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American Locksmith

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:22:52 +0000

Excerpted from “The Smithy: Blacksmith, Nailsmith, Locksmith, Tinsmith and Gunsmith”
from the Collections at Historic Bethlehem [PA]

Despite the occupational title, Bethlehem locksmiths were often masters of several different, yet allied trades. As such, they were probably the most skilled of all the metalsmiths. Indeed, there was considerable overlapping in the metal trades in the 18th century, not only in Bethlehem, but also throughout the colonial world. Locksmithing required the use of forge and anvil. While good blacksmiths could make padlocks and simple rim locks, the locksmith also required the knowledge of lathe turning, spring tempering, rivet and screw making, precise fitting and hole punching.

In the Bethlehem account books between 1756 and 1762, the trade is often referred to as the “locksmith and gunstock maker.” Anton Schmidt and his son Anton were not only locksmiths, but also accomplished blacksmiths, tinsmiths, and plumbers (those who work in sheet lead). The locksmith worked in tin plate, sheet iron, brass, steel, pewter, copper, lead, and wood and made and repaired not only locks and keys, but also saddle mountings, small tools, hinges, screws, and gunstocks. Although the Moravians were pacifists, they saw nothing immoral in the production or the repair of firearms. During the French and Indian War (1755-1763), for example, the locksmith repaired dozens of muskets, swords, and other military equipment for the Pennsylvania Provincial troops.

In Bethlehem’s account books, the wide range of work accomplished by the locksmith is evident from the following excerpts:

May 19, 1765	Chars. Folck for mending 2 rifles	£ – 4.9 –*
June 30, 1756	Sebastian Graf for a Lock & iron and iron Bands about a chest for his daughter	£ –.8. –
Jan. 31, 1757	Oil Mill for mending a shovel	£ –.1. –
Feb. 24, 1757	For lock and hinges on a box	£– .8.–
March 22, 1757	For Tin work & 6 screws on the Coffin	£1.10.–
March 31, 1757	For saddle mountings	£ –.4.–
May 31, 1757	Dyer for an Iron Ring on a Kettle	£ –.1.6
July 30, 1757	Potter for incompasing with Brass and graving out a mould for stoves	£ –.4. –
May 31, 1758	Joyner for Locks, Hinges, Screws &c.	£ –.16.6
Sept. 18, 1758	John Lischer Dr. to Locksmith for stocking & repairing a Rifle	£1.5. –
May 31, 1759	For mending a Coffee mill	£ –.1.6
July 31, 1760	Pewterer for mending a Spoon mould	£ –.2. –
Aug. 30, 1760	For mending a saw	£ –.2. –
Oct. 30, 1760	Sope Boiler for an Iron Ladle	£ –.5. –
July 31, 1761	Tanner for mending a Chafing dish	£ –.2. –
	*prices are given in pounds (£), shillings (s), and pence (d) in the form £.s.d

One of the most interesting groups of entries, however, is that of the production of “pipe heads.” Thousands of clay tobacco “pipe heads” were produced by the locksmith between 1756 and 1762. Apparently because of his ability to acquire and/or make molds, the locksmith and not the potter made clay pipes in Bethlehem. The pipes were fired by the potter and then transferred to the Strangers’ Store for resale.

With the heavy schedule of building in early Bethlehem, it is easy to understand why the skills of a locksmith were so necessary. The success of the locksmith probably depended on two aspects of the lock-its appearance and the complexity of its mechanism. Because most of the locks were enclosed in a case that was mounted on the exterior of the door, it was incumbent on the locksmith to make his product attractive. Most of these cases had pleasing rectangular shapes and were made of sheet iron, while the cases for richly furnished houses were made of brass.

The knobs were generally made of brass and were either round or egg-shaped. There were usually two escutcheons on the outside of the door, one for the knob and the other for the keyhole. The earliest knobs were made of three pieces of brass. The round or egg-shaped portion was made of two halves soldered together: a back bar with a square hole in it was attached to one side so that the knob could shift the latch-bolt. Later, brass knobs seem to have been stamped from one piece of metal, to which the back bar was attached in the usual manner.

It has been pointed out that the work of the locksmith required ingenuity and accuracy. The cases were usually fitted with a precision that suggests machine production. The front plate and the rim, or edge, of the lock were joined with small rivets, which were so perfectly fitted and turned with a hammer that their location is often difficult to detect. The various bolts were probably rough-forged and then filed to their final form. The bolts on fine locks were sometimes draw filed and polished before they were finally fitted within the case.

The ingenuity of the locksmith was challenged in the arranging of the impediments, or wards, within the lock case. These circular fins, attached to one or two plates of the lock, were placed concentrically with the keyhole and created the need for the various slots, called steps, in the bit of the key. Their value from a practical point of view was greatly overrated, for a clever “lock-picker” could take a key with a blank bit, cover the bit with wax, and quickly get the impression of the wards on the key. With the imprint of the wards on the bit, he could quickly file or saw them and open the lock. It was also possible to fabricate a key with a narrow bit with a wide end, which would miss all of the wards, but still throw the lockbolt in the usual manner. These keys were usually long and thin and were called “skeleton” keys.

It is evident that the art of key making was just as important as the manufacture of locks. The usual door key consisted of three parts, the bit, bow, and stem. Keys were roughly forged to the approximate shape and then the lathe worker and the filer took over the work. By piercing the bow and bending it at a right angle, the stem of the key could be placed on a lathe and given a round form. Any round ornamentation on the stem was also put on at this time. The apertures in the bow and bit were formed by punching, sawing, or filing, or a combination of all three processes. A key had to be made of good metal to withstand the constant pressure on the bolt, which was difficult to move at times. The best keys were made of mild steel which was soft while it was being made, but was later case-hardened. This procedure allowed the outer surface of the key to be hard and withstand much wear while the inner portion of the key was soft enough to twist before it would break. These keys were called “steel” keys.

The most common type of door lock used in America is called a rim lock. The case and keeper were made of brass or sheet iron, and were attached to the surface of doors by nails or wood screws with round or oval heads. Most of the rim locks used on outside doors were of the three-bolt type. There was a spring latch-bolt that moved horizontally with the knob. (A well known variation of this type was the English “Carpenter” lock in which the latch-bolt moved vertically instead of horizontally). The main bolt was moved with a key. When the bolt was thrown forward, the door was locked; when it was thrown backward, the door was unlocked. A spring was sometimes added to the main bolt assembly to complicate further the opening of the lock by a person who did not have the correct key. A night bolt was frequently located on the bottom edge of rim locks; it could be operated only by hand on the inside of the door. Some locks have only a main bolt and a latch-bolt, while other have only a main bolt. The latter types were usually used on inside doors.

At least one special type of rim lock was used in Pennsylvania where German rather than English traditions were followed in lock making. This lock differs from the rim locks previously described in that the latch-bolt is moved by levers instead of knobs. They are of the three, two, and one bolt types, and have a part called a striker instead of a keeper. They are made completely of iron, with only a very few exceptions.

A variation of the “Dutch” or “German” rim lock is an early latch-lock which, is attached to only one plate mounted on the surface of the door. The latch is moved by levers or knobs on the inside and outside of the door. The unique feature of this lock is that the lever on the outside of the door is attached or detached by twisting it “off” or “on.” The door is locked by twisting the lever off and placing it in the owner’s pocket or under the door mat. This latter procedure seems to have been a universal custom and proof of the statement that “locks are only for honest people.”

Another type of lock used throughout the period when locks were made by hand was the stock lock. It is said that it was called a “stock lock” because the case was made of wood and the mechanism was made of metal. The case was usually made of oak wood and the metal parts of iron; however, some of the more expensive models had brass bolts and key holes were bushed with brass fittings. The outer surfaces of the case were also fitted with brass inlays to make them more attractive.

A special type of stock lock was called the Bambury lock. The mechanism of the common stock lock was made completely of metal and mechanism was inletted into the wood. The mechanism of the Bambury type was attached to the case of wood, a procedure which was less costly and less durable.

Throughout the period of handmade locks a great many variations of door locks were made, as well as many lesser locks, such as the well-known padlock. The most frequently used padlock in America seems to be the one, found principally in Pennsylvania, which is shaped like a question mark with a bar across the opening. Very few signed locks of this type have survived; none have been identified as the product of an American craftsman. It seems logical to assume that most of these locks were made in Germany and that a small number were made in Pennsylvania.

Up to the 18th century, lock making principles had not changed in three hundred years or more. The nineteenth century, however, is frequently referred to as a period of great inventiveness in America in which locksmithing certainly must be included as one of the major activities of the time. During the middle of that century a period known as the “Great Lock Controversy” occurred, in which every locksmith seems to be engaged in picking his competitor’s locks. An American named Hobbs bragged that he could pick any lock and made good his boast by opening all the locks made in England and exhibited at the Crystal Palace in London in 1851.

Linus Yale, Sr. was one of the first men to make real progress in producing a lock that could not be “picked.” His son, Linus, Jr., improved on his father’s innovations by producing machine-made locks around 1840. In 1861 and 1865 he took out patents on what is now called the Yale cylinder lock. The Yales were joined by other lock manufacturers and today the modern cylinder lock with its tumblers and fitted key seems to be about as good as a lock needs to be. (From: Henry J. Kauffamn, Metalworking Trades in Early America, 1995.)

Research has not been done on the kinds of locks produced by Bethlehem’s locksmiths. However, Bethlehem’s locksmiths managed to survive well into the 19th century, largely by adapting and diversifying their businesses. Ernst Gehbe tried a stove business for a while. Joseph Micksch probably went the farthest in attempting to diversify his business when he tried to open an oyster shop in 1824. Eventually, however, the locksmiths succumbed to the era of improved transportation, specialization, and standardization.

Evil Locksmiths in the UK

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:31:20 +0000

Please someone tell me that I’m not the only victim of locksmiths from hell.

First let me admit that I’m to blame for starting this disaster. My only defense for doing something as stupid as locking myself out of my house is that I’ve just moved and hadn’t yet worked out the new front door.

But what followed definitely wasn’t my fault.

I rang 118118 on my mobile and asked for the numbers of three locksmiths to be texted to me, saying that I wanted ones with the local phone code.

But only one of three texts had the local code – and that number was unobtainable.

That left me with two 0800 numbers, which is what I wanted to avoid, but what was I to do? For all I knew, there was only one local locksmith, and he’d closed down.

I called one of the 0800 numbers and got UK locksmiths (www.uklocksmiths.net and www.unitedkingdomlocksmiths.com). So I asked the obvious questions: how much and how long.

The answers were £55, which seemed reasonable, and “he’ll be there very, very soon”, which sounded great.

Both answers proved hopelessly wide of the mark.

That first phone call of mine was made about 9am.

At 10.45 I was told: “He’s ten minutes away.”

At 11.20: “He’s just around the corner.”

The locksmith must have been going backwards, because at 11.45 he was “30-35 minutes away”.

Perhaps I should have told them to get lost and have tried the other 0800 number. But most people, I expect, use a locksmith once in a blue moon and for all I knew this kind of delay was normal.

After three and a half hours he finally arrived.

Only then was I told the full cost of the service.

£55 was just the call-out fee. Drilling the lock and replacing it, plus VAT, would bring the total bill to £293.
Yes, £293.

I don’t know why I didn’t ask him politely to leave. Sticking a brick through a window and then calling a glazier would surely have been cheaper. Perhaps I was suffering from borderline hypothermia (it really was a very cold morning).

Or maybe, like so many people who’ve locked themselves out of their own house, the desperation to get back inside over-rode my normal critical faculties.

The first thing I did when I got inside and the feeling returned to my frozen fingers was to flick through Yellow Pages. It was full of locksmiths whose phone numbers began with the local code.

Why didn’t 118118 give me any of them?

Locksmith Opens a Car

admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 23:25:30 +0000

Watch this locksmith open a car

Master Lock Picking

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:23:17 +0000

If you’ve forgotten the combination to a Master Lock combination lock, you have a few options. If the lock isn’t locked onto anything, you can make a photocopy of the serial number and send that to Master Lock for the combination. If, however, your lock is attached to something, you can break the lock, call a locksmith, use a shim, or figure out the combination. Of these options, only the last two will leave you with a usable lock without emptying your wallet. Unfortunately, there are 64,000 possible combinations on a standard 40 digit Master Lock. With this method, however, you can quickly narrow that down to 80 combinations, a workable number to try if you’ve got the time and the inclination to give it a shot.

Look at the Master Lock brand. This method only works with Master Lock combination locks, and may not work with all of them. It is rumored that Master Lock changed the combination algorithm on some of the newer locks, in particular those with serial numbers starting with the number 800. Some people, however, have reportedly had success cracking these with this method, too, so it may be worth a try. Check the discussion page for this article to check which serial numbers others succeed with.
Turn the lock’s dial clockwise to zero. It is a good idea to turn it at least three rotations first, just to make sure it’s clear.
Apply steady tension to the shackle and turn the dial clockwise. The shackle is the u-shaped part of the lock that goes around whatever you’re locking. To apply tension you can either pull the shackle up while holding the lock, or you can pull the lock down if the shackle is locked onto something solid. Turn the dial slowly as you apply tension. If you can’t turn the dial at all, release the shackle and turn the dial clockwise just a number or two and then try it again.
Find the first sticking point.
1. As you turn the dial clockwise with tension on the shackle, you will come to a point where you can’t turn the dial anymore. Make note of where it stops. Sometimes it will stick right on the numbers, but sometimes it will be between the numbers. If so, record the number to the half (e.g. 22.5, 7.5, etc.).
2. While continuing to apply tension to the shackle, turn the dial as far left (counter-clockwise) as you can. Make note of where it stops. Now you have a sticking “range.” (Note: Some 800XXX locks have a two number range [e.g. 28-30], this sticking point is the last digit of your lock.)
3. Determine the sticking point by finding the number that’s in the midpoint of the sticking range. A range of 4 and 5 would have a sticking point of 4.5. A range of 22.5 and 23.5 would have a sticking point of 23.
Release shackle tension and turn the dial slightly past the sticking point. Turn the dial clockwise about one number from the sticking point in order to allow you to “escape” that sticking point.
Reapply tension to the shackle and continue turning the dial clockwise to find all the sticking points. You should find a total of twelve sticking points in one complete turn of the dial. Write them down.
Find the third number of the combination.
1. Look at your list of sticking points and eliminate all those which are not whole numbers (i.e. cross off any number that ends in .5). You should eliminate 7 of the 12 numbers with this step.
2. Of the remaining sticking points, choose the one with the unique digit in the “ones” position. Four of the remaining five numbers will share the same number in the “ones” place, so for example, if the numbers left on the list are 4, 14, 24, 27, and 34, the number 27 is the only one which does not have a four in the “ones” place. This is the third number of the combination.
Find the magic number. Divide the third number of the combination (27 in this case) by four and write down the remainder. In this case 27/4 = 6 remainder 3. Remember we are only concerned with the remainder, which will always be 0, 1, 2, or 3. Write down the magic number (3 in this example).
Find the possible first numbers of the combination. Add 4 to the magic number (3). Write down the result (7). Now add 4 to that and continue adding 4 to each resulting sum until you have gone completely around the dial once. Write down each of these numbers. Thus, for the example above the numbers would be 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, and 39. One of these numbers is the first number of the combination. (NOTE: For some 800XXX locks this will be the second number of the combination. The next set of numbers will be used as the first)
Find the possible second numbers in the combination. If your magic number is 0 or 1 then add 2 to it, otherwise subtract 2. Since our example magic number is 3, we subtract 2 and get 1. Write down the answer and add 4 to it. Now add 4 to each resulting sum until you have gone completely around the dial once. Thus, in the example, the numbers would be 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, and 37. One of these numbers is the second number in the combination.
Cross out the numbers (the possible 2ND numbers) Plus or Minus 2 [25 & 29] from the third number of the combination[27].
Figure out the correct combination by trial and error. You now know all the possible first numbers [3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, 35, 39], all the possible second numbers [1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 33, 37], and the third number [27]. You’ve just narrowed down 64,000 combinations to only 80. Now try each combination until you find the correct one. If you’re lucky, you may need to try only a few but then again, you may need to try all 80.

For Original: www.wikihow.com

How to Pick a Lock

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:02:25 +0000

Understand how your lock works. The pin-and-tumbler lock consists of a cylinder that can rotate within its housing (see illustrations below). When locked, the cylinder is kept in place by several pairs of pins. The top pin of each pair protrudes into both the cylinder and the housing, thus preventing the cylinder from turning. When the correct key is inserted, it pushes the pairs of pins up so that the top pins no longer enter the cylinder. When this happens, the cylinder can be turned and the lock will open.
- Note the five pairs of pins. The blue pins enter both the cylinder and the (green) housing around it, thus preventing the cylinder from turning. The springs provide resistance to keep the pins in place.
- When the key is inserted, the grooves and ridges on the key push the pins up to the correct heights so that all the blue pins are completely out of the cylinder, thus allowing the cylinder to turn and the lock to open.
2

Get a pick and tension wrench. Each pick is specialized for a different problem. A tension wrench, or torque wrench, is the device which you apply pressure with to turn the lock cylinder. Professional-grade picks and tension wrenches can be purchased in sets (see picture), but many lock picking hobbyists make good quality sets of their own. See the Things You’ll Need section below for information on how to make your own picks and tension wrenches.
3

Place the tension wrench into the lower portion of the keyhole.
4

Determine which way the cylinder must be turned to unlock the lock. If you commonly use the lock, you probably already know which way you turn the key to open the lock. If you don’t know, use the tension wrench to apply torque to the cylinder, first clockwise and then counterclockwise. The cylinder will only turn a fraction of an inch before it stops. Try to feel the firmness of the stop. If you turn the cylinder the wrong way, the stop should feel very firm and stiff. If you turn it the right way, there should be a bit more give. Some locks, especially among padlocks, will open regardless of which way the cylinder is turned.
5

Apply light torque to the tension wrench in the correct direction, and hold. The required torque will vary from lock to lock and from pin to pin, so this may require some trial and error. Start gently, though.
6

Picking the lock. The part labeled “plug” is the cylinder.

Insert the pick into the upper part of the keyhole and feel the pins. With the pick in the keyhole, you should be able to press up and feel the individual pins with the tip of the pick. You should be able to push them up and feel them spring back down when you release the pressure. Try to push each one all the way up. Identify which one is the hardest to push up. If they are all very easy to push up, turn your tension wrench more to increase the torque. If one won’t go up at all, ease the torque until you can push it up. Alternately, you may wish to “rake” the pins before this step (see Tips below).
7

Push the stubborn pin up until it “sets.” Press the stubborn pin with just enough pressure to overcome the downward pressure of the spring. Remember, the pin is actually a pair of pins. Your pick is pushing against the lower pin, which in turn pushes against the upper pin. Your goal is to push the upper pin completely out of the cylinder. Then, when you stop pushing, the lower pin will fall back down into the cylinder, but the torque on the cylinder will result in a misalignment of the hole in the cylinder with the hole in the housing, and the upper pin should then rest on the cylinder without falling back down. You should hear a faint click as the upper pin falls back down on top of the cylinder. You should also be able to push the lower pin up a little with no resistance from the spring—when this occurs you most likely have the upper pin “set.”
8

Continue applying torque and repeat the last two steps for each of the remaining pins. It is imperative that you maintain torque on the cylinder to prevent the set pins from dropping back down. You may need to make slight increases or decreases in torque for each pin.
9

Use the tension wrench to turn the cylinder and unlock the lock. Once all the pins are set, you should be able to turn the cylinder. Hopefully you have already ascertained the correct direction to turn it. If you have chosen the wrong direction, you will need to start over and reset all the pins.

For original see: Wiki How

Another Day in the Life of a Locksmith

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:33:13 +0000

An Overview of the European Locksmith Market

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:25:50 +0000

At one stage in life I worked for a lock manufacturer and travelled extensively around the country training locksmiths. If there was any one underlying fact learned after meeting hundreds of locksmiths, it was that the business of locksmithing is similar no matter if you live south, north east or west. That same lesson was discovered again recently during a business trip to Scandinavia. The products, procedures, heartaches and successes in locksmithing are no different in Europe than they are in the United States.

During the last week of January, I was fortunate enough to attend a locksmith convention in Norway. The convention was located in a beautiful mountainous area 100 miles north of Oslo. With a cross country ski area in the background, more than 400 locksmiths gathered for three days of security training.

Training classes consisted of many topics including lock picking, impressioning, access control and lock bypassing. I acquired some new procedures after sitting in on several classes. All classes were professionally presented and well attended.

Manufacturers and distributors filled a convention floor on Saturday to display their latest products. Familiar manufacturer names such as Assa Abloy, Ingersoll Rand, Silca, DORMA and Bianchi displayed many of the same products found at any locksmith convention in North America. Transponder programming tools, high security lock cylinders and access control products were featured throughout the convention floor.

Norwegian Locksmiths (NL) stages this event every year during the last week in January. Locksmith business owners usually pay the cost of sending their employees to the convention. The idea is that well-trained employees become more productive employees. A friendly atmosphere, first class education, large convention facility plus great buffets all made for a very productive and enjoyable weekend. My thanks to NL for allowing me to attend.

Before returning, I visited a locksmith business in Copenhagen, Denmark, which is owned by Hans Mejlshede. Mr. Mejlshede employees more than 50 people in his business. He is one of the largest selling Medeco dealers in Europe and has a full time staff of locksmiths rekeying Medeco cylinders. If an unusual housing does not exist, his in-house machine shop can quickly fabricate housings to accept a Medeco plug and complete the job.

Another area in his 25,000-square-foot building has CNC equipment to fabricate stainless steel pieces for kick plates or escutcheon plates. An electric hoist and fork lift unit are available to move safes. Special software was developed to help his phone operators monitor and track job orders. A quiet sense of efficiency and purpose was noted in every corner of the business.

Hans Mejlshede is also President of the Danish Locksmith Federation (DLF) and former President of the European Locksmith Federation (ELF). Locksmith business owners from around Denmark invest notable annual dues to be part of the Federation. DLF works with business and government leaders, insurance companies and manufacturers to assure the best possible business climate for DLF members.

After leaving Scandinavia I tried to put my visit into some kind of perspective. Our system in the U.S. for helping locksmiths has always focused on education. Whether at ALOA or elsewhere, once the class is over, you are on your own to find work.

The European system has the same problems we do. An article in an ELF publication lists some of their problems as: “rogue locksmiths advertising in phone books,” “manufacturers dealing directly with end-users,” “hardware stores getting more involved in locksmith work,””maintenance people doing locksmiths work,” “internet sales of locks and technical information.”

Groups like DLF and ELF are doing something about it. They are working with lock manufacturers and insurance companies so locksmiths can become the security leader instead of the business of last resort. Federations such as DLF and ELF are actively placing their name before the public so people recognize them as the authority in security matters. As a result, locksmiths in several additional countries across Europe are requesting membership in ELF while membership in most U.S. locksmith associations is decreasing.

Education is important and necessary, but it is not enough.

Without some organized system for generating business as a group, we cannot hope to achieve any better conditions than we currently face. Perhaps we can borrow some of the ideas and talent from our European counterparts.

Courtesy of: The Locksmith Ledger

What Does a Locksmith Do?

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:24:43 +0000

A locksmith is someone who specializes in locks. Anyone who has been locked out of their car or home is probably familiar with one of the services a locksmith offers, but locksmiths do a lot more than helping people get back into their locked homes. This profession is quite ancient; as long as there have been locks and keys to fit them, there have been people to specialize in them. In addition to handling locks, some locksmiths also work in security consulting, since locks are one way to control access to something.

As with any profession with “smith” in the title, locksmiths originally fabricated locks and keys from metal, although modern locksmiths also work with electronic locks, ranging from key card entry systems to biometric locks. Locksmiths install, repair, and adjust locks in everything from cars to office buildings, and they also offer services to people who are locked out or individuals who want to consult with someone about their security systems.

Most locksmiths need a lot of equipment for the practice of their trade, and it is not uncommon for a locksmith to use a van to carry his or her tools around. Locksmiths typically carry tools which are designed for picking locks, so that they can get into locked structure and vehicles, and they also have equipment to fabricate keys, program electronic locks, and to perform other tasks related to the profession, such as diagnosing problems with electronic lock and security systems.

When a locksmith installs locks on an office building, he or she usually becomes that building’s default locksmith, because of his or her presumed familiarity with the building’s locks. Some locksmiths retain extra key sets, by request, to gain quick entry when needed. They also keep records of the types of locks used in a structure, replacement or repair work undertaken, and any other relevant information, such as connection with a security system which demands that a code be entered when a door is unlocked.

To become a locksmith, most people train as apprentices. It helps to have metal fabricating, construction, and electronics skills, but these are not required; locksmiths perform such specific tasks that these skills can be learned on the job. In some regions, locksmiths are licensed, and legal codes may lay out the term under which titles like “Master Locksmith” may be used. Good locksmiths are excellent problem solvers who are willing to work at unusual hours, and they are of course discreet, as they often handle confidential or sensitive information.

Courtesy of : Wise Geek

Do You Know What Lock Bumping Is?

admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:24:13 +0000

Do You Know What Lock Bumping Is?

Ever heard of lock bumping? If not, you definitely need to make yourself a little more aware. Lock bumping is a new form of “breaking and entering” for even the dumbest of criminals. It’s so easy that kids can do it within seconds, and the scariest part of all is that it works on 90% of manufactured locks. In fact, most lock manufacturers refuse to comment about this growing problem, either because they’re just learning about it, or they have heard about it and have no idea how to fix it. Either way, the message of lock bumping needs to be spread like wildfire so that the good guys stand a chance against the bad guys.

How it Works: Using a bump key, or a regular key with a specific series of cuts (pattern is displayed everywhere on the internet) all an intruder has to do is stick the key into your lock, tap it 1-5 times with a tool such as a handle of a screwdriver, turn the key and open your door.

The process is so quick that your neighbors won’t even notice something is wrong. The intruder stands at your front door, inserts a key, gives it a love tap and turn the knob. Neighbors will think you gave your cousin, brother, friend or whoever an extra key.

So how do you protect yourself? There’s many ways to secure your home. If you can afford more expensive locks, Medeco offers a wide range of locks that can’t be bumped. Other ways to secure your home would be to have loud pets, alarm systems and extra lighting inside and out. Sticks in your sliding glass doors and windows, as well as window films, CCTV systems and video monitoring systems will help you to “step up” your home security.

Don’t be a victim of this crime. You’re possessions are way to important to let this go. Make sure everyone you know; friends, family, neighbors know about this technique that makes the dumbest criminals look smart. Creating bump keys is easy and affordable.

Like I mentioned before, the internet has offered all potential intruders unlimited information about creating a bump key and putting it to use. There are various YouTube clips that give you a visual of how this technique works, so look it up. Spread the word.

Protecting Yourself From Phony Locksmiths

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:43:01 +0000

They call them “Phony Locksmiths” and they’re flooding the market place all across the United States with large phone book ads and a never ending list of real phone numbers but phony addresses that do not exist. This is to make you think they’re a trusted local company.

What Phony Locksmiths Do

In short they mislead the consumer by quoting low prices over the phone but delivering an outrageous bill. The most outrageous story I know of was an 80 year old man that was charged $1700.00 to get back into his house at about 2:00AM (see first video). They threatened and intimidated him into paying.

Usually an unqualified person shows up at your door in there personal unmarked vehicle. Then instead of trying to pick the lock they just pull out the drill and drill it open. Now you need new locks also.

So to open a house, a $35 quote would go something like this…

$35 is just the Service/Trip charge, then however much they think the customer can pay for drilling (i.e. $100, $200 or even as much as $1000) then $189 for a lock.

Another one where the quote is for $55 to open the car but they try to charge $150.

Check Out This Video About Phony Locksmiths

I’ve placed a few videos below so you can see how they work to help make you a more informed consumer. These news reports are from back East but they ARE here in Utah.

How Can You Protect Yourself From Phony Locksmiths?

Maybe the best way to protect yourself would be to choose a locksmith that you know is from your town. Or one that a friend has used before or recommended to you.

Some say (I agree) you should find a Locksmith before you need one. Just keep a Locksmith in mind or better yet, program there number into your phone now just in case you or a friend ever needs one.

Unfortunately I’ve found YellowBook.com (who I advertise with) to be one of the worst offenders when it comes to allowing these fraudulent deceptive ad’s on there web site. I counted over 60 locksmiths with the same name “1 2 3 24 Hour A Locksmith” and they are all listed one after the other. That’s 6 or 7 pages in a row. And most, if not all the addresses they list as locations do not even exist. They show one right around the corner from my house. It’s not there.

Courtesy of: Key Away Locksmith