Foley-Belsaw

[mickysickz]

I was wondering if anyone has taken the Foley Belsaw locksmithing program recently, and is it still the best one to take? I searched through the forums and could only find info that was a few years old. I'm thinking about taking it, and most people gave it pretty good reviews but said that half the information was outdated. The only other program I found was Assured Locksmith Training. Which is about the same cost as Foley Belsaw, I was wondering if anyone had any info on them either. Thanks for your answers in advance.

[globallockytoo]

Youre in NY. Look at the training offered by The Society Of Professional Locksmiths. Current, professional training provided by trade qualified and experienced instructors. head off is in NJ.

See here for info

[billdeserthills]

I have heard complaints from grads of Foley Belsaw,
mostly that Foley Belsaw isn't teaching many of the newer topics or using up to date locks & equipment

[MBI]

I second both comments. Look into SOPL. Foley Belsaw is a very old course but will help familiarize you with a lot of the basics. It won't necessarily make you good at them, but hopefully at least you'll know what they're talking about when the boss gives you something to do. Then again, SOPL can teach you that stuff without making your wallet lighter by $700, or whatever FB is charging now.

It's been a while since I looked into them but I seem to recall SOPL makes most (if not all) of their coursework available to you for free. There is just a fee if you want to take the tests and get a certification that you took the course. Or some kind of arrangement like that.

Also if you search around the forum a bit, there are many, many, many threads with people asking and giving feedback on Foley Belsaw. It's not a bad course, but it's outdated and perhaps a bit overpriced for what you really get. But, that's just my opinion.

[billdeserthills]

I still have my Dads course book from Foley from back in the 60's

[mickysickz]

Thanks guys for your help, I'm going to check into SOPL. I surely cannot complain about free training.

[d_Random]

I bought the Foley Belsaw course recently.
It's a good course if you are a total newbie (which I am), but there is no way it is worth $700 in my humble opinion.

[Jburgett2nd]

I don't know about the Foley-Belsaw class but avoid the one from Ashworth, I finished it and you would be better off buying the books and supplies off the net it would save alot of $$$$. I will post a review of their course in the near future when I have time!

[d_Random]

I don't know about the Foley-Belsaw class but avoid the one from Ashworth, I finished it and you would be better off buying the books and supplies off the net it would save alot of $$$$. I will post a review of their course in the near future when I have time!

Makes me wonder if there are any good courses out there at all!!

[mickysickz]

This is what i came across it seems you dont even have to join to view them. If you want to take the test or see the few restricted ones you do have to pay though. http://www.sopl.us/mandatory-courses.html

[Tyler J. Thomas]

Find a company willing to let you apprentice if you truly are serious about being in this industry. Books and online courses are supplements, not the workouts.

[mickysickz]

I am in the process of applying to a place. There looking for a counter guy part time in the mornings, so I figured that would be a start. The thing is I don't want my own business, i'm the kind of guy that just wants to work and go home. So any training would be for me to find a job doing it. The problem I find though is alot of locksmiths think you want the training just to open your own place and compete againist them. I do sorta of have some experience with the best system from a job I worked a while ago. So im hoping that experience helps me get my foot in the door somewhere.

[padalockwan]

I finished my foley belsaw course in june.
The information is a bit dated but it dose cover the basics fairly decently.
They did recently update the materials thou.
you do get the key machine, which is where most of your cost is going. and a small amount of locks and keys.
If you have access to a legitimate school or someone you could apprentice under that would be the best way.
I did not have those options, thats why i went with foley belsaw.

Most of what they teach could be found online for free, but taking the course gave me lessons that i could follow.
which made it easy to learn as i progressed from lesson to lesson.

Is it pricy? id say a little yes. but only because the information needs to be updated.

If you do go with foley belsaw i would suggest picking up other books also.
I picked up a copy of "The Complete Book of Locks and Locksmithing" 6th edition.
The info in it is starting to get dated so you can find it fairly cheep now but i found it to be quite useful and it covers a lot.

[mickysickz]

I actually picked up that book a while ago and just got his other book master locksmithing. Haven't had a chance to read it yet because it just came the other day. I did take a peek at it quick before i went to work. It looks like a good bunch of information, but it seems to be aimed towards commercial locks and security.

[Lakes]

I wonder if they still play the pricing game they played 20 years ago.
I asked for their material while still in high school - then worked... and saved... and waited until I could afford the course.
By the time I was ready, about 18 months had passed and the price was reduced by almost 50%!