Being a locksmith requires many things. First of all, it requires an interest in the field – you have to be interested in locksmithing, security, and the complex working mechanisms of locks and keys. Additionally, it requires extensive training and experience. There are so many different kinds of locks and to be able to operate them all will take a lot of practice and training. But most importantly, it requires the right tools. How could you accomplish anything without the right tools in hand? There are many tools that will benefit the professional locksmith, but I find that the following are the most essential in this line of work.
Lock Pick Set
Technically this is more than just one tool; it’s a whole set of tools. Usually it is comprised of manual picks, lever picks, key turners, and tension wrenches. All of these help me on a daily basis in helping people get into their cars, homes, businesses, etc.
Hand-held Scope
Just like how a telescope allows us to better see the stars and planets in the sky, a good quality hand-held scope provides a better view of tiny locks. Particularly useful in automotive locksmith work, we use these to be able to see into the locking mechanism and have a good view of what’s going on. Some come with multiple attachments that you can use to work with the lock tumblers while you’re looking, or with good LED light technology for better viewing.
Key Cloner or Key Duplicator
A good key cloner is what you will use to duplicate keys. You need one that will be able to duplicate standard keys as well as electronic keys and other kinds of keys that you’ll find. For most homes, you’ll be fine with a standard key cloner but for many businesses and even more vehicles, you’ll need a higher quality one that is more versatile in the kinds of keys it can copy. Related to this is an impressioning tool. If you can get your hands on a good impressioning tool, you’ll be much better off as a professional locksmith.
Ignition Breakers
You’d be surprised to learn just how often in this field we end up needing ignition breakers. If a key gets stuck in the ignition or the ignition needs to be replaced for any reason, sometimes it’s just better to break the ignition and replace it rather than try to fix it. This is especially true when time is of the essence. When you get out there in this industry, every workday will be a busy one, and so when you’re dealing with an ignition problem on an inexpensive lock, don’t waste time trying to save it – use one of your ignition breakers to break it off.
Plug Followers
When you have to rekey or repin a lock, you’ll definitely want plug followers in your toolbox. A plug follower is something you’ll put in place of the core of the lock, which you’ve removed to fix. Trust me – this will make your job a whole lot easier.
Hinge Kit
Sometimes you can’t get to the lock easily unless you remove the door. Make sure you have a hinge kit with you just in case this is what you have to resort to. Also, these can be useful because sometimes it’s not even a problem with the lock that is causing the door to jam or not close/lock properly. Sometimes it’s actually the hinge.
There are plenty more tools you will find useful in this industry. Start by acquiring some of these and then work your way toward getting all the rest.
