Is becoming a locksmith a good career choice?

[Needy]

I'm 38 and fed up with my current employment (10 years in management in an
AV equipment rental house). Someone told me a long time ago that becoming a
locksmith makes good sense.

Can anyone suggest the pros and cons of investing the time into learning the
trade, and is there a good demand for the skill? . and yes I'm interested in
potential yearly earnings (selfish I know .. but hey).

Ultimately I would like to open a small shop some where out from the city.

[Jim West]

Needy wrote in message <0Yey2.8$Qn5....@NewsRead.Toronto.iSTAR.net>...

>I'm 38 and fed up with my current employment (10 years in management in an
>AV equipment rental house). Someone told me a long time ago that becoming a
>locksmith makes good sense.

Good sense ?, that a hard one to answer.
First your gonna either have to take a class, or find a locksmith to let you
apprentice (a better investment), then you gotta learn a lot of information.
You have to learn the difference between a Weiser key blank and a Kwikset
key blank, they both fit each others keyways, but there is a difference.
You need to learn how to open a 1998 BMW when its deadlocked, and a 65
Mustang, where can you find keycodes on both.

There is tons of information to digest and remember. You'll deal with
customers that want to know why you charge $2 to copy a key that WalMart
only charges .99 for. You'll have to explain over and over why you charge
$40 just to start the engine in the van to come out, because you have to pay
for expensive equipment, supplies, insurance, painting, etc.

The good parts are the days when your there to make someone feel a little
safer. Its not overly demanding physically or mentally, its a good mix of
using your brain and your hands.

If your good at it you can make a very nice living working for yourself or
others, a local school district recently advertised for a locksmith offering
$22 an hour plus full benefits.

So I guess the answer is its not an easy trade to learn, but it can be very
rewarding if its something you enjoy. I have no regrets about doing it.

[Steve Paris]

Unless you are genuinely interested in learning the CRAFT, of Locksmithing,
& are prepared to spend a minimum of $3 - to $5 thousand, for a basic setup,
& also LOVE the craft so much as to spend the rest of your working life
constantly learning, & having days when, no matter what you do , the phone
just will not ring. Then other days, it rings so much that you swear that
"you will have to put someone on to help out. Then theres 24 hours a day~
7days a week on call (your own business). Really, money is secondary, to
most smiths. It's a bonus to be able to make a living out of something that
you like doing !!!!!!

Steve Paris L/S
Cairns,Tropical North Queensland, Australia.
spa...@iig.com.au
www.iig.com.au/~cns02989/PARISLOCKS/Home.html

Needy wrote in message <0Yey2.8$Qn5....@NewsRead.Toronto.iSTAR.net>...
>I'm 38 and fed up with my current employment (10 years in management in an
>AV equipment rental house). Someone told me a long time ago that becoming a
>locksmith makes good sense.
>

[john mallette]

amen brother!

[dj]

I don't think so.

[alldoorsolu...@gmail.com]

Locksmith career

I work has a door and locksmith technician for 7 years in Torornto area
(ontario canada)
It has been very hard for start but became easy and clear + the bigger earnings came with my locksmithing expirince
now i work not only in toronto but also in srounding area and make even more from it..
you need to learn and work hard every day after 5years you will get there!

Jd smith

Alldoorsolutions.ca is my new locksmith company in toronto
Highsecuritylockmith.ca is a locksmith company i work for 7 years now.

[Steve H.]

On Tuesday, February 16, 1999 3:00:00 AM UTC-5, Needy wrote:
> I'm 38 and fed up with my current employment (10 years in management in an
> AV equipment rental house). Someone told me a long time ago that becoming a
> locksmith makes good sense.
>
> Can anyone suggest the pros and cons of investing the time into learning the
> trade, and is there a good demand for the skill? . and yes I'm interested in
> potential yearly earnings (selfish I know .. but hey).
>
> Ultimately I would like to open a small shop some where out from the city.

I can tell you that if you want to be able to make a living you must work on getting commercial clients.

Home owners don't tend to call as much as businesses.

I never made a lot of money in locksmithing, but I had a lot of joy in my heart knowing I was there to help people in need. I once drove all the way across town about 10 miles away and only made $25. It was a snowy night and it was Christmas and a fellow locked himself out of his truck. He was stuck in between a rock and a hard place so I helped him out and opened his truck for him.

[Stormin Mormon]

On 10/19/2013 4:19 PM, Steve H. wrote:
>
> I can tell you that if you want to be able to make

a living you must work on getting commercial clients.
>
> Home owners don't tend to call as much as businesses.
>
> I never made a lot of money in locksmithing, but I
had a lot of joy in my heart knowing I was there to help
people in need. I once drove all the way across town
about 10 miles away and only made $25. It was a snowy
night and it was Christmas and a fellow locked himself
out of his truck. He was stuck in between a rock and a
hard place so I helped him out and opened his truck for
him.

I agree, the residential isn't a source of much money
at all. Used to be years ago, everyone was having deadbolts
installed, and locks rekeyed. Not as much any more.

I've also had a couple of those heart warming unlock
moments. My best was a woman whose two year old daughter
had slammed the door on Mommy, when she went to sign for
a UPS package. It was Wednesday, and no money in the house
till Friday, which was husband's pay day.

We got in, and find the girl sitting on the kitchen floor.
She had been eating out of the cat dish, and drinking out
of the cat bowl. Her diaper was wet up to here, and happy
as can be.

.
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

[ajlock...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, 16 February 1999 08:00:00 UTC, Needy wrote:
> I'm 38 and fed up with my current employment (10 years in management in an
> AV equipment rental house). Someone told me a long time ago that becoming a
> locksmith makes good sense.
>
> Can anyone suggest the pros and cons of investing the time into learning the
> trade, and is there a good demand for the skill? . and yes I'm interested in
> potential yearly earnings (selfish I know .. but hey).
>
> Ultimately I would like to open a small shop some where out from the city.

It all depends what you want out of it and if you are willing to work at it, because its hard work at times www.aj-locksmith.co.uk

[enigm...@gmail.com]

I've been in the trade for around 8 months now, I've learned a lot and still have a lot to learn. But I've picked it IP quickly and rarely do I need to call in for help. My plans are to work for someone else get my experience and license and also get a pay check every week and once I think I'm ready I'm opening my own shop in a city where there is only one shop and that means competition won't be a problem. But its a easy job frustrating at times but all in all you won't work your ass off you do more work mentally than physically. I think it's a good decision to become a locksmith if you live in a city where its high demand, because most shops will give you commission after hours which can be really good money.

[enigm...@gmail.com]

I just realized this question is 17 years old lol. Well I hope you made a good decision

[Stormin Mormon]

On 6/19/2016 12:48 AM, enigm...@gmail.com wrote:
> I just realized this question is 17 years old lol. Well I hope you made a good decision
>

We'd have no way to know, since you didn't
leave any quoted text.

--
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.

[glentehf...@gmail.com]

your an ideot. he doesnt need to quote anything. just look at the top of the page. moron mormom self loving fagotron

[twiste...@aol.com]

18 years in a few weeks... Will the mystery ever be solved?

[whitin...@gmail.com]

Nice thread👌

[pdt...@gmail.com]

Locksmith here on 1/23/18 still a mystery as now.

[primeale...@gmail.com]

It really depends on your personality. Being a locksmith is not an easy job but has some advantages too.

Some pros and cons are:

Pros

- You could earn quiet well.
- Be fairly flexible with your day.
- Do just a few jobs a day to earn enough so that the rest of the day is free.
- Learn a new skill.
- Work in a job where you get to meet new people all the time.

Cons

- You could be working a lot (if you become all after money or if the company you work for makes you do that).
- Working at some unreasonable times - like in 3-5am which is many times hard to wake up and go to work.
- Getting stuck in traffic - horrible!
- Getting stuck for hours with some door or lock you can't manage to open (specially in the beginning)
- Going to dodgy places and dealing with rude customers (most people are good but this also happens)

For more about being a locksmith, how much you can earn and how to become one, I'd suggest you read this article https://bit.ly/2H4D4e0 .

Best of luck

[41383...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, June 19, 2016 at 12:46:22 AM UTC-4, enigm...@gmail.com wrote:
> I've been in the trade for around 8 months now, I've learned a lot and still have a lot to learn. But I've picked it IP quickly and rarely do I need to call in for help. My plans are to work for someone else get my experience and license and also get a pay check every week and once I think I'm ready I'm opening my own shop in a city where there is only one shop and that means competition won't be a problem. But its a easy job frustrating at times but all in all you won't work your ass off you do more work mentally than physically. I think it's a good decision to become a locksmith if you live in a city where its high demand, because most shops will give you commission after hours which can be really good money.

This is exactly what Im starting to do now, how did this work out for you?

[apkr...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, February 16, 1999 at 9:00:00 AM UTC+1, Needy wrote:
> I'm 38 and fed up with my current employment (10 years in management in an
> AV equipment rental house). Someone told me a long time ago that becoming a
> locksmith makes good sense.
>
> Can anyone suggest the pros and cons of investing the time into learning the
> trade, and is there a good demand for the skill? . and yes I'm interested in
> potential yearly earnings (selfish I know .. but hey).
>
> Ultimately I would like to open a small shop some where out from the city.

I personally know few elderly people that are still in locksmith business at 60 at still having a great time doing the job. It is good that you do complete locksmith certifications if you want to become a locksmith.

Might want to read this:
https://keysmiths.com/locksmith-certifications-needed-to-become-a-locksmith/

[Theodore Morrison]

I was talking to a guy who mainly does vehicle lock outs and he's been doing it 4 years with hourly and after hours work he supposedly pulled down $72k last year after taxes, does that sound right?