day in the life of a locksmith

[dll932]

Yesterday I installed a Corbin-Russwin ML2037 (Institutional function) mortise lock with the vandal resistant (VR) trim. I'd never used the VR before, since the lowest bidder was around $880 per lock. After having about a zillion Grade 1 handles bent down to 45 degree angles, or snapped off completely, I was able to get the state to go for the VR (which is about $500 more than we had been paying). I've been replacing 3 to 4 handles a week, so it was about time to look at the VR option.

I have to say I was impressed. The difference between the Grade 1 in standard trim and the VR is sizable.

From CR:

"Security
In applications where increased security is required, look no further than the ML2000VR Vandal Resistant Trim. This cast stainless steel trim features tapered edges, double through bolts, torx-pin tamper resistant screws and the lever remains attached to the escutcheon when
the spindle is broken."

I also noticed the trim uses solid steel spindles, vs the hollow brass and eye bolt spindles on the trim we had been using.

It took a lot more drilling and some grinding to retrofit the into steel doors, but in the end I think it was worth the cost, time and effort.

Those eyebolts are hard but they snap. I keep a stock of them. Also those $%#&*@!! alloy locking blocks that break.

[ltdbjd]

Funny you mention that. I had one snapped into three pieces last week.

[billdeserthills]

This is the time of my year when the nuts come out from the cracks,
mebbe it's just due to the extreme temperature (118 F today) everyone becomes kooky
anyhow yesterday my client brought me a motorcycle ignition with the factory key, the
number on the key matched the code # stamped on the ignition. Tells me his old 65' yamaha
lock won't turn on, in fact the key won't even go into the lock. I look and notice the pin tumblers
are all jammed up against the top of the keyway, as high as they can go & they won't move. I was
at a bit of a loss and I was preparing to carefully immerse the key part into a nice alcohol soak overnight,
when all the sudden the guy asks the question--"Any idea how much this will cost" as I'm preparing a guess
he tells me "cause I can get another one of these off E-bay for $20-$25 dollars" I almost sprained my arm thrusting it over the counter

[shutterstuff]

This is the time of my year when the nuts come out from the cracks,
mebbe it's just due to the extreme temperature (118 F today) everyone becomes kooky
anyhow yesterday my client brought me a motorcycle ignition with the factory key, the
number on the key matched the code # stamped on the ignition. Tells me his old 65' yamaha
lock won't turn on, in fact the key won't even go into the lock. I look and notice the pin tumblers
are all jammed up against the top of the keyway, as high as they can go & they won't move. I was
at a bit of a loss and I was preparing to carefully immerse the key part into a nice alcohol soak overnight,
when all the sudden the guy asks the question--"Any idea how much this will cost" as I'm preparing a guess
he tells me "cause I can get another one of these off E-bay for $20-$25 dollars" I almost sprained my arm thrusting it over the counter

I often tell customers that have already removed an ignition if they have just priced a new one online or even at the local chain parts store. Saves me grief and them money most of the time.

[cledry]

Well as some of you know, I am more of a manager than running calls these days so my day is largely boring office and shop work. However today I did get out to help on a largish install. We have @90 doors to retrofit. We are removing card access mortise locks and installing in their place stainless plates and grade 1 Schlage lever locks. We started this morning at 8 AM and managed to do 55 locks by 1 PM. So under 6 minutes a lock, that includes removing the old lock, drilling the door, installing edge filler and locks, installing cylinders, writing down which key goes to which office, and vacuuming up all the debris and carting off all the empty boxes etc. We used 5 people and never seemed to get in each others way despite just setting about the job without any prior plan. We did one test install previously.

We saved time by keying the locks ahead of time as well as paining the edge filler and screws to match the doors. The biggest time saver was having push plates with universal prep so that we didn't have to bore the plates for the cross screws.

[Tyler J. Thomas]

We saved time by keying the locks ahead of time as well as paining the edge filler and screws to match the doors. The biggest time saver was having push plates with universal prep so that we didn't have to bore the plates for the cross screws.

Whew, that was my first question when I "stainless steel". That would be a pain to drill 90 times, or more.

[cledry]

We saved time by keying the locks ahead of time as well as paining the edge filler and screws to match the doors. The biggest time saver was having push plates with universal prep so that we didn't have to bore the plates for the cross screws.

Whew, that was my first question when I "stainless steel". That would be a pain to drill 90 times, or more.

180 times or more!

[ltdbjd]

Did you go with Don-Jo plates?

I was looking for push/pull plates last week, but I couldn't find a Don-Jo plate I liked for this particular job. They were either too short, or too long. I ended up ordering 15 Rockwood 16VRTC push/pull plates on Friday. They'll come prepped for the Corbin Russwin ML2000 mortise lock. No external fasteners, so I think I'll just have to drill the interior side of the hollow steel doors. I've never seen one in person, but at 2.5lbs of stainless steel each, I'm thinking they'll stand up to some abuse. They were pricy though, lowest bid was about $107 each.

[cledry]

Did you go with Don-Jo plates?

I was looking for push/pull plates last week, but I couldn't find a Don-Jo plate I liked for this particular job. They were either too short, or too long. I ended up ordering 15 Rockwood 16VRTC push/pull plates on Friday. They'll come prepped for the Corbin Russwin ML2000 mortise lock. No external fasteners, so I think I'll just have to drill the interior side of the hollow steel doors. I've never seen one in person, but at 2.5lbs of stainless steel each, I'm thinking they'll stand up to some abuse. They were pricy though, lowest bid was about $107 each.

Yes, we used Don Jo plates, not real strong but they are under tension when installed, so not as weak as one would believe based upon the gauge of the metal. Rockwood makes some nice plates.

[RedE]

Well as some of you know, I am more of a manager than running calls these days so my day is largely boring office and shop work. However today I did get out to help on a largish install. We have @90 doors to retrofit. We are removing card access mortise locks and installing in their place stainless plates and grade 1 Schlage lever locks. We started this morning at 8 AM and managed to do 55 locks by 1 PM. So under 6 minutes a lock, that includes removing the old lock, drilling the door, installing edge filler and locks, installing cylinders, writing down which key goes to which office, and vacuuming up all the debris and carting off all the empty boxes etc. We used 5 people and never seemed to get in each others way despite just setting about the job without any prior plan. We did one test install previously.

We saved time by keying the locks ahead of time as well as paining the edge filler and screws to match the doors. The biggest time saver was having push plates with universal prep so that we didn't have to bore the plates for the cross screws.

If you don't mind me asking, what was the reason for doing away with the mortise locksets? Was there a speciality function that the customer wanted, which was not available in a mortise footprint?

RedE

[cledry]

Well as some of you know, I am more of a manager than running calls these days so my day is largely boring office and shop work. However today I did get out to help on a largish install. We have @90 doors to retrofit. We are removing card access mortise locks and installing in their place stainless plates and grade 1 Schlage lever locks. We started this morning at 8 AM and managed to do 55 locks by 1 PM. So under 6 minutes a lock, that includes removing the old lock, drilling the door, installing edge filler and locks, installing cylinders, writing down which key goes to which office, and vacuuming up all the debris and carting off all the empty boxes etc. We used 5 people and never seemed to get in each others way despite just setting about the job without any prior plan. We did one test install previously.

We saved time by keying the locks ahead of time as well as paining the edge filler and screws to match the doors. The biggest time saver was having push plates with universal prep so that we didn't have to bore the plates for the cross screws.

If you don't mind me asking, what was the reason for doing away with the mortise locksets? Was there a speciality function that the customer wanted, which was not available in a mortise footprint?

RedE

No special function. They just wanted to remove the standalone card access mortise locks. Installing a ND Schlage was a lot less expensive than replacing the mortise locks with other mortise locks.

[cledry]

Had a few more interesting calls this week. We received a call from a company that manages high end vacation homes. These homes seat 30 around the dining table, 50 or more around the pool and have 12 - 15 bedrooms! Anyway, this home had a custom mahogany door that cost $10,000 according to the manager. It was rather thick at 2 1/2" and had a Baldwin mortise lock on it. The owner wanted an electronic Yale deadbolt that he had purchased installed above the Baldwin. The locksmith that the company normally uses didn't want to do the work and suggested our company. We did the work, just taking our time, we used a forstner bit of the proper diameter to do the round edges of the bolt cut out and then joined it up with a chisel. Looked very nice when finished. The customer was very pleased.

I had a few night jobs this week as well but only one interesting one. I had to open a large plate safe at a local high end department store, took me about an hour to open it and an hour to repair it. The nice thing about the job was that the store is literally a 1500 feet from my front door. 2 hours work = $570 in my pocket.

[dll932]

Funny you mention that. I had one snapped into three pieces last week.

I never had one crack THAT bad, but yup-they crack.

[billdeserthills]

I had an interesting call the other day, the guy wanted me to put his disassembled front door handleset
that has resided in a box for 10 years back onto the front door. I hate puzzles, but I enjoyed knowing how this
thing had to work and it felt good hearing the guy tell his friend "you know that handleset we worked on for
an hour and a half last year? I just watched this guy put it together on the door in 5 minutes"

He also had an 85 Dodge Ram 4x4 that was missing it's ignition key. I had to get my old Autosmart book to find it was
a Y52 pin tumbler key- Unfortunately the he couldn't recall which door was the same as the ignition. It resisted my
attempts at impressioning, so I pulled the non-airbag steering wheel and all the MATS looking stuff above the
lock retainer & swapped it for a NOS ignition lock from the shop. I told the guy I hadn't pulled a steering wheel
in many years and I wound up having to get some longer bolts from the hardware store, for my puller, but it was kinda fun
and easier than I remembered. I do love an appreciative audience while working, makes it so much less of a chore
and more of a performance

[Tyler J. Thomas]

I'm barely out on the road anymore; 80% of my job is able to be done in-house. This is great because I don't come home exhausted anymore and I can tell my body appreciates it. I'm becoming far more adept at master key systems than I would have ever imagined; learning all sorts of neat tricks and formulas and learning concepts and master key systems that I've never seen taught.

I still get out on the road occasionally but thankfully it's 100% commercial and nearly all high-rise or buildings. Enough to keep my skills honed I guess. Definitely not "hanging" doors or doing large access control systems anymore but that's fine by me. I've shimmed enough doors in place and pulled enough wire.

Also working towards my CPL certification - hope to have it by ALOA next year so I get to wear a new ribbon on my name tag. Plan on start proctoring tests in Atlanta regularly since that's literally the only reason I haven't moved past CRL since 2009 or 2010 or whenever I got it. There hasn't been but one test in this state since.