) motor-bike during the day. I work pretty much in the middle of London. And the main reason I use four wheels at night is whimping out when it's cold and wet; I don't think I'm any more effective, all things considered. I can even get the (Tempest) key machine on in place of the top box.

A goodly propotion of the posts from locksmiths here have the phrase, "so I went back the next day ...". On the bike and with a 5 mile radius business area I can pop back to my stores, (or Duffells) and return in 20 minutes.

[toomush2drink]

11 as acl says you havent offended and i agree with yourself we all have differences of opinion, it would be boring if we didnt.A motor bike in london is a great tool as you can get to several wholesalers or pop back home to the van if need be.

[acl]

John ,i agree but what would be better " i had to go back the next day " or " i had what i needed on the van so i got the job done and the following day i did another paying job!"

[jdeacon]

Oh, definitely, new job every time. Going back is a pain. But then again, maybe not as much pain and anguish (and I'm sure my therapist would agree) as spending one or two extra hours a day in those oddly shaped car parks known as the South Circular and the M25.

I'm tempted by a tank bag though. Room for a few more handles and the more unusual makes and sizes of cylinders and deadlocks.

[SteveW]

The M25 isnt so bad, and the South circular is a positively delightful tour of Londons finest traffic hotspots and traffic contrlo archetecture..

Ive seen Johns paniers first hand (no thats not a funny!) and the amount of equipment etc. that he does carry is quite asstounding.

Its a matter of taking the jobs that you can do, i dont think anyone on a bike is going to be changing UPVC lock strips and replacing doors. But a customer who needs a simple opening is going to be attracted by the speed with which a bike can get there.

Ive been caught out myself and have made it to Duffells and back in 45mins in the van so the speed at which it can be done on a bike is almost negligable.

But all said and done it is better to do the job on the spot and save alot of messing about, and i think the customer preffers it that way. But each to their own.

Cheers
Steve

[vector40]

o_O I could've sworn I made another post to this thread. Was it deleted for some reason, or did it disappear into the ether?

[paul1982]

As i work in food retail and there is a number of stores within 30 mins from me that i do lock work, normally keys left in office or changing digi combos to help boost my money and give me experience. I use my bike as i know i wont need much equipment and its my only form of transport at moment. Most of all the doors have euro cylinders or Yale rim cylinders. The area of some of these stores the bike can be a blessing. I am hoping to get a van very soon as you cant beat having a stereo, heating, and a good arsenal of stock and tools in the back.

[EvoRed]

Didnt notice you were in Oxford another town where 2 wheels could be better than 1

Better than 1 Andy?!

I struggle to carry eveything around in the van, let alone a bike. When you're talking about the 150 cylinders and the 50 mortice locks of one type or other alone on the van, you realise this.

Add in the rim latches, rim locks, knobsets, padlocks, hasps, camlocks, bullet locks, window locks, etc to all your tools and picking/bypass gear and the van struggles with the load!

As said, if you're called out for even a simple lost key to a euro (providing the customer has described the lock as it actually is) then pick it by all means, I do too, but then having to replace it means you've got about 40-odd different sizes and finish to choose from so there's 40 euro's alone that you've got to carry.

Having had bad luck with my van a couple of times, I've used the car while it was being repaired and tried to load everything I thought I would need in the boot, car weighed right down, and still came unstuck on more than one occasion where I'd not packed a particular lock or pick.

Personally, I like to carry absolutely everything for all eventualities around with me. If you can successfully get away with using two wheels then fair play to you.

[toomush2drink]

I agree evo, did a job last night where i had to change 4 euros,make secure the broken door where the thieves gained entry and rekeyed a 110.Didnt have a lever pack to hand so swopped the levers about and cut new keys with the machine.I had to open the 4 euros and it was called a lockout by the customer and only found out about the rest after i arrived.Glad i wasnt on a bike for this one .The thieves had taken all the keys after finding the key store in this office block and the originals were along way away as it was the weekend.