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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330 Questions

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Last Answer on June 11, 2024

Best Rated

I lost both my FOB n starter keys to my car (2006 Honda Civic LX). Is there anyway to get keys made

Asked by BigZeke about 4 years ago

Certain locksmiths can remake the fob & keys; as well as the dealer.

I purchased a Brinks Padlock after a break in at my storage unit. A month later the key fit but the key will not turn. Could it be a different lock? How can I get it open?

Asked by Mona over 4 years ago

Yea it’s possible it’s a different lock. Management might know something about it, or it’s always possible you have the wrong key, or someone open & replaced it with another padlock. Lots of possibilities really. Mgmt might have a way to cut the padlocks off, or you can hire a locksmith to pick the lock or cut/drill it off.

Can you tell me if I can program an aftermarket key fob myself for a remote start car?

Asked by Dreya about 4 years ago

Unfortunately don’t know anything about remote starts. Locksmiths don’t work on those very often.

I just purchased a condo that has a Mortise lock. I am trying to convert to a smart lock but all Mortise ones use smaller Locksets. Any Suggestions? Face is 1-1/16x7-5/8 on mine

Asked by Massimo C about 4 years ago

It sounds like an older mortise lock. Most modern mortise locks are 8” x 1-1/4”. You’re not going to find something that easily retrofits into the door prep you have. You could have a locksmith fresh install a deadbolt above your mortise lock if your condo will allow it. Otherwise, there just aren’t very many options for the residential mortise lock platform. Look up Yale Nextouch. They make a smart locks with a mortise prep, but it won’t fit in your door as is. You’ll have to have it modified. Also check with your bldg Mgmt before you do anything, I have seen some of them have strict rules what they will let tenants do to maintain uniformity.

Tongue of front door latch doesn't retract when I try to open the door from the exterior. It will retract from the inside handle. Is this repairable or will the handle need to be replaced?

Asked by David Smythe over 5 years ago

You didn’t mention the brand, but it sounds like a common Kwikset problem. Usually just replacing the latch will fix it. Kwikset also has a common problem where the screws back out on the inside of the handleset. Take it apart very slowly. Buy a replacement latch, and put it all back together. Should be good to go.

Can you help me identify my lock to find a replacement?
Face plate code: R12921 CUS LISTED 24x3 F
(Series A maybe?) Mortise Door Lock - locked from outside by key and by thumbturn recessed from the inside. Color: polished Chrome.

Asked by Nadia Moussouni over 5 years ago

Sorry that really doesn’t give me the info I would need. Those sound like internal codes. If you’re able to send me photos on twitter, I could probably help you. @ATXJoshL

If I paid the taxes on a building and have paperwork to prove it can a locksmith come unlock the doors

Asked by Ebonii over 4 years ago

I’m not a lawyer, and locksmiths don’t request tax forms when they unlock doors. They usually have you sign a waiver of some kind stating that you have the legal right to have them perform that service, and they collect a drivers license. At that point it’s between you and whoever else may legally have the right to be there. However, I know there are laws pertaining to when a property OWNER can and can not enter a rental unit, and the law is usually on the renters side, not the owners side due to privacy concerns.