Island Locks - Locksmith Courses - Lock Picking - Lock Opening - Locksmith Tools

Hi all, I went into my local locksmith today (shop) just to say hello and ask him if I could borrow his curtain pick instead of my home made one as I thought I was doing somthing wrong with mine. I was amazed in his reply "we dont pick locks we just drill them" I said what about cylinders etc? No we just drill them because if sombody calls us out then they have lost there keys!!!!!  I was gob smacked. He then asked me about my pick  I said it was a chris belcher multi gauge of sorts, he looked at me and said who is chris belcher! I am not a trading locky but did my 2 day course and still messing picking various locks I have never even thought about drilling as yet (not needed to). But he did not even have a curtain pick!!! In fact I was that amazed I phoned stu (windsor locks) and he said yes there are lots of them out there. I also mentioned to the (shop keeper) has he any old locks that I could pick, he said no as he strips the lock for the brass in them.Silly me why would they be any good anyway as they have all been drilled.........

As you have found out Lee, they are out there!. The fallen 'locksmiths', fallen into the trap of drilling everything in site, not keeping up with tools and techniques, where once they may have been enthusiastic and have had a keenness to learn and advance?

Once you have descended to the 'Dark Side' it can be hard to return to the light, and this has happened to many a good locksmith. Stick with what you are doing, it's the right way and as you have found out drilling is rarely required, if at all?.

Amen.

@lee, Sure it was a locksmith shop, not the butchers!!!! When I did my training I was told that Drilling must only be carried out if all other avenues and attempts have been carried out and failed. So like Jay say stick with it.

If i go back to your training jay, that is what I call locksmith, now I feel really good about the training I got,looking inside locks learning how they work,feeling the levers,picking the pins,picking techniques,seeing other members videos, watching the forum learning from other guys in the forum.God i'm on one now mate,and now my wife thinks I am an anorak....

I popped to see my local locky..just to ask for some old locks for practice..really helpful chap and is sorting some out for me.I thought he'd gone bust or something as his shop always seemed closed..turns out he's just relocating. he even offered to take me out on some jobs.Again he is a drill person but does prefer NDE.

Hi Lee it just proves how keen you are,you have made it to Anarak status,when the wife says this you join the elite of the Island locks membership,I believe you should celebrate reaching this status,I am happy to now come out and admit my wife thinks the same of me ARE THERE ANYMORE MEMBERS WHO ARE PREPARED TO ADMIT TO THIS ANARAK STATUS ?? 

I think it shows that with locksmithing it helps if you have a genuine interest before you enter into this work as Jay says locksmiths need to move forward with tools/training&techniques.I can understand someone who is starting up who may be lacking some confidence taking the drill option a little early,but Lee the people you are talking about are established locksmiths.

Its thanks to the likes of Jay that NDE is being carried on.

Anyway on a less serious note I may have stumbled across the fact that Jays a secret StarWars fan,Jay just pm me and asked me to bring my light saber to the next meet and signed out Jayskywalker LOL  Phil. 

i was told thats jays inner circle all have hobnob tattooed on their arms

The secrets out now Phil!!

@Jim: It's not Hobnob tattooed on me, it's KNOB for pressing that Publish button on the site

@Jay you mean the tattoist put HOBKNOB! ?

jay dont worry DONT PICK A LOCK JUST

 "USE THE FORCE"

 "I KNOW YOUR DESTINY"

I'm an ANORAK

Paul.

Well done shax, its okay were all with you   I would rather pick locks than play with a Hornby train set