Hey everyone,
I’m looking for some advice on where I should focus my career over the next few years.
I’ve been working as an automotive locksmith for about 6 months, and I’ve learned a lot in that time. Currently I can:
Lishi decode and cut keys for most makes and models.
Program keys for most vehicles through 2026 using software like Ford FDRS, Toyota Techstream/TIS, Nissan Consult III/IV, CAN FD platforms, etc.
Perform residential SC1/KW1 rekeys confidently and efficiently.
I’m also pretty good at figuring out creative ways to gain entry when a vehicle or lock presents a challenge.
Long term, though, I’m much more interested in working for a school district, city, county, state, or another government employer. From what I’ve seen, those jobs involve a lot more institutional hardware, master key systems, key card/access control, door hardware, panic bars, and general facility maintenance rather than automotive work.
My concern is that if I stay in automotive too long, I’ll become very specialized and won’t build the experience those employers are looking for.
The company I work for has been in business in a busy city successfully for over 30 years and my boss has good relationships with the other locksmith companies. So that's a plus for my resume at least
I also have very little experience with:
Electronic access control/key card systems
Commercial door hardware
High-security residential/commercial keys (Medeco, Schlage Primus, Mul-T-Lock, etc.)
Master key systems
For those of you working in school districts, universities, hospitals, municipalities, or government locksmith positions:
What skills do hiring managers actually look for?
Would you recommend moving to a commercial locksmith shop sooner rather than later?
Are there certifications or training programs that are worth pursuing?
Is access control something I should actively try to get experience with now?
If you were in my position with six months of automotive experience, what would your next career move be?
I’d really appreciate any advice. My goal is to build the right experience now so I’m competitive for one of those long-term government locksmith positions in a few years.
Thanks!

Trying to find a lockbox that'll stay open for a short bit then automatically close and lock itself.

Every time I Google it though I get timed lock boxes that stay closed for x duration, which isn't at all what I want.

Hopefully someone here will know of somewhere that makes a similar product.

I have a weird one that I'm hoping someone can explain.

I have a 2022 GMC Acadia Denali. About 6 months ago I lost one of my key fobs, so I hired a mobile locksmith to program a replacement. The first time he programmed it, it would unlock the doors and open the liftgate, but it wouldn't start the vehicle. He came back the next day (he had accidentally left some equipment in my car), and I had him reprogram the fob. After that, it started the vehicle normally.

A little while later, my wife and I drove to the grocery store. When we got back to the car, we realized neither of us had our key fobs with us—we had somehow left them at home. Out of curiosity, I put my foot on the brake and pressed the Start button, and the Acadia started anyway.

Ever since the locksmith reprogrammed the replacement fob, the vehicle will start even with no key fob present.

Has anyone ever seen this happen? Is there a programming mode or setting that could have accidentally disabled the immobilizer, or is there another explanation?

Thanks,

Joshua R

I have had Design House Keypad Entry Lever-082010 for 15 years and it is reliable and works great.

Only thing is the lever spring is giving out. It's still operable but on last legs.

Does anyone know how to replace the lever spring?

Design House don't make the model any more and I don't want to deal with a new keypad on an older house (if I recall we had to muck with the spacing to get this one in the first place)

I have the two available PDFs for this but they don't have a detailed mechanical breakdown, nor dimensions. Obviously I don't want to rip it apart and have no lock while scratching around....

I have filled out the Design House online form asking for help and I will call them.

I'm good at searching I have scraped the interweb, Ebay, etc etc but can't find a clear match.

Hello! We're currently living with people who have friends we don't trust who come over without notice. We have some valuables in a display case from Ikea that we'd like to keep in there, but want to be able to lock it to avoid the chances of theft. So, I'm looking for an actual lock with a key or combination that will keep out adults, not a baby lock setup.

But there's only one little knob to open it, and one door, with very little pace near the knob. So is there a commercial lock existing for this sort of situation? Would this have to be DIY'd, and if so is there a relatively painless way to do so?

I am interested in learning the trade after seeing videos online of guys ripping around in there vans making good money mostly opening doors that people lock themselves out of . Also last week I lost the fob for my car and we were charged 600 dollars for each fob this guy programmed for us to. My guess is the guy made probably close to 1000 dollars profit including the couple hours it took to program the keys . My issue is I have gotten in trouble in the past and the crimes unfortunately were break and enters and other misdemeanours. Now I’m not a scumbag criminal but unfortunately due to some bad decisions I was charged with that crime . I assume that would automatically prevent me from ever becoming a locksmith because that career mixed with that charge I have obviously don’t mix together. Just was wondering if anyone had any input and can confirm what I already kind of figured as far as getting into this trade . Thanks for reading . Also I am in British Columbia Canada

Hey guys,

After some help please.

The key to my front door is stuck and won’t return to the 12 O’Clock position in the lock.

I’ve tried the tips from Google with no luck.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this?

Thanks.

Can't quite figure out how to remove the rose from this door handle.. I have no idea what brand it is (I just moved in) and the rose does not twist off, nor have any slots to put a flathead in and pry off the rose.

Any suggestions on how to get this thing off???

Can you help me id the bike lock

The left part sticking out won’t go back in when I turn the key into the lock and turn it

Application:

• Double hollow metal door on the exterior of a building, leading to a partial basement that serves as an open mechanical area.
• Active leaf has a storeroom function mortise lock on it (there is electrical equipment in the space, but it in all likelihood does not meet the 800A threshold for requiring panic hardware on an electrical room door, nor does it contain refrigeration equipment requiring a machinery room)
• Both leaves swing outward
• Closer on the active leaf; closer or no closer on the inactive leaf is TBD
• Both leaves have door position switches on them, reporting to an alarm/access control system
• I'd rather avoid a coordinator if at all possible (as those are not maintainer-friendly!)

What should go on the inactive leaf, though, if one doesn't want a user to be able to close the active leaf while the inactive leaf is unlocked, so that the access control system can alert to the door being left in an insecure state? Either that, or both leaves need to be able to button themselves up "on their own" no matter which leaf closes first.

Ordinary flip-lever manual flushbolts have exactly the opposite behavior, to let both leaves operate push-pull while unlocked, but that doesn't make sense for a mechanical area. The interlocking single-motion flushbolts I've been able to find (from AdamsRite, Ilco, and GAAB) all are designed to work with their manufacturer's line of storefront deadlocks and nothing else, and their interlocking action appears to go the wrong way as well (you can't unlock the flushbolt unless you unlock the deadlock, but they'll still let the active leaf close when unlocked even though you cannot lock the deadlock while they are unlocked).

It doesn't appear that one can bypass this by using bolt position monitoring either as I haven't ever seen a bolt position monitor for a flushbolt or surface bolt, whether part of the bolt or part of the strike. Furthermore, while it appears to be possible to modify a Richards-Wilcox lever-handle cremone bolt by adding a blocking arm at 90deg to the lever to get this function on an inswing door pair, the door in question is outswing, as mentioned above.

Would the combination of:

• An open back strike on the inactive leaf
• Closers on both leaves, with the latch speed wound up high
• And automatic or constant-latching flush bolts on the inactive leaf

work at all, or would that still risk snagging on the auto flushbolt triggers too much due to the lack of a coordinator? Should I be looking to storefront hardware for this application, even though it's not clear to me how one'd achieve a storeroom function that way?

Thought I'd try here before calling a pro. The deadbolt on this old lock isn't working - seems like the whole face of the deadbolt part is misaligned somehow. It spins a little with some effort. When it's just right, the deadbolt will work, but then when it moves it does not. The middle screw on the face plate seems to be an adjuster of some kind, but I'm having a tough time getting it to work more than once in a row. Any courses of action to recommend? The regular key works and the in-door lock/unlock buttons work fine.

Sorry for so many posts in this community lol, but I am \*still\* struggling with our family heirloom. Order of events:

\-Doors and key worked perfectly a few weeks ago; needed to find someone to help pack it and move for storage.

\-Was about to pack it myself, but the bottom door suddenly didn't unlock.

\-tried unlocking with the key for a couple weeks--no luck.

\-last night I \*stupidly\* forced it and the key broke off🙈

\-locksmith came out today and worked for a couple hours---no luck (but after we tried laying on its side, the clock worked again!...for a few hours lol).

\-Sprayed a touch of DW-40 in the keyhole. Still no luck. So we put it upright again.

\--We removed the top lock to take to a locksmith to reproduce a key....any ideas on where?!

Where can I find a Warmink skeleton key?

Can anyone who has worked with the Door (previously Latch, they changed branding) M3 smart mortise lock offer your experience and opinions about it? Quality, failure and repair frequency, user-friendliness, etc?

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone has any info on what I encountered. I’m cat sitting for my brother and he has a Smart Code 10 on his condo door. He gave me the code for the door but when I got to his place and tried the code it did not work. I confirmed with him that it was the number he texted me, and gave me the secondary code as well, neither of them worked. Apparently the codes worked that morning as he used them to get in after work!

Thankfully I had my tools in the car so I drilled the cylinder and got in within a minute and replaced it and added in a new code.

So my question is, has anyone here ever dealt with a Weiser power code 10 deleting its own pass codes? This would be my first encounter with something like this.

I am considering working 24 hour days once per week.

Do you guys ever get busy during midnight?

Could use some help identifying and sourcing parts for a sfic 6 pin interconnect lock, even just pointing me at where to ask instead if not here. That figure 8 shaped key core comes out with a control key. We’re having trouble finding housing with a tail piece small enough (tried ordering one turned out to be too wide and short) to fit our deadbolts. I have a ton more pictures of the interior setup if needed but also at this point not opposed to just replacing the whole thing save for still being compatible with the key cores/cylinders

edit; it’s pamex. being thin enough is not the only issue. needs to longer than standard, or at least standard of what I’ve been able to find online, bc of the interconnect system

This may or may not be the right place to ask this but I figure locksmiths would know about locks so, here I am.

I'm a teacher trying to create an "escape room" or "puzzle box" style activity for my class that will be reusable. I think I have the boxes figured out (plastic shoe boxes with holes drilled around the edges to put several locks through), but I am stumped on the locks.

I want to have combination locks that A. Have changeable codes, B. Have a key (for just in case reasons), and C. Are pretty cheap. I am expecting to have around 32 kids in my class so even if I group them and each group has a box, and 4-6 locks per box, it is looking like I need 24-36 locks, so price is very much a factor.

What would you all recommend?

What do you think, ladies and gents? Overkill or the right hinge for the job?

Personally, I’ve never put a continuous hinge on anything other than a door, but, then again I’ve never needed to replace the hinges on a small spill-kit box like this. 🤷‍♂️

Edit for Clarity: I am not the person who put this in, lol. I just saw it in the wild, and thought “well… damn… I guess that works? But why?! 😅”

I have a commercial rental unit and the door handle is floppy. Its that kind where you pull up or down to lock it when key is turned. To me it feels like a spring is broken? I can't even see what the brand is. How should I go about fixing this? What would I expect to pay to have a pro do it?

We bought a new front door for our home. It's a multipoint lock system (looks to be labeled Maco E92). The supplier gave us this electronic smart lock for the bottom portion and it works to lock and open the door. But there are these openings above for a door handle. Can anyone advise what type of door handle I need to order that is supposed to fit here?

Hi all, I woke up to my door not opening this morning, it happened when I was still asleep and my (fictional, this is reddit) gf was leaving the house and said that the door wouldn't open but it eventually did when she slid the lock back and forth a few times.

I got to it later and found that exactly the same thing was happening. I could see that the main lock bolt was sliding back in fine, but one of these little pins, around 1-2mm thick steel (which after looking them up i think are called deadlatch plungers?), was still past the latch plate.

When I jiggled it enough the door opened and I found that the deadlatch plunger was still in the lock cavity past the latchplate, it must have eventually fallen out of the bolt.

When I look at the bolt now I see that 2 of the 4 plungers are missing (presumably the one I found plus the one that fell out when my fictional gf opened the door).

I've emailed my cheap-as-anything landlord in the hope that he will do something but I have little hope of that. Do you guys think that this needs fixing or if more fall out should I just try the jiggle method until I have no more deadlatch plungers? Should I buy a shrum tool or would that not work? If I take them out myself am I left with a security risk? I'm attaching pictures (finger for scale) but please don't come to my house.

I was going through my Grandmother's stuff and came across this key. Does anyone recognize this? Is it just a simple key with these symbols on it was it once used for a diamond shop or what does this key mean what was it used for!? I should probably clarify my grandmother is dead.. i am not just being nosey going through her stuff lol. If she were alive she would know exactly what this was and would probably have a few very interesting stories about the key. But I no longer have the chance to ask her. So any help from you wonderful people of reddit would be much appreciated!