15 How do I learn the locksmithing trade?
Description
This article is from the Locksmithing FAQ, by Joe "Spike" Ilacqua spike@indra.com and Henry Schaffer hes@ncsu.edu, major data collection effort by Scott Anguish sanguish@digifix.com with numerous contributions by others.
15 How do I learn the locksmithing trade?
Joe Kesselman posted this advice:
The mail-order courses will teach you the very basics -- but that's
just a starting point. Their main value is in teaching you what
questions to ask and some terminology so you can go on to learn
more from other sources. You _can_ get started this way, but it
takes determination and considerable additional effort. As with any
trade, there's a lot of detail to learn and skills that come only
with practice.
If you're planning to apprentice to an established locksmith (not
at all a bad idea) you might want to start by asking around and
determining whether the folks in your area would be more likely to
give you a chance after you've taken one of these courses. Some
consider the course a helpful bootstrap, some don't. In my area,
shops seem to be looking for folks who are willing to take on the
automotive work so the principals can spend their time doing more
interesting (and lucrative) stuff, and I'm not convinced the
learn-at-home classes teach much that's useful about this corner of
the field.
Joe also points out that locksmithing associations, shows and
journals are valuable sources of continuing education.
The National Locksmith (a monthly trade journal) requires some form of
affiliation with the locksmithing/security industry for subscription or
for purchase of their training manuals - here's the contact info:
The National Locksmith Magazine
Marc Goldberg, Publisher
NATLLOCK@aol.com
http://www.TheNationalLocksmith.com/
They also sell a variety of books and software.
1533 Burgundy Pky
Streamwood, IL 60107
630-837-2044
Jay Hennigan added:
... However, the best way to really learn the trade is by working
in a real lock shop for a period of time. There are "tricks of the
trade" that can only be learned in such an environment, and this
trade tends to be more secretive than most, due to the (IMHO
misguided) belief in "security through obscurity".
Foley-Belsaw, and perhaps other correspondence schools, will often send
out a series of offers with lower and lower prices if you wait after you
first ask and get their initial (highest) price. People report that the
F-B price eventually goes down to $499, and one person has said $399.
6301 Equitable Rd.,Kansas City,MO,64120
800-821-3452,816-483-4200,Fax:,816-483-5010
Another mass market correspondence school is NRI Schools 4401
Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20008-2323, 1-800-321-4634 Ext.
3650 202-244-1600 Fax:202-244-2047
Some more schools - (Res. means a residential program, Cor. means
correspondence) Thanks to Marc
Goldberg of THE NATIONAL LOCKSMITH for compiling this list. (See
elsewhere in this FAQ for his Web site, etc.)
Acme School of Locksmithing 11350 S. Harlem,Worth,IL,60482
708-361-3750 Fax:,708-448-9306(Res.)
California Institute of Locksmithing 14721 Oxnard St. Van Nuys,CA,91411
College of Security Technology & Management
12800 South U.S. 71,Grandview,MO,60430 816-765-5551 Fax:816-765-1777
Colorado Lks. College Inc. 4991 W. 80th Ave. Unit 103A,Westminster,CO,80030
Golden Gate School of Lock Technology 3722 San Pablo Ave.,Oakland,CA,94608
Granton Institute of Technology
263 Adelaide St. West,Toronto Ont.,CANADA,M5H1Y3
416-977-3929 Fax:416-977-5612 INFO@GRANTONINSTITUTE.COM
Locksmith School (Res.) 3901 S. Meridian St.,Indianapolis,IN,46217
317-632-3979 Fax:17-784-2945
Locksmithing Institute of America 226 Fairfield Rd.,Fairfield,NJ,07004
(not at that address - probably defunct)
LTC Training Center (Cor.) P.O. Box 3583,Davenport,IA,52808-3583
800-358-9393 319-322-6669 Fax:319-324-7938
Messick Vo/Tech Center (Res.) 703 South Greer,Memphis,TN,38111
901-325-4840 Fax:901-325-4843
North Bennett Street School 39 North Bennett St.,Boston,MA,02113-1998
617-227-0155 Fax:617-227-9292
Pine Technical College (Res.,Web) 1000 4th St.,Pine City,MN,55063
800-521-7463 320-629-6764 320-629-7603 HECKMAN@PTC.TEC.MN.US
Professional Career Development Institute 3957 Parkway Lane,Norcross,GA,30092
Red Deer College Box 5005,Red Deer AB,Canada,T4N 5H5
403-342-3450 Fax:403-342-3576 SHAUN.LOVELL@RDC.AB.CA
School of Lock Technology (Res.) 1049 Island Ave.,San Diego,CA,92101
619-234-4512619-234-5937 GRAH@GRAHSECURITY.COM
School of Lock Technology - Orange (Res.) 302 W. Katella Ave.,Orange,CA,92667
714-633-1366 Fax: 714-633-0199
School of Lock Technology-Austin 509 Rio Grande St.,Austin,TX,78701
888-511-8874 512-473-8874 Fax:512-472-4838 OCOTHRON@AOL.COM
Southern Locksmith Training Institute 1387 Airline Drive,Bossier City,LA,71112
318-227-9458 318-746-1734
The Academy of Locksmithing 2220 Midland Ave. Unit 106,Scarborough
Ont.,Canada,M1P 3E6 888-272-8265 416-321-2220 Fax:416-321-5115 TAOL@PW.CA
Universal School of Master Locksmithing (Res., Cor.)
3201 Fulton Ave.,Sacramento,CA,95821 916-482-4216 Fax:916-485-9385
Sully Tools, Inc. auto entry tools
and Automotive Lock Institute car entry seminars
A list of "Locksmithing
schools around the world" is at a site giving many locksmith links.
There is a general feeling that most of the correspondence courses give
limited and dated information which isn't sufficient to become a
locksmith, and that taking such a course may not even be an advantage in
getting a job in a real lock shop. However there are some courses (both
residential and correspondence) which have better reputations. One such
school is:
Lockmasters
5058 Danville Rd. Nicholasville, KY 40356
(606) 885-6041 800-654-0637 Fax:606-887-0810 EDUCATION@LOCKMASTERS.COM
American Security Distribution
has a Certified Locksmith Training Program.
Tech-Train Productions
Tools and Instruction for Professional Locksmiths
National Auto Lock Service auto
locksmithing books and
software
Some (not all) states in the US have licensing requirements. The
California Dept. of Consumer Affairs lists the requirements and licenses
locksmiths. CA requires not only the locksmith license (issued by the Bureau
of Security and Investigative Services, but also a Contractors License
(unless you only do small jobs,) category C-28 Locks and Security
Hardware - with tests on trade skills and law/business required.
The ALOA provides information on Getting Started in Locksmithing
Someone starting up may have trouble in judging the time various tasks
take, and hence in quoting a price. A "Flat Rate Manual", even a simple
one, can be a big help. Joe points out, "It's a good tool for
understanding the tradeoffs in your price structure." It can be used as
a starting point, and then you can adjust prices as you see fit.
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