In this feature rich two week course you will be taught every aspect of locksmithing, from the very basics like key cutting, to very involved techniques like impressioning and many others along the way.

Once your training is complete you will find yourself with a huge variety of professional techniques which will give you the best head start in your new career.

Course Content

This fascinating course teaches the specialised disciplines involved in becoming a highly skilled locksmith, including:

Health and safety

Basic introduction to Health & Safety in and around the work place.

Key Recognition & Key Cutting.

We will teach you to identify types of keys by recognising the slightest differences in the key's profile. You will also be shown the different techniques to cut keys whether it be rim cylinder, mortice, or any other.

Stripping down locks.

Stripping down different types of locks is vital to any practising locksmith, due to the fact it’s the best way to fully understand the internal workings of any lock mechanism.The various different types of locks we disassemble and rebuild are:

• Rim cylinders
• Euro cylinders
• 2 & 3 lever mortice locks
• 5 lever non BS mortice locks
• 5 lever BS insurance rated mortice locks
• High security locks e.g. Ingersol, Chubb detainer etc.

Picking locks is probably one of the most important aspects of locksmithing. Being able to gain entry to locks, properties, cars etc, without any damage is an excellent skill, not only does it show you’re a very professional and capable locksmith it also reassures the client. The various different types of pinned and wafer locks you will be trained to pick open are as follows:

• Cam locks
• Locker locks
• Furniture locks
• Window locks
• Padlocks (various types)
• Rim cylinders
• Euro & oval cylinders
• Bullet locks

Theory & Practise of Picking Mortice Locks.

The various different types of mortice locks you will be trained to pick open are as follows:

• 2 lever
• 3 lever
• 5 lever Non BS

It is very important to learn the correct techniques because this will improve your success rate when using your specialist equipment. The specialist tools you will be trained to use are:

• Tension tools & rakes
• Pick gun
• Jiggler keys
• Super mica
• Mortice pick keys
• 2 in 1 pick
• Special/bump keys
• Letter box tool
• Snap tool

There will be instances where you may not be able to pick a particular lock, so in this situation you would have to resort to drilling. We train you in locating drill points and opening techniques for:

• Rim cylinders
• Euro & oval cylinders
• 5 lever non BS mortice locks
• 5 lever BS insurance rated mortice locks
• High security locks such as Ingersol, Chubb detainer etc.

Since the large increase of uPVC doors, this will be a fairly large percent of your work.In your locksmith trianing courses we show you how to pick, drill, remove cylinders and how to measure, adjust and replace mechanisms correctly.

Mechanical combination locks

Working with these types of locks requires an extensive knowledge and understanding, so as part of the locksmith training courses we offer a fully extensive “hands on” tutorial on many types of combination locks.

• Routine maintenance
• How they work
• How to dismantle
• How to change the combination
• How to find lost combination
• How to gain entry when a lock fails.

Making Keys by Hand

This very impressive procedure involves stripping down the lock and making a key, from scratch, based on each individual lever, wafer or pin (depending on the type of lock).

This process not only gives you a good understanding of how the key works in relation to the lock, it also gives you a highly skilled technique that will increase the range of work you can accept - e.g. being able to make keys for an antique lock will set you apart from other locksmiths.

Changing Combination

This skill involves unscrewing the lock case to expose the internal components, swapping around two levers, then reassembling the lock.

The ingenious part about this technique is as long as the customer has a key, you can use it to replicate the cuts in the new key which makes the whole process very quick, inexpensive, and effective.

Using the numbers that are stamped on the face of certain locks we can create new keys. This is done via a code sheet, converting the numbers into cutting information then using height and space keys to manufacture a brand new key.

This precision process involves filing a key blank in a particular manner so that a very sharp edge is left across the blade of the key, which, in turn, is then inserted into the lock and turned to bind the cylinder plug. When the plug is bound in position the key blank is rocked gently up and down which produces small indentations across the sharp edge of the key.

From this it can be seen where the pins/wafers have marked the key blank and it is now possible to file the key to a functional profile. This technique is particularly useful to gain entry whilst avoiding damage to the lock, and is also one of the only ways to produce a key when all others are lost.