One of the most famous locksmiths of all time was Harry Houdini. While Harry is best remembered as a magician, his early training as a locksmith aided him in escaping from the locks used in his shows.
Like Harry, locksmiths are trained in the art of opening locks.
The dictionary definition of a locksmith is “one that makes or repairs locks.”1 While most locksmiths rarely make locks, they are often called upon to open or repair locks, but those activities aren’t all the tasks that most locksmiths are able to perform.
Today’s locksmiths are technicians with specialized training in residential and commercial security.
#1: Locksmiths can help you get back in your locked car.
Locksmiths are often called to assist people who have been locked out of their cars or who have lost or misplaced their car keys. On television shows police and criminals use a metal bar inserted between the glass and the weather stripping of the car’s window to unlock car doors without keys. They make it look easy – like anyone can do it. The tool they are using is called a slim jim.
While it may look simple to use, it does take a fair amount of skill and training to make sure that the door is unlocked without damaging the lock, the vehicle’s body, or the vehicle’s paint. Another concern is that if a slim jim is not inserted correctly it can disable the airbags or electrical system of the vehicle.2
For cars with keyless entry systems a knowledgeable locksmith is able to reprogram the lock and unlock a car without any damage to the car. They can then use a mechanical code key cutter to make a new key. Locksmiths also have several other tools and methods to unlock cars, but slim jims and reprogramming are the most used techniques and methods.
#2 Locksmiths can help you get back in your locked home.
Locksmiths frequently help people who are locked out of their homes. A variety of techniques can be used to get you back in your home. Most locksmiths are trained in how to pick a lock and they also have a specialized tool — a bump key (a key blank) that can knock the pins of a lock into place to open a door. Both of these methods do not destroy the lock unless they are done incorrectly by an inexperienced person.
It is often advisable to install a new door lock as soon as possible if the reason for the lock-out was a problem with the locking mechanism itself. If the door lock can’t be opened using a non-destructive technique, the locksmith will have to use any number of techniques that will essentially destroying the lock and/or the area adjacent to the lock.
#3 Locksmiths can make keys, even if the original is missing
Locksmiths have specialized equipment to duplicate keys. This equipment, called a key cutting machine, allows a trained and experienced locksmith to cut a key without the original key being available. Most locksmiths are trained to make house keys, car keys, master keys, control keys, Zeiss keys, skeleton keys, paracentric keys and double-sided keys.3
#4 Locksmiths can advise you on home security
Home security is a top concern, especially for those living in high crime areas, those that live alone and the elderly. Locksmiths are a good source of information on residential locks and home security, especially as they are usually called in after a burglary and through experience see where most homeowners are vulnerable. There are also many times when locksmiths are called to a home to fix locks that were improperly installed or not installed with the right structural support around the lock to make the lock able to properly secure a home.
Locksmiths also are knowledgeable in-home security systems. While many home security systems advertise that all you have to do is plug in the system components, there is much more to effective home security, including placement, monitoring, ease of disabling or bypassing the security system, password protection and a host of other considerations. Many locksmiths can also install panic hardware, high security deadbolts, smart home security systems and closed circuit television monitoring.
Call a trusted locksmith near you
The arc of locksmith services offered by Action Locksmith includes all this and more. Our Michigan locksmith company has experience in all facets of the industry and is committed to quality work that is done right and done well. From our trusted and dependable residential and commercial locksmith services to automotive needs, our emergency lockout services are always available. Call to schedule an evaluation of your home’s security and customize your plan of action!
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1 Locksmith Definition
Link: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/locksmith#:~:text=locksmith%20%28%20%CB%88l%C9%92k%CB%8Csm%C9%AA%CE%B8%29%20n%20%28Professions%29%20a%20person%20who,who%20makes%20or%20repairs%20locks%20and%20keys.%20%5B1200%E2%80%9350%5D
3 What Skills Will I Learn in Locksmith Training?
Link: https://learn.org/articles/What_Skills_Will_I_Learn_in_Locksmith_Training.html