Ask a Locksmith.

by **Raccoon** » 21 Jun 2007 1:51

After I started writing this thread, I just noticed one by a similar name. However, the purpose of this thread is for general questions you might like to ask a locksmith.

Lockpicking101 is home to some very knowledgeable, honest and forthright locksmiths whose statements are subject to peer review on this site. If you have ever doubted the advice of your local locksmith, here's your chance for a second opinion.

I realize that most any question asked on lp101 might be one you'd ask a locksmith, so let me give you some direction. Find a question you think might pertain to locksmithing work, perhaps even beyond the subject of locks and their mechanical workings.

Also, I think this would make a nifty column piece in Schuyler's new magazine. Though, please resist the temptation to construct a question specifically for magazine publication. We'd like to hear some actual nagging questions on your mind, even spontaneous questions from random visitors, EVEN tech-support questions that affect you immediately.

Shoot.

by **Legion303** » 21 Jun 2007 8:45

Dear Locksmithy:

Lately my husband has been coming home late. He says he has a lot of overtime in meetings for the end of the quarter, but he just got a new secretary and I could swear I smelled perfume on his shirt the other night! Am I nuts, or is there cause for concern?

Suspicious in Toledo

-steve

by **zeke79** » 21 Jun 2007 9:00

Uhhhh, yeah... Uhhh, do you guys have 10 pound balls?

by **jordyh** » 21 Jun 2007 9:02

First post hijack.
Either this will give inspiration for the funnier columns, or this is a record in how fast a thread went awry. :lol:

by **zeke79** » 21 Jun 2007 9:08

Ok, I'll do a serious one here.

What do you pros do when you get called to an auto job where the customer has lost all keys and there is no code info available. GM, Ford, etc are not providing VIN service to locksmiths anymore unless you have some connections but some may not be this fortunate.

How do you handle generating a key? Do you go straight for a door and progress the rest of the cuts to get a fully functional key? Do you scope the locks and read the wafers?

I personally am working on wafer reading but am curious how others handle this.

I think this is a legitimate question.

(Lets not get into discussion of steps in techniques in the open forums however)

by **JackNco** » 21 Jun 2007 9:08

Ya ive got one come to think of it. ive not seen it answered anywhere and as were asking questions i may as well ask this one.

Restricted key ways, specifically government and or military key ways on locks. where does the law stand on these (lets here it from both sides of the pond because most of us ship locks about all over the place. )

Is it illegal or OWN or just SELL them? is it actually illegal to make copies of the keys or blanks. and can you be in trouble for just owning the keys?

and then onwards from this, is it illegal to sell or ship these outside the country. is shipping and selling classed as the same thing?

and if any of this is illegal does it become legal after a certain number of years like the official secrets act?

after all i know a few people have S&G 833s and ive seen a few hi-shear locks about. im personally after an Ingersoll with an "M" key way if anyone has one? but thats not really part of the question.

All the best

John

by **zeke79** » 21 Jun 2007 9:19

JackNco wrote:Ya ive got one come to think of it. ive not seen it answered anywhere and as were asking questions i may as well ask this one.

Restricted key ways, specifically government and or military key ways on locks. where does the law stand on these (lets here it from both sides of the pond because most of us ship locks about all over the place. )

Is it illegal or OWN or just SELL them? is it actually illegal to make copies of the keys or blanks. and can you be in trouble for just owning the keys?

and then onwards from this, is it illegal to sell or ship these outside the country. is shipping and selling classed as the same thing?

and if any of this is illegal does it become legal after a certain number of years like the official secrets act?

after all i know a few people have S&G 833s and ive seen a few hi-shear locks about. im personally after an Ingersoll with an "M" key way if anyone has one? but thats not really part of the question.

All the best

John

John,

Duplication or replication of military keys is definately illegal. Owning the locks with military keyways is a no no but they likely are not going to hunt you down for buying or selling a single one on ebay.

If you were to be selling say lots of 100 833's day in and day out with the biaxial mil keyway then you would likely get a knock on your door. Owning the occasional single lock is not likely to cause you any trouble however i am sure possession of the key would be equal to possession of government property and that could get ugly.

When it comes to older locks such as the 831, the 826, the hi shear, or the miracle, those locks have been surplused onto the market (they were never actually supposed to be sold. Only destroyed) and even if the key is stamped US military blah blah you really have no problems on your hand. IF however they wanted to bust you for every little thing then again I am sure you would be in for posession of gov't property.

by **JackNco** » 21 Jun 2007 9:25

cheers zeke. had a feeling u would chip in on this one.

I wasn't really asking for my own concerns. more of a theoretical question. of if it was technically not legal to own on. rather than if i should worry.

But ya pretty much as i assumed. and yes, lots of things that should be destroyed in all "industry" end up on the open market. we only need to look at all the Cat A write offs ( heading for the crusher) that end up on the roads as "cut n' shuts"

thanks again

John

by **raimundo** » 21 Jun 2007 9:43

Note, Zeke79 lives in illionis, and Jacknco lives in coventryUK
laws may differ

by **Shrub** » 21 Jun 2007 12:06

I thought this was an ask a locksmith thread as in ask someone on here if the local locksmith they had just talked to was talking through his ass or not,

I didnt think it was a hobby picker asking questions thread which is pretty much what the rest of the site is for,

The sort of question i assumed was the one being sought would be somthing like,

'Ive just been told that Kwikset cylinders are impossable to pick, is this right or are they just trying to sell me rubbish for loads of money?'

The sort of question i didnt think was being sought was,

'How do you depress the button in the back of a master lock so it opens without the key?'

I see a big differance between a thread thats gogin to need a lot of attention by us and one that will be helpful to those useing us lockies out there,

Just some clarifaction would be good i think,

Legion303,

Your nuts but not sure about your situation lol,

Zeke,

I use a number of methods to solve your problem but im unwilling to answer such things in the open forums, if its a real question you want the answer to i will happily pm you what i do,

by **zeke79** » 21 Jun 2007 12:29

Shrub,

My post was more of a roundabout way of saying what you just did. When these types of questions come in there will be a lot of babysitting this thing. Most "ask a locksmith" questions that are going to be asked here are going to be rather advanced simply becuase the collective group we have here is pretty advanced.

Raccoon,

I think the idea is good but needs more direction as to what types of questions will be addressed. Maybe my post was a bit extreme but that was the example I wanted to put out to show where things will likely end up going. Could be because of a crap day so far I guess.

by **Shrub** » 21 Jun 2007 12:32

Zeke, sorry mate i missed the point im afraid :oops:

I thoiught it was a bit strange you posted what you did and had to try and think of such a nice way to answer it lol

by **zeke79** » 21 Jun 2007 13:18

No problem. I should have just came out and said what you said but as I said, I have had a crappy day and wanted to be an arse I guess. :lol:

by **1stACE** » 21 Jun 2007 15:00

ok here's a question for the locksmith out there,
I was wondering about how much salary a locksmith would make, and how much for an apprentice (If you know an estimate..).

by **lunchb0x** » 21 Jun 2007 16:45

zeke79 wrote:Ok, I'll do a serious one here.

What do you pros do when you get called to an auto job where the customer has lost all keys and there is no code info available. GM, Ford, etc are not providing VIN service to locksmiths anymore unless you have some connections but some may not be this fortunate.

How do you handle generating a key? Do you go straight for a door and progress the rest of the cuts to get a fully functional key? Do you scope the locks and read the wafers?

I personally am working on wafer reading but am curious how others handle this.

I think this is a legitimate question.

(Lets not get into discussion of steps in techniques in the open forums however)

Info removed,
Please read the full thread, Zeke's post was a sarcastic way of saying there needs to be boundrys made and no auto discussion is in fact allowed in the open forums.

and 1stACE, where are you from? salary changes alot from place to place

Ask a Locksmith.

Ask a Locksmith.

Note

Who is online