ironplanet uk900 Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Is it me or are there two bob !!"Locksmiths"!! Popping up all over the place. What qualifications do you guys need!!! Or can you just go around calling yourselves "Locksmiths" I ask because I've had an influx of so called "locksmiths" in of late offering there services, When you ask them about expirience and knowledge half Of em know F*** all. I'm not a locksmith and never claimed to be, but I've forgotten more than some of these guys know......Locksmith my ass PS I also know some very good Proper Locksmiths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Hmmm two locksmiths called Bob very fishy....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 do you have any "qualifications" for your services? there are many fine traders out there in all walks of life, whos experience alone qualifies them to the highest standards. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 do you have any "qualifications" for your services? there are many fine traders out there in all walks of life, whos experience alone qualifies them to the highest standards. Lee Yes I do...Customers coming back through the door and every job that leaves with them... And yes there are good tradesmen without qualifications. Normally you only need a locksmith once in your life, too late when they've drilled & f**ked up your nice expensive oak door... I didn't come into the trade and start doing the full monty, I was trained over many years, and earned the right to be qualified. Some of these guys learn how to drill a lock and then call themselves Locksmiths. Thats what I'm talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gav Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 I think the whole "locksmith" trade is in need of tighter regulation , it seems like any old excon can become a "locksmith" . We had a friend who called out a "Locksmith" who drilled out her euro lock filled the hole with mastic fitted a new monkey metal lock , the make of which ive never herd of charge her £120 for the service then f*** off. Im no locksmith but this way must be wrong . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Good thread this...... I was out at a lockout yesterday keys locked inside house,spent the first 10 mins trying to bump/pick the next ten trying to use a little homemade tool then the decision was made to **** the lock I then fitted a Grundman 90mm euro profile. If this constitutes being a crap locksmith then I concede defeat to the purists but Ill tell you my customer was more than happy to pay me for getting them into the house and commented on how professional I had been now I could have turned up and ******* the lock in the first 2 mins fitted the same lock and got paid the same amount of money but If i can open a lock without destroying door/lock I will. I find 60% of the doors I go to need to be opened "destuctively" THAT IS NOT A REFLECTION ON MY SKILLS. So let the thread continue............................ carry on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Good thread this......I was out at a lockout yesterday keys locked inside house,spent the first 10 mins trying to bump/pick the next ten trying to use a little homemade tool then the decision was made to **** the lock I then fitted a Grundman 90mm euro profile. If this constitutes being a crap locksmith then I concede defeat Sounds good enough to me. I find 60% of the doors I go to need to be opened "destuctively" THAT IS NOT A REFLECTION ON MY SKILLS. When you say destructively what do you mean, Destructive as in lock damage or destructive as in Door damage...If its the latter then thats not good enough. I think 60% is way too high for a skilled Locksmith. I'd expect a burglar to have a better rate than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gav Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Can anyone tell me what the legal requirements are to become a locksmith if there are any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
key cabin Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Unfortunatly there are no legal requirements in becoming a locksmith. I am a lockie and have been trained by a reputable locksmith company, thier theory is not in destructive but by non destructive means. I am also a member of the Institute of certified locksmiths (ICL), but this alone dose not make me a fully qualified lockie only the right to say i have have been trained. I see it as learning to drive, when you are having lessons you are being taught how to pass your test, only when you pass your test do you learn to drive. At the moment there are lots and lots of schools out there making a fortune out of churning out under qualified lockies who are told that by paying thousands of pounds and gaining a certificate they will make a fortune in the line of opening and servising locks, it is just not true! It takes time and a lot of it to become a true locksmith, believe me i am still learning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Thanks Key Cabin, Just as I suspected. I wouldn't mind betting there are more under qualified Locksmiths that qualified. I also know of training schools were the trainer is not qualified and has almost no expirience. Calls me on many occasions with the silliest of questions. All These guys are no more than conmen...........Lock smith my ass. carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gav Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 no legal requirements thats is so wrong any tom dick or harry can walk into a locksmith job learn how to pick / destuctively open a lock and not be registered , wow im stuned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petercoulson Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Well, the house next door was repossessed some weeks ago, must have been a professional locksmith who had a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayke Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 i worked in a locksmiths for 6 years trained myself on the job, can make keys to locks without even opening them up and do a lot more. never actually went out and fitted them unfortunalty so i wouldnt call myself a locksmith, you can go through things with the MLA i beleive. there are a lot of so called locksmiths out there who wont even try and open a door and just drill the lock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Well, the house next door was repossessed some weeks ago, must have been a professional locksmith who had a problem? What the F***....If I called out a locksmith and he did that I'd smack him in the kisser. Skillfull guy, Lock smith my ass.... carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Hibs jo's got it sussed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsmxbcQuo4U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 carry on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gav Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 locksmith my arse £100 please darlin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slippy Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Not all Locksmiths are cowboys. Nearly all repairers do other things aswell as repairing shoes maybe Engraving or Watch straps & batteries. Who orignally came up with the idea of getting a key cut with your stilletoes. Even Mr Timpson has got on this wagon. Gets you out of the shop for a while and still get paid. W-U-W for £4.95 or 2 min job to open a door for £50. I know which way I'd choose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Not all Locksmiths are cowboys. Nearly all repairers do other things aswell as repairing shoes maybe Engraving or Watch straps & batteries. Who orignally came up with the idea of getting a key cut with your stilletoes. Even Mr Timpson has got on this wagon. Gets you out of the shop for a while and still get paid. W-U-W for £4.95 or 2 min job to open a door for £50. I know which way I'd choose. Hi slippy, your about a million miles away from the point. Nobodys saying ALL locksmiths are cowboys, and Nobodys saying they charge too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slippy Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Planet. Was really just a comment. Been MLA registered for the last 5yrs. I surpose you could look at repairers in the same light. 25yrs and proud of it or own name on soles and heels and haven't got a clue. No names mentioned (big company). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark A Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 I find it hard to believe what has happened in recent years to my trade, with dozens of 2 day courses springing up all over the country and some run by people that have only just taken a course themselves and never actually traded as a Locksmith. It is possible to open the vast majority of locks you come up against non-destructively, but takes a considerable investment in Decoders, picks and Bypass tooling, with an even bigger investment in time practicing to become proficient, sadly many are not prepared to make either of these investments, preferring to use destructive methods and leave a trail of devestation behind them. Why these Bodge-Meisters think it is acceptable to try and make a fast buck from our trade is beyond me and have most likely been taken in by some of the ridiculous and misleading claims by some "training" establishments of easy money to be made with very little investment necessary. locksmithing covers a wide range works, and part of the reason for many being very poor/unskilled is that many courses that advertise as "Lockmiths" courses are in reality only basic lock opening courses, with the majority of the other aspects of the trade completely ignored. To be honest I cant see things changing for the better until the public start to complain to trading standards in large numbers which may be the one thing that would make the government act and bring in some form of meaningful regulation. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironplanet uk900 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 Good post that Mark, I agree entirely with your comments. It looks like we all agree that there is a heap of cowboys saturating an otherwise skillfull trade, and the reason is simple, its a quick easy buck, with little training required to open a basic front door. But please don't call yourselves Locksmiths, Cus you aint. they're little more than conning talentless thieves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hibsjo(SCO) Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 "destructive" means to me having to drill or **** locks I drilled a 5mm hole in a wooden door last week to pick a lock and this is "destructive" lockpicking! carry on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slippy Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 If we have to we drill a 4.5mm hole or a 6mm if it's a total pain. But I can see were planets coming from now Have had a so called locksmith in the shop. Shows my a mangled Union 2 lever lock and say's "Have you got one of these" which I replied "No" . Instead of manipulating the lock it looked like he's used a plumbers hole cutter and an angle grinder. Either way the Doors ****** and a 2 lever lock doesn't take much manipulating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidlocks Posted April 4, 2008 Report Share Posted April 4, 2008 im with mark A , its sad what has happened to the locksmith industry. No qualifications exist let alone be required, theres a worthless city and guilds completed in a few days thats as recognised as toilet paper, worse however is that no regulation and no legislation exists for the industry at all, despite petitioning by ICL and MLA for regulation. so the reality is you can come out of prison on friday, do a shoddy 2 day course on saturday and sunday, send a copy of your worthless certificate to the wholesalers and be trading the following week, useless, but trading. Only the ICL and The MLA insist upon police checks and standards being agreed to and followed, so in reality its a free for all. Many of the new guys comming off these 2 day courses, set up training schools of their own a week or 2 later as more money in this than learning the trade and doing the job, one of which is , one of which is this guy on ebay; http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/One-day-LOCKSMITH ... dZViewItem i know the guy who trained him as a novice 4 weeks ago ! what can he possibly teach someone ? There are 92 firms offering locksmith training in the uk, if they all only trained one man a week, it would hit hard, but many train 5 and 10 at a time, so you can imagine how many people start up and have a go. The sad truth is that due to the 2 day wonders flooding the market, many good guys have shut up shop thus ending the majority of apprenticeships producing time served tradesmen, their are more 2 day wonders advertising as locksmiths than real locksmiths, and the skills are being diluted out so one day these may be all thats left. but even mla now do a 2 day course, so a matter of if you cant beat em join em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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