# Waiting for a locksmith



## postman (11 Oct 2020)

Would you believe it key stuck in conservatory door,Sunday night.It's my own fault.It has been sticking for months ,so tea time it would not turn it was stuck at the 3-9 position.So you tube tutorial,it's a known problem.Two keys and wiggle,well i put wd 40 in first and left it for an hour.Two keys wiggle,nothing.So try try try again nothing.Better leverage needed grabbed hold tight with a wrench snap.Well i was thinking at first a new lock,but now it does need a new lock,he has just rung 20 mins and he will be here.I'll come back and tell you the cost .


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## roadrash (11 Oct 2020)

oh dear, hope it isnt too painful, i would imagine the callout alone isnt cheap


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## Darius_Jedburgh (11 Oct 2020)

Neighbour had something similar. Called out emergency guy. £200. Should have waited till the morning.


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## TissoT (11 Oct 2020)

I'll come back and tell you the cost .

£150 + Gnt

Its a easy fix snap the key off in the lock and theres a bolt in the side of the door (Pozi) that holds the barrel in take it out and replace with a new barrel

hopefully its not locked


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## Darius_Jedburgh (11 Oct 2020)

Gnt. What's that then?


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## TissoT (11 Oct 2020)

Gin n tonic


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## Cycleops (11 Oct 2020)

Got NoTools?


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## postman (11 Oct 2020)

So he allowed me to watch as he did the job.Which is not finished,because seventeen years ago the pillocks butchered the mech.It has never closed smoothly.So he took the handle off like i had done,he took out the screw under the barrel.then to get it out he snapped it from outside,i thought he might have drilled it.Then we saw six holes which had been drilled in to the metal work so the key could turn,there was plastic from the door and filings from the drilling,it was a mess,there was also a loose clip,i don't know if that was caused by the snapping.so we need the security strip that goes down the length of the door.He has fitted a simple lock and it turned like a knife going through butter.The arse who fitted it seventeen years ago butchered it to get it to work.It does not surprise me cos we had them back to relay the floor and put a better sill on the outside.I know sometimes firms mark up a job,but this guy was ok.So tomorrow we get a new better cylinder lock plus the security strip plus he is going to balance the door which is off balance that's the best i can say,it rubs against the framing as it closes.Our excess is £250 plus if we claim year on year on insurance will go up.So we are paying out a whopping £338 quid.That hurts but what can you do,you have to pay but it has a twelve month guarantee on work,Mrs P is happy so i am also.


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## postman (11 Oct 2020)

If you will excuse the pun you pay cos they have you over a barrel.


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## RichardB (11 Oct 2020)

Darius_Jedburgh said:


> Gnt. What's that then?



Oh my _dear_!


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## TissoT (11 Oct 2020)

Its a good job they are not in lock down
But I guess they are classed as keyworkers.


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## kynikos (11 Oct 2020)

They had him over a barrel...


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## screenman (11 Oct 2020)

£60 of that is vat, the guy is coming out twice and supplying a few bits,add to that the cost of running the business and it does not sound like he is earning that much.


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## classic33 (11 Oct 2020)

kynikos said:


> They had him over a barrel...


Lock, stock and barrel.


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## CanucksTraveller (11 Oct 2020)

I was charged about a hundred quid by a locksmith when I locked my keys in the house. It took him 3 seconds and he used basically the credit card trick, just with a thinner, more bendy bit of plastic. He looked embarrassed to take the money.


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## TissoT (11 Oct 2020)

I run a Building/joinery company if I tried to charge what a locksmith charges for the length of time they are there
I wouldn't be in business.


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## DaveReading (11 Oct 2020)

TissoT said:


> Its a easy fix snap the key off in the lock and theres a bolt in the side of the door (Pozi) that holds the barrel in take it out and replace with a new barrel



If the key is jammed in the lock, you wouldn't be able to rotate the cam in order to allow you to push/pull the barrel out.


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## TissoT (11 Oct 2020)

DaveReading said:


> If the key is jammed in the lock, you wouldn't be able to rotate the cam in order to allow you to push/pull the barrel out.


Thats Right


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## Sharky (11 Oct 2020)

Takes a lot of studying to be a locksmith... 



He probably went to Yale


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## classic33 (11 Oct 2020)

Sharky said:


> Takes a lot of studying to be a locksmith...
> 
> 
> 
> He probably went to Yale


Master Degree?


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## classic33 (11 Oct 2020)

Sharky said:


> Takes a lot of studying to be a locksmith...
> 
> 
> 
> He probably went to Yale


Master Degree?


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## RichardB (12 Oct 2020)

Sharky said:


> He probably went to Yale



And now he's a key worker who can take his 'pick' of the jobs.


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## screenman (12 Oct 2020)

TissoT said:


> I run a Building/joinery company if I tried to charge what a locksmith charges for the length of time they are there
> I wouldn't be in business.



Maybe you should retrain, I will be charging upwards of a £100 per hour if you only count times on tools myself at times today.


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## postman (12 Oct 2020)

He has been and finished the job as he promised.Oh what a faff to get the door and frame square to line up.A few movements of a locking rail in the door frame made sure it now fits snug and secure.What a different movement.A lot of adjusting of the three hinges i did not even know it had the options to alter the angles of the hinges,well why would i.

So let me tell you of this conservatory company.Like i said we had them back to relay the floor and put a new sill on.We even had a rep came to see us,concerning the three workers.So he told us of a customer.This chap had his own company heavy plant contracting.He had a £40,000 job done.he took photos of all the work.Then when they asked for payment he refused.And told them to take it down remove it put his garden back as near to what it had been,before they came.Asked why he produced his photos,they had not put down a damp course ,nothing at all.Nothing under the floor inside the construction.And he told them if they tried to get payment he would take them to court.They did not chase him.So no wonder years later they finished up closing.

I will say on our part i think seventeen years of movement has not helped the shape of the frame.So pulling it out of true.Well it fits better now and closed easier.


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## Salar (12 Oct 2020)

I'm glad I have a double glazing installer friend. He changed our dodgy sliding patio door lock for free in under five minutes, but insisted I didn't watch.


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## bikingdad90 (12 Oct 2020)

When we moved in to our house we had the locks changed in the garage door, front door and french doors. We have a windows and door company come and attempt to do the French door.

The lock was fully operational and could be screwed in and out absolutely fine to release the barrel but the nobbers rounded the head off the screw and had to snap the lock to be able to lock the door again with a temporary lock when adjusting it. I stopped them and threw them off the job before they could do any more damage to the door and finish the job. Next day called a locksmith in who had the correct size barrels, he replaced the rounded off screws, turned out they had messed up all the screws holding the security strip in place. He fixed the security strip they had buggered up and also did the front door and garage door and fitted proper BSA rated locks not some cheap ones that windows and door people attempted to fit (and it was fitted backwards too). Also found out he cleans carpets too so had him round for that too!


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## TissoT (13 Oct 2020)

screenman said:


> Maybe you should retrain, I will be charging upwards of a £100 per hour if you only count times on tools myself at times today.





screenman said:


> Maybe you should retrain, I will be charging upwards of a £100 per hour if you only count times on tools myself at times today.


We do pretty handsomely in regards to pounds shillings and pence.
But retrain as a locksmith, I prefer a good nights sleep.


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## Beebo (13 Oct 2020)

TissoT said:


> I run a Building/joinery company if I tried to charge what a locksmith charges for the length of time they are there
> I wouldn't be in business.


Locksmiths work is feast and famine. As no one plans to use a locksmith until they need a locksmith, so they can’t plan work ahead and customers can’t get estimates

we used one about 15 years ago, he told me that a large percentage of his outgoings was advertising, to get to the top of Yellow Pages.
The business model must have changed now but they still need to be easy to find in an emergency.

what he did took less than 5 minutes but I couldn’t have done it.


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## BoldonLad (13 Oct 2020)

Beebo said:


> Locksmiths work is feast and famine. As no one plans to use a locksmith until they need a locksmith, so they can’t plan work ahead and customers can’t get estimates
> 
> we used one about 15 years ago, he told me that a large percentage of his outgoings was advertising, to get to the top of Yellow Pages.
> The business model must have changed now but they still need to be easy to find in an emergency.
> ...



That is often the key "ingredient" ie the know-how, not the time taken. Like everything else in life, a thing (including a service) it worth what people will pay.


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## screenman (13 Oct 2020)

TissoT said:


> We do pretty handsomely in regards to pounds shillings and pence.
> But retrain as a locksmith, I prefer a good nights sleep.



I agree, I never mind paying people fot what I choose not to do myself, I did not think his rate too high.


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## RichardB (13 Oct 2020)

Beebo said:


> what he did took less than 5 minutes but I couldn’t have done it.



"Invoice total £1000:
For hitting pipe with hammer, £1.00
For knowing where to hit pipe with hammer, £999.00."

Old joke, but it makes the point.


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## Profpointy (13 Oct 2020)

RichardB said:


> "Invoice total £1000:
> For hitting pipe with hammer, £1.00
> For knowing where to hit pipe with hammer, £999.00."
> 
> Old joke, but it makes the point.



Very Tangentially reminds me of a story from a mate of mine who used to own a caving equipment shop. Bear with me, there is a link of sorts. Anyhow he got a phone call from someone at a nuclear power station where after a safety audit they got a black mark for not doing a particular test. The test involved, and I'm not making this up, hitting the outer casing with a rubber mallet and listening at a different place to check for cracks, just like was done for railway wheels. Anyway they couldn't easily do this in the desired place because an intended stairs hadn't been installed on their reactor. The nuclear guy had heard of portable wire caving ladders which roll up and can be carried along tight spaces and that if he could buy one they could go along a narrow gangway then send the ladder up to the desired point.
My mate pondered for a moment then said "there's a crucial word in your explanation, and that word is up". Caving ladders are tied on the top of a pitch and unrolled down it. You can't unroll a flexible ladder up a climb.

Long story inspired by "hit it with a hammer"


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## RichardB (13 Oct 2020)

Profpointy said:


> Very Tangentially reminds me of a story from a mate of mine who used to own a caving equipment shop. Bear with me, there is a link of sorts. Anyhow he got a phone call from someone at a nuclear power station where after a safety audit they got a black mark for not doing a particular test. The test involved, and I'm not making this up, hitting the outer casing with a rubber mallet and listening at a different place to check for cracks, just like was done for railway wheels. Anyway they couldn't easily do this in the desired place because an intended stairs hadn't been installed on their reactor. The nuclear guy had heard of portable wire caving ladders which roll up and can be carried along tight spaces and that if he could buy one they could go along a narrow gangway then send the ladder up to the desired point.
> My mate pondered for a moment then said "there's a crucial word in your explanation, and that word is up". Caving ladders are tied on the top of a pitch and unrolled down it. You can't unroll a flexible ladder up a climb.
> 
> Long story inspired by "hit it with a hammer"





Do you know, when I was caving in my younger days, I would have given my back teeth for a wire ladder that unrolled upwards. It would have made Swinsto Hole a Hole lot easier.


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## Profpointy (13 Oct 2020)

RichardB said:


> Do you know, when I was caving in my younger days, I would have given my back teeth for a wire ladder that unrolled upwards. It would have made Swinsto Hole a Hole
> 
> Thinking about it now he should just have hired this chap instead
> 
> ...


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## Pale Rider (14 Oct 2020)

When I was proper poorly a few months ago, I managed to lock myself out of my house, but inside my back yard.

Someone heard me calling for help so paramedics and the fire brigade turned up.

I was a bit confused which led one of the paramedics to accuse me of being drunk - if only that's all it was, because I would have been sober in the morning.

Anyhow, one of the three nines people called a locksmith to get me back in my house.

He asked for £60, but happily accepted the £50 I had to hand.

I suspect he was so amenable at least partly because he knew it was a medical emergency - of sorts.

There's also no doubt trades in the North East are a lot cheaper than down south.


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## Profpointy (14 Oct 2020)

RichardB said:


> Do you know, when I was caving in my younger days, I would have given my back teeth for a wire ladder that unrolled upwards. It would have made Swinsto Hole a Hole lot easier.



Ah the old getting to the bottom and finding some clown has taken the ladder away. Happened to us once, and despite us having left our own ladder rolled up and clipped in, the f**&*s hadn't dropped it down the pitch when they took their ladder out. As I'm sure you know, it is free climbable but isn't easy.


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## RichardB (14 Oct 2020)

Profpointy said:


> Ah the old getting to the bottom and finding some clown has taken the ladder away. Happened to us once, and despite us having left our own ladder rolled up and clipped in, the f**&*s hadn't dropped it down the pitch when they took their ladder out. As I'm sure you know, it is free climbable but isn't easy.



I see you know where I am talking about . We laddered the pitch from Valley Entrance first, and it was still there when we got to the bottom (we were doing an express trip on single ropes). But unfortunately the rain had started and by the time it was my turn - I had volunteered to go last as there were some youngsters with us - the crawl passage was filling up. I exited into Kingsdale floating on my back with about 3" of airspace. As I stood up and started to organise the kit for the walk back down, I turned round and ... airspace had gone. That was a bit close for comfort.


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## numbnuts (14 Oct 2020)

Sign in my Blacksmith workshop
"You don't pay for what I do
you pay for what I know"


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