The Best Of Bay County » » Which Locksmith Do You Recommend?

So, you are going home after a hard day's work, and as you approach your car, you search your pockets for your keys, but come up empty. With a sense of dread, you search again, only to realize you've locked your keys in your car. With luck, you can call someone to bring you an extra set.

Or, you've bought a new house, and since you have no idea how many keys are out there, you want to change all the locks for added security.

Who are you going to call? The phone book lists many locksmiths, some with full page ads. Who would you recommend to your friends and neighbors? Do you have any experience with any of them? Tell us about it.

VOTE NOW!

Locksmiths are the super heroes of the security world. Their job is to install, modify, and repair locks and security mechanisms. While we often associate locksmiths with emergency lock-out calls, the truth is that they do far more than just rescue the keyless. They install and change locks not only on houses and cars but on safes, vaults, and alarm systems as well.

As more and more businesses and individuals become concerned with security, locksmiths are increasingly developing and maintaining security systems. Many work for companies that specialize in certain types of locks and security systems and more and more work with electronic security systems and not just mechanical locks.

A locksmith's job involves more than just simple manual dexterity and a knowledge of locks. Locksmiths must also have a good knowledge of people. When a locksmith receives a lock-out call, for instance, he must assess whether the person claiming to be locked out is really the property owner.

Because locksmiths can enter any private, locked space with ease, they must be honest, with no criminal record. In addition, because more locks are now electronic, more locksmiths must know something about both computers and electronics.

How they spend their time:

Installing, repairing, and replacing mechanical and electronic locks Installing, repairing and adjusting safes, vault doors, and vault components Opening locks

SPECIALIZATION

Most locksmiths are generalists, installing and repairing a wide variety of locks, although some who work for a particular security- systems company may specialize in a single type of system.

Most locksmiths learn their skills on the job, working with experienced locksmiths until they have mastered the necessary skills. In some on-the-job training programs, employees attend demonstrations and receive classroom as well as practical training. The length of time necessary to complete on-the-job training ranges from 3 months to 4 years.

Most locksmiths are certified by the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA), an international trade organization, which administers the Proficiency Registration Program (PRP) for locksmiths. Candidates are tested in 36 categories, 10 mandatory and 26 elective, and may become a Registered Locksmith (RL), Certified Registered Locksmith (CRL), Certified Professional Locksmith (CPL), and the highest level, Certified Master Locksmith (CML).