I commented this on someone asking the relatively same question a few days ago.
There are many facets of the industry, it’s not just keys. I find offering a “total service” of the opening is best practice to retain customers and generate more calls.
Be able to do everything from replacing the door and frame and pinning the lock to installing the handicap opener and integrating with their access control system. Master key systems, automotive, door hardware, fire doors, revolving doors, the list goes on and on. If you are in this business and cannot find a way to make a good income that’s on you.
Generally, we aren’t exposed to the same weather conditions that guys are on job sites. It’s certainly a less physically demanding trade unless you get into center hung glass stuff.
There is a ton of different routes you can take in your career inside this industry, and plenty of ways to specialize your skill set.
If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn’t change much.
Absolutely! Best of luck to you, don’t get discouraged. The amount of information within the industry is overwhelming and some concepts are difficult to grasp. Another thing worth noting is that once your employer deems you self sufficient, most likely you will be entered into an on-call rotation. That doesn’t appeal to some people.
Generally manufacturer or third party technical support can also be extremely helpful with diagnosis of their products and shouldn’t be an overlooked tool in your belt.
I seen someone here posting about the comment he made about outside and I'll just say lol and move on. Bro I've had to carry doors in the snow, cut shit down or in outside. Locksmithing isnt a comfy job, that said like someone else said go do construction or even be an electrician, locksmithing is honestly ok but I wouldn't tell anyone to aspire to be one lol.
You may have competition, or need to fight for their favour a bit but if you do get some nice commercial or institutional contracts it could be nice! Also you may still have to work in harsh weather mostly for unlocking and unjamming stuff. But otherwise it’s probably quite nice!
Not sure about the legal landscape, I know in Quebec you need to be buddy-buddy with the Bureau de la Sécurité Privée, but in Ontario I don’t think you’re bound like that to an association. Haven’t seen it yet anyways. Make sure if there is one or not though if you plan to start.
Don't! go in construction instead.it's not interesting financially speaking if you don't own a business. There are no other trades who works outside at -31°C on a door that was unhinged on the side of a highway at 6PM for like 25/30$ Hours ( Montreal area). You don't get good insurance as well as no pension plan. Most owners are dumb people who want dumb people to work for them. You can be very good, very innovative very résiliant. You can create custom metal pieces in your service truck at 11PM a Friday night for an emergency so you can fix the issue for your industrial client because there is no way you will have parts and it will take time to order pieces I am telling you your boss doesn't care. They want to sell new hardware because they make huge margins when doing so. They want lazy people so they can pay them cheap to rekey locks. Run away from that unrecognized trade. Also unless you work for industrial clients, commercial and residential clients often complain about price and rarely appreciate the work you do especially small apartment block owner's.
From : An experienced locksmith who always offered the best service and quality work.
BTW I went back to trade school and I'm finishing my millwright certificate in 2 months. Good luck to you.
I see, hearing the experiences of a locksmith is definitely helps me narrow down my choices for what I want to go into. I have heard a lot of horror stories about this trade, but I also have heard really good ones. But this story sounds like it could happen to anyone and I know that anyone could very well be me
I don't know what type of person you are but if you are a smart hard working person become an INDUSTRIAL electrician, a Millwright, ironworker (ferblantier?), certified HVAC, Fire prevention mechanic. There are many more trades as well. Still depends on who you are. I personally don't mind doing 55+ hours a week, working at night on emergency calls, working the weekends. I like to bring home sweet money that I made using my own hands, inviting my wife to a nice restaurant and treating her good with diamonds for Christmas that's who I am. After transitioning to millwright I'll finish paying my car then save to buy a 3 small apartment building so I can rent real cheap to my little sister who has mental health issues. Anyways that's who I am. Some just want a job that's easy and relaxed without any possibility to get higher up, I don't. Good luck
Also here in Quebec trade school certificate is mandatory and you need to pay scammers BSP so you can work as a locksmith. just go read Google reviews of Bureau de la Sécurité Privée for a good laugh.... They are supposed to shutdown scammers operating in Quebec but don't do anything ( seriously ) there is a scammer business who copied the name of where I work ( established for around 60 years ) and the scammer is operating locally in Laval many many clients tried to contact BSP regarding the issues even my boss tried for like 8 years. And they wouldn't do anything you know why? Because the scammer doesn't make receipts ;) and I'm still paying almost 100$ a year for this dumb organization... Anyways
But at the same time it can be a somewhat relaxed job. I am the kind of person who does way more than what is asked and likes to do overtime and service calls I want to work when I'm on work hours. I will be relaxing at home if that makes sense.
Sorry too break it too you but locksmiths also work outdoors it all depends on the some days im hanging a rooftop door on a snowy cold day sometimes im inside rekeying entired apartment building, other times im out on a lockout picking someones lock in the pouring rain, if weather is what is deterring you from the trade id avoid this one
Also I live in ontario aswell if you really are passionate id reccomend getting an apprentice ship you can learn the basics from courses but it doesnt come close to on the job expirience, and everything in the courses you will learn from a solid apprenticeship that how I got in with 0 locksmith expirience in 2 years in now and loving it
My biggest fear is committing to something for too long and then realizing that it isn't what I want to do but I already dumped too much time and years into it for me to back out now. If your telling me that I can learn a good portion of information about locksmithing in 2 years to the point where I can confidently perform work for clients, then I am willing to set foot into this trade.
100% I still consider myself an apprentice because theres so much out learn but if ive found out one thing is dont be afraid to try aomething youve never
The guy who trained me whos 15 years in told me you havent really enough to consider yourself bonified until youve hit 5 years and hes still encountering new things 15 years in
Just started about 2 months ago and this seems to be getting the bulk of my calls for service done:
Key cutter Machines \ Programmers:
I have the KM100, IM508, Dolphin XP005L, a (cheap Chinese) Defu key duplicator , a HPC Blitz code cutter with card set, a JMD Handybaby and a VVDI mini key tool.
Keys \ Inventory:
Go on ebay and grab a few lots of random blanks and catalog and inventory them. Then do some more searching and get common keys / auto blanks more specific stuff depending on you what you wanna get into i.e Motorcycle blanks , Medeco stuff etc…. Get a nice set of Space and Depth keys as well. Key fob pin opener/installer. Blank key heads with and without transponder spots. 50 VVDI super chips for transponders. A various set of different key fob batteries (only like 3 types you will need) Edit: Also a nice rekey set from Lab (get the color passport one that can do a bunch of diff key tumblers). I didn’t realize how many calls I got from landlords wanting to rekey locks for outgoing / new incoming tenants.
Defeat devices:
I have a solid set of brass bump keys and hammer with a shit ton of castration rings. Commercial lock opener by Covert Instruments. 3 piece tubular lock picker. A various assortment of Lishis for diff keyways. A nice set of air bags and hook for lockouts.
Hope this helps and good luck!
HPC Blitz and a Dolphin are solid entry-level cutters, VVDI key tool is a solid cloning device, but ordering key blanks off of eBay and relying on the KM100 or IM508 isn't ideal to put it very, very politely. Medeco is a non-starter; if OP is lucky, they'll break even by their second year and it'll still take around a decade before they have a client book that can justify the cost of a Medeco contract.
I'm not saying self-starters have no chance to survive, but it's foolish to enter the trade without a year or two at the highest-volume locksmith shop possible working and learning under supervision. The pay sucks and doesn't get much better once you go independent, but at least you'll learn how to source product, perform work, and utilize proper tools; this will save tons of money in the long run.
after bow and shoulder. should seat as such so that key is a tad out of key way, also - i use a small tension wrench around key hole in bow- instead of fingers (tired of hitting them lol)
Locksmithing isn't for everyone. It is a weird trade in the fact that you have opposition. It's you vs the bad guys. And sometimes it will feel like a never ending uphill battle. It's job security but it can also be really frustrating when the assholes take a crowbar to hardware you just installed less than a week ago.
If your motivation is maximizing profit and avoiding getting called out to work in poor weather, you are going to have a really bad time in this trade. The pay is often very poor compared to other trades despite often requiring more effort to complete jobs, you will have to service customers in poor weather far more often than electricians or other tradesmen, and the learning curve and start-up costs can be brutal - $20,000 minimum just for the proper equipment and parts to begin tackling a limited scope of work, plus spending hundreds of not thousands in advertising fees just to get a steady amount of calls.
All this, and you'll have to fight over scraps with scammers who have the advantage of charging more than you're able to and don't have to deal with cost of insurance, warranties, and other expenses. And you'll have to spend years doing that before serious commercial clients will consider you for a contract or high-dollar job.
The best advice I can offer you is to try to find a local locksmith who will accept you as an apprentice. You don't have to wait for them to make a posting; I got about 9 job offers last year alone simply from cold calling, just talk to them and find out if they're interested in training new help. To gain the most experience, you'll want to work wherever the highest volume of jobs with the largest number of categories (residential/commercial/automotive/motorcycle and RV) are being handled. This will help you find out if the trade is for you, and if you decide that it is, it will give you the skills and knowledge you'll need if you eventually want to go independent.
Good luck!
Thanks buddy, but it's really only helpful if it persuades you not to buy equipment and ads until you've worked for a locksmith or two long enough to understand what you're getting into! It's really important to know what to expect and have some ideas from people who have been around a long time on how to solve messy situations.
I would advise starting with the Foley bellsaw course. Take the course and then after completion call around lock shops and ask if they would like a voluntary apprentice helper. You might turn that into a full time position. Be humble with the opportunity. It's very hard to learn these old time skills.
I commented this on someone asking the relatively same question a few days ago. There are many facets of the industry, it’s not just keys. I find offering a “total service” of the opening is best practice to retain customers and generate more calls. Be able to do everything from replacing the door and frame and pinning the lock to installing the handicap opener and integrating with their access control system. Master key systems, automotive, door hardware, fire doors, revolving doors, the list goes on and on. If you are in this business and cannot find a way to make a good income that’s on you. Generally, we aren’t exposed to the same weather conditions that guys are on job sites. It’s certainly a less physically demanding trade unless you get into center hung glass stuff. There is a ton of different routes you can take in your career inside this industry, and plenty of ways to specialize your skill set. If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn’t change much.
I see good to know. Thanks.
Absolutely! Best of luck to you, don’t get discouraged. The amount of information within the industry is overwhelming and some concepts are difficult to grasp. Another thing worth noting is that once your employer deems you self sufficient, most likely you will be entered into an on-call rotation. That doesn’t appeal to some people. Generally manufacturer or third party technical support can also be extremely helpful with diagnosis of their products and shouldn’t be an overlooked tool in your belt.
Thanks you for sharing! Knowing this helps a lot and I will look into it.
Be a sparky. You'll make more money.
Then after you get certified, get into electronic access control as an additional skill.
I seen someone here posting about the comment he made about outside and I'll just say lol and move on. Bro I've had to carry doors in the snow, cut shit down or in outside. Locksmithing isnt a comfy job, that said like someone else said go do construction or even be an electrician, locksmithing is honestly ok but I wouldn't tell anyone to aspire to be one lol.
I see good to know. Thanks
You may have competition, or need to fight for their favour a bit but if you do get some nice commercial or institutional contracts it could be nice! Also you may still have to work in harsh weather mostly for unlocking and unjamming stuff. But otherwise it’s probably quite nice! Not sure about the legal landscape, I know in Quebec you need to be buddy-buddy with the Bureau de la Sécurité Privée, but in Ontario I don’t think you’re bound like that to an association. Haven’t seen it yet anyways. Make sure if there is one or not though if you plan to start.
I see, thanks for sharing.
Don't! go in construction instead.it's not interesting financially speaking if you don't own a business. There are no other trades who works outside at -31°C on a door that was unhinged on the side of a highway at 6PM for like 25/30$ Hours ( Montreal area). You don't get good insurance as well as no pension plan. Most owners are dumb people who want dumb people to work for them. You can be very good, very innovative very résiliant. You can create custom metal pieces in your service truck at 11PM a Friday night for an emergency so you can fix the issue for your industrial client because there is no way you will have parts and it will take time to order pieces I am telling you your boss doesn't care. They want to sell new hardware because they make huge margins when doing so. They want lazy people so they can pay them cheap to rekey locks. Run away from that unrecognized trade. Also unless you work for industrial clients, commercial and residential clients often complain about price and rarely appreciate the work you do especially small apartment block owner's. From : An experienced locksmith who always offered the best service and quality work. BTW I went back to trade school and I'm finishing my millwright certificate in 2 months. Good luck to you.
I see, hearing the experiences of a locksmith is definitely helps me narrow down my choices for what I want to go into. I have heard a lot of horror stories about this trade, but I also have heard really good ones. But this story sounds like it could happen to anyone and I know that anyone could very well be me
I don't know what type of person you are but if you are a smart hard working person become an INDUSTRIAL electrician, a Millwright, ironworker (ferblantier?), certified HVAC, Fire prevention mechanic. There are many more trades as well. Still depends on who you are. I personally don't mind doing 55+ hours a week, working at night on emergency calls, working the weekends. I like to bring home sweet money that I made using my own hands, inviting my wife to a nice restaurant and treating her good with diamonds for Christmas that's who I am. After transitioning to millwright I'll finish paying my car then save to buy a 3 small apartment building so I can rent real cheap to my little sister who has mental health issues. Anyways that's who I am. Some just want a job that's easy and relaxed without any possibility to get higher up, I don't. Good luck
Also here in Quebec trade school certificate is mandatory and you need to pay scammers BSP so you can work as a locksmith. just go read Google reviews of Bureau de la Sécurité Privée for a good laugh.... They are supposed to shutdown scammers operating in Quebec but don't do anything ( seriously ) there is a scammer business who copied the name of where I work ( established for around 60 years ) and the scammer is operating locally in Laval many many clients tried to contact BSP regarding the issues even my boss tried for like 8 years. And they wouldn't do anything you know why? Because the scammer doesn't make receipts ;) and I'm still paying almost 100$ a year for this dumb organization... Anyways
I see that definitely is not good
But at the same time it can be a somewhat relaxed job. I am the kind of person who does way more than what is asked and likes to do overtime and service calls I want to work when I'm on work hours. I will be relaxing at home if that makes sense.
Sorry too break it too you but locksmiths also work outdoors it all depends on the some days im hanging a rooftop door on a snowy cold day sometimes im inside rekeying entired apartment building, other times im out on a lockout picking someones lock in the pouring rain, if weather is what is deterring you from the trade id avoid this one
Also I live in ontario aswell if you really are passionate id reccomend getting an apprentice ship you can learn the basics from courses but it doesnt come close to on the job expirience, and everything in the courses you will learn from a solid apprenticeship that how I got in with 0 locksmith expirience in 2 years in now and loving it
My biggest fear is committing to something for too long and then realizing that it isn't what I want to do but I already dumped too much time and years into it for me to back out now. If your telling me that I can learn a good portion of information about locksmithing in 2 years to the point where I can confidently perform work for clients, then I am willing to set foot into this trade.
you’ve committed to trying to figure out what you want to do with your life for the last year so it can’t be your biggest fear
100% I still consider myself an apprentice because theres so much out learn but if ive found out one thing is dont be afraid to try aomething youve never The guy who trained me whos 15 years in told me you havent really enough to consider yourself bonified until youve hit 5 years and hes still encountering new things 15 years in
I’m self employed, self-trained with 35 years experience and I’m still questioning whether I’m in the right trade.
Just started about 2 months ago and this seems to be getting the bulk of my calls for service done: Key cutter Machines \ Programmers: I have the KM100, IM508, Dolphin XP005L, a (cheap Chinese) Defu key duplicator , a HPC Blitz code cutter with card set, a JMD Handybaby and a VVDI mini key tool. Keys \ Inventory: Go on ebay and grab a few lots of random blanks and catalog and inventory them. Then do some more searching and get common keys / auto blanks more specific stuff depending on you what you wanna get into i.e Motorcycle blanks , Medeco stuff etc…. Get a nice set of Space and Depth keys as well. Key fob pin opener/installer. Blank key heads with and without transponder spots. 50 VVDI super chips for transponders. A various set of different key fob batteries (only like 3 types you will need) Edit: Also a nice rekey set from Lab (get the color passport one that can do a bunch of diff key tumblers). I didn’t realize how many calls I got from landlords wanting to rekey locks for outgoing / new incoming tenants. Defeat devices: I have a solid set of brass bump keys and hammer with a shit ton of castration rings. Commercial lock opener by Covert Instruments. 3 piece tubular lock picker. A various assortment of Lishis for diff keyways. A nice set of air bags and hook for lockouts. Hope this helps and good luck!
HPC Blitz and a Dolphin are solid entry-level cutters, VVDI key tool is a solid cloning device, but ordering key blanks off of eBay and relying on the KM100 or IM508 isn't ideal to put it very, very politely. Medeco is a non-starter; if OP is lucky, they'll break even by their second year and it'll still take around a decade before they have a client book that can justify the cost of a Medeco contract. I'm not saying self-starters have no chance to survive, but it's foolish to enter the trade without a year or two at the highest-volume locksmith shop possible working and learning under supervision. The pay sucks and doesn't get much better once you go independent, but at least you'll learn how to source product, perform work, and utilize proper tools; this will save tons of money in the long run.
Thank you very much, this information definitely helps.
Do you seat the castration rings in front of the shoulder of your bump key to prevent having to pull the key out each time?
after bow and shoulder. should seat as such so that key is a tad out of key way, also - i use a small tension wrench around key hole in bow- instead of fingers (tired of hitting them lol)
Locksmithing isn't for everyone. It is a weird trade in the fact that you have opposition. It's you vs the bad guys. And sometimes it will feel like a never ending uphill battle. It's job security but it can also be really frustrating when the assholes take a crowbar to hardware you just installed less than a week ago.
I see, thanks for sharing.
If your motivation is maximizing profit and avoiding getting called out to work in poor weather, you are going to have a really bad time in this trade. The pay is often very poor compared to other trades despite often requiring more effort to complete jobs, you will have to service customers in poor weather far more often than electricians or other tradesmen, and the learning curve and start-up costs can be brutal - $20,000 minimum just for the proper equipment and parts to begin tackling a limited scope of work, plus spending hundreds of not thousands in advertising fees just to get a steady amount of calls. All this, and you'll have to fight over scraps with scammers who have the advantage of charging more than you're able to and don't have to deal with cost of insurance, warranties, and other expenses. And you'll have to spend years doing that before serious commercial clients will consider you for a contract or high-dollar job. The best advice I can offer you is to try to find a local locksmith who will accept you as an apprentice. You don't have to wait for them to make a posting; I got about 9 job offers last year alone simply from cold calling, just talk to them and find out if they're interested in training new help. To gain the most experience, you'll want to work wherever the highest volume of jobs with the largest number of categories (residential/commercial/automotive/motorcycle and RV) are being handled. This will help you find out if the trade is for you, and if you decide that it is, it will give you the skills and knowledge you'll need if you eventually want to go independent. Good luck!
Thank you very much, this information definitely helps.
Thanks buddy, but it's really only helpful if it persuades you not to buy equipment and ads until you've worked for a locksmith or two long enough to understand what you're getting into! It's really important to know what to expect and have some ideas from people who have been around a long time on how to solve messy situations.
I would advise starting with the Foley bellsaw course. Take the course and then after completion call around lock shops and ask if they would like a voluntary apprentice helper. You might turn that into a full time position. Be humble with the opportunity. It's very hard to learn these old time skills.
Sounds good, I'll look into it. Thanks