Learn locksmithing free
Written for people doing the work. Pin tumbler theory, car key programming, master key design, safes, access control and the business side. No account, no paywall.
10courses
34topics
102sections
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Automotive Keys and TranspondersHow car keys actually work, from a flat steel blade to a rolling code fob, and what it takes to cut and program one at the roadside.4 topicsResidential Locks and RekeyingPin tumbler theory, rekeying by hand, deadbolt grades and the door hardware failures that actually let people in.4 topicsEmergency Entry and LockoutsPicking, bypass, drilling and the decision of which one to use, plus the identity checks that keep an emergency call legitimate.3 topicsKey Cutting and Key ControlBlanks, keyways, depth and space charts, the machines that cut them, and why restricted keyways are the only thing that actually stops a key being copied.3 topicsCommercial and Master KeyingMaster key systems from first principles, interchangeable cores, exit device code requirements and how to keep a building's key control from collapsing.3 topicsSafes and VaultsCombination and electronic locks, what the UL and RSC ratings actually promise, manipulation, drilling and safe moving done without hurting anybody.4 topicsElectronic Access ControlCredentials, readers, controllers, electric locking hardware and the fail safe against fail secure decision that gets people trapped when it is made wrong.3 topicsBecoming a LocksmithThe routes into the trade, what the first year actually looks like, the tools to buy in what order, and what the work pays.4 topicsRunning a Locksmith BusinessPricing that survives contact with a customer, a van inventory that pays for itself, where the work really comes from, and how to beat bait pricing.3 topicsLicensing, Law and EthicsWhich states license locksmiths, what a background check actually screens for, the records that protect you, and the jobs a professional turns down.3 topics
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Each topic is its own page, with the detail, the key points and the questions that come up on the job.
Key GenerationsCutting MethodsProgrammingRoadside WorkPin Tumbler TheoryRekeyingDeadbolts and GradingDoors and FramesPicking and ManipulationBypass Before ForceEmergency JudgmentBlanks and KeywaysMachines and AccuracyKey ControlMaster Key TheoryInterchangeable CoresCodes and Life SafetyRatings and What They PromiseLocks on SafesOpening a SafeMoving Safes SafelyHow a System Fits TogetherElectric Locking HardwareFail Safe and Fail SecureRoutes InThe First YearTools in OrderWhat It PaysPricing WorkTools and the VanGetting FoundLicensing in the United StatesRecords and LiabilityThe Jobs You Turn Down
The Locksmith Glossary
121 terms from the trade in plain language. What a wafer is, what a Grade 1 deadbolt actually promises, and why a transponder key is not the same thing as a remote.
Hiring a Locksmith Instead?
The customer guides answer what things cost, how to avoid the bait pricing scam and what to do when you are already standing outside a locked door.