Locksmith

Locksmith

Josh-the-Locksmith

25 Years Experience

Austin, TX

Male, 46

I've been a locksmith since 1998. I did automotive residential & commercial work from 1998 to 2008. From 2008 to 2018, I did some residential, but mostly commercial work. I have been project managing & estimating since 2018. I used to locksmith in the Chicago area, now the Austin area.

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329 Questions

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Last Answer on June 11, 2024

Best Rated

I was practicing picking my deadbolt, and I did it. But now my key only goes in half way and it won't work. Please HELP ME!

Asked by Grungekitten almost 10 years ago

Most likely your lock was masterkeyed. When you picked it 180 degrees, a master pin probably fell into the keyhole. If you're renting, you will need to have your landlord have his locksmith come out & fix it. If it's your own house, you'll need to take the deadbolt off, take it into a lock shop, & they will remove the stuck pin & probably have to rekey it back to your key.

I was practicing picking my deadbolt, and I did it. But now my key only goes in half way and it won't work. Please HELP ME!

Asked by Grungekitten almost 10 years ago

Sounds like you may have had some master pins fall into the key hole. You need to have someone take it apart & repin the lock. Take it to a lock shop, have someone come out, or buy a new deadbolt.

I am very interested in locksmithing . I am planning on going to school for it. A online course for certificate. How important is having a certificate in the hiring process? Would that be my best option for getting my foot in the door? Thx

Asked by Jeremy about 10 years ago

Personally, I don't think a certificate is going to make much difference. A locksmith company wants a good employment record, a good driving record, & an excellent background check.they are generally either looking for an experienced locksmith, or a very reliable new locksmith who trains very easily and is willing to start out at a low wage. They want to know what you can do, & what you're capable of & willing to learn. A certificate doesn't mean much. Real world experience is everything because we learn something new every day at this job.

I'm currently a business owner and am willing to put in the time and money to start locksmithing with a partner. What kind of overhead, start-up costs, etc. should I expect?

Asked by Jeremy over 10 years ago

I've never started a locksmith business. I've only worked for a couple. 

We just bought a new modular home. Concerned that several laborers were coming into the house doing work on it using a "master key" Was told that when we turned the lock for the 1st time it would reset it? IS this true or made up?

Asked by Crystal13 over 9 years ago

That is true. It's very common with new housing projects. I have seen contractors returning to the home on their lunch breaks while the homeowners are gone. If you feel like they're still coming in somehow, get your house rekeyed.

I need a locksmith to make me a key for my 2000 eclipse because my son lost it. It has the key that has to be coded to the computer. How much should I be charged?

Asked by Mike about 10 years ago

Anywhere from $150 to $350. Hard to say. it varies so much depending on city, area, & locksmith.

Our front door lock broke and I bought a new one which is supposed to be a standard lock. The new one does not fit because the hole in our door is too small. Is there really just one size of door lock? If so , do I need a locksmith to come to my home

Asked by Jill almost 9 years ago

Well typically the most standard size hole is 2-1/8". Sometimes people will drill a 1-1/2" hole though, which is probably what you have. Depending on what lock you bought, most can be adapted to fit a 1-1/2" hole. Read your instructions. If you can't figure it out, message me on Twitter at ATXJoshL