Just signed up for Foley-Belsaw locksmithing school...

[HowieJL]

Hi all, I'm new here and wanted to thank everyone for posting info on F-B, I sent my down payment in on the 20th and can't wait for my lessons to get here..

Howie

[bigbike]

After doing a pretty intensive search and ordering all the info from the various schools, this one seemed to offer the most bang for the buck. I agree with most of the postings the first few lessons were super easy, like I got done with em in 2 nights of reading and studing. I am now on with lesson pack 2 and have just cut my first key by impressioning (in which I promptly broke the cheap file they sent so I am gonna request another one). So far I have invested in the course, have bought some training locks on ebay as well as thru the catalog that came with the course. I am really hoping to learn and learn well. The goal is to eventually get certified here in Penna to be a locksmith.

Just wanted to drop in and say hi and hopefully get to "talk" with a bunch of you nice folks.

[Jon The Buddha]

I have some eligibility left from my Montgomery GI Bill and was checking to see if F-B might be covered. According to the GI Bill website, correspondance courses are covered. I plan on calling F-B on Monday to check, but thought I would inquire if anyone here has tried using their benifits for this. I figure why let my benifits go to waste, might as well use them for something fun!

So, has anyone done this???

[HowieJL]

hello to the two of you welcome to the board, I just got my student ID card in the mail yesterday and am hoping my first lessons show up on monday. I'm thinking of trying to open a locksmith bussiness here, I looked in the phone book and only found 2 locksmiths for the whole county.

[Romstar]

I wish we could get a sponsorship and a flat out cut rate for that course. I can't begin to count how many people we have sent to them.

Romstar

[bigbike]

:) hello to the two of you welcome to the board, I just got my student ID card in the mail yesterday and am hoping my first lessons show up on monday. I'm thinking of trying to open a locksmith bussiness here, I looked in the phone book and only found 2 locksmiths for the whole county.

Howdie:
From one Penna. person to another! I am just down the road (below Phila) from ya! I have spent a hugh amount of time trying to find out how to get licensed here in Penna, for I too want to open up a locksmithing shop. Yes you will need to be licensed here in Pa. in order to open a l.s. buisness! Just figures don't it that the state has to get their cut!

I see you and I must be taking the course at about the same time, as I too just got my student card. I am gonna suppliment (and went to my local w.mart yesterday) and got some cheapie locks to cut apart and look at. I have gotten my first 15 lessons so far and am on lesson 7. How about you? I hope to spend part of my day today figuring out how to cut apart a pad lock so I can see the inner workings. I bought 2 types of combo locks, one a "master lock" (knockoff) and a 4 wheel resetable combo as well as a standard brass keyed lock. I was able to drill out rivets on the 4 wheel resetable to get the back off and can look at/remove the innards. Hope to dremmel (somehow) the brass body and the combo lock so that I can look in and see the workings as the lock is locked and then open.

Good luck and maybe we can cheer each other on.

[Eschatos]

I'm in the same position!

And I agree that Foley-Belsaw should allow a discount to LP101 members, because among dozens of other students, I was sent to F-B from this forum. Without the 17 page FAQ (basically) on F-B school, I wouldn't even know the difference between this one and PCDI of Thomson. I'm pretty glad I picked F-B as my entrance into locksmithing as well. It just seems that so many established smiths were happy with their decision to take the course.

I'll keep y'all updated.

[bigbike]

I am not hard on equipment. Tonight I got into the lesson that dealt with removing a core from a cylinder lock. After carefully examining the lock and finding the release pin (for removing it from the cylinder), depressing it as instructed and inserting the hook pick that came with the course, and following the instruction given for removing the core, I bent beyond straightening this darn pick! Not only that but I also destroyed another one also trying to remove this core that just would not budge from this lock! I am calling F-B tomorrow and will see if they will send me replacements for the 2 picks (and the file) that are now destroyed. I actually found the only way this core would budge (after running out of the flimsy picks that came with the course) was to push down on the release and with a slim flat blade screw driver wedge the core out from the back! Yup had to force the screwdriver blade down between the core and the back wall of the cylinder to get the thing moving and man was that tough (yes the release pin was fully depressed) it is just the darn core was really stuck in its case. Oh well, you learn by doing.

[HowieJL]

I'm going to head to Home Depot to get some files over the weekend and going to order a pick set this week so I have a good set to us.. I got on the UPS page and it said my lessons should be here by end of the day today

[Jon The Buddha]

Well, F-B informs me that they are not an approved institution pertaining to usage of my GI-Bill benefits. That's just greeeaaatt.

The GI-Bill website clearly states that Correspondance Courses are covered. I'm sure I could probably find an "Underwater Basket Weaving" course that was approved, but not a viable trade like Locksmithing (or is it Locksmithery ), which might actually encourage the startup of a small business. Hey government...you ever heard of small business??? You know, the folks that drive 90% of our economy?!?!?!?! Wait a minute, I work for the government....I think I am insulting myself!

[bigbike]

Well, F-B informs me that they are not an approved institution pertaining to usage of my GI-Bill benefits. That's just greeeaaatt.

The GI-Bill website clearly states that Correspondance Courses are covered. I'm sure I could probably find an "Underwater Basket Weaving" course that was approved, but not a viable trade like Locksmithing (or is it Locksmithery ), which might actually encourage the startup of a small business. Hey government...you ever heard of small business??? You know, the folks that drive 90% of our economy?!?!?!?! Wait a minute, I work for the government....I think I am insulting myself!

Well it is probably F-B's decision NOT to take the G-I benefits, probably takes to long to get them, if I know how quick GW is about loosening the purse strings to pay for anything other than HIS pet projects!
Anyway The F-B course is not THAT expensive and you can make monthly payments! Good luck

[Jon The Buddha]

Well it is probably F-B's decision NOT to take the G-I benefits, probably takes to long to get them

You are exactly right. When I originally spoke to F-B they said that they "were not approved", like VA would not approve them. After calling back for more details, they admitted that it was just too much trouble keeping up with, so they choose not to fool with it. I can completely understand that, so it's cool. I personally blame it on "BC" throughout the 90's. You know how those liberals love their big government! jk

I can easily pay for the course, however I have about $4,000 in benefits left and they will expire at the end of this year (can't believe I've been out of the service 10 years already). I simply didn't want it to go to waste.

P.S. How long have you been waiting for someone to set you up so you could drop a GW bomb (no pun intended). lol!

P.S.S I swear, oh great moderators, we won't let this flare up into a political discussion (LP101 Rule 10...see some noobs DO read the stickies). We're just playing!

[HowieJL]

Well 6 days since I got an email saying they were sending my lesson's out, good old UPS, I'm going to call the F-B tomorrow snd ask when my lesson's were sent out..

[bigbike]

Well 6 days since I got an email saying they were sending my lesson's out, good old UPS, I'm going to call the F-B tomorrow snd ask when my lesson's were sent out..

Did you get to H.D. to get your files? I was just in my local Harbor Freight tool store and they had a nice set for right around $10. They are diamond cutting edges. I found a lot of stuff at Harbor Freight store (www.harborfreight.com) is the website. I got a nice set of diamond cutting equipment for my dremmel there the other day. Now I just have to scrounge around building sites for some left over plywood and such (only need a few small pieces) to build a lock picking board. (where I will set up various locks and attempt to open them).

As for your lessons, well I would say it usually take about 5 days from the time they leave F-B to get to the Phila distribution hub, so add another day or 2 and you should have em. I called F-B the other day to inquire about getting some replacement stuff after the cylinder lock they sent was so wedged in it's case that I damaged beyond repair 2 picks out of 3 trying to get it out.

In case you have not yet looked into it, there is some really good info on beginners pick kits. The main sponser of this website (lockpick shop) has a really good deal on a nice southorb pick set, video and book combo. It will go nicely with what you are learning at F-B (and they recommend reading all you can!). The picks are definately better quality than what F-B sends (I ordered the recommended kit).

Good luck-Janice.

[Varjeal]

bigbike: If you're looking for good lumber scraps..try your local building hardware store. Quite often they have bins for their "scrap" pieces. Just recently I paid a visit to Totem, and upon inquiring for some very short pieces, got escorted to the back where they showed me the scrap bin and said, "take what ya need." Nice, clean wood, and all I wanted.