Notice Board
So, I learned how to access them safely and non-destructively. That knowledge changed everything. In fact, I’ ve now trained hundreds of locksmiths on how to do the same. Alongside Dave Tipper, we created a specialist course that’ s done incredibly well. I’ m now the official MLA trainer for roller shutter doors, and I’ ll be at the MLA Expo again this October which will be my third year running.
It’ s vital that locksmiths add roller shutter work to their skill set. It increases your value, your earning potential, and your confidence on commercial jobs.
Shiny Things and New Ventures
I’ ve always got something on the go, I think it’ s what they call“ magpie syndrome.” I’ m currently learning about auto locksmithing. Customers assume you do cars as well as houses, so I’ ve invested in the tools and I’ m getting myself booked onto a few training courses. I learn best by doing, but the classroom work helps lay the foundation.
It won’ t stop there as I’ m in the process of setting up a new shop- Cannock Locksmiths & Hardware on Belt Road. It’ s still being fitted out and stocked, and I’ m waiting for my business partner Nick Shipman to be in a better financial position. Eventually, we’ ll bring in a bench locksmith to work from the shop.
Sharing the Knowledge One thing I believe strongly: there’ s no point keeping your trade to yourself. I love sharing knowledge and seeing others do well. That’ s why I started a Facebook group, because I was sick of seeing locksmith tools being flogged on eBay with no thought, I wanted a place where locksmiths could go to find quality tools. Now we’ ve got 5,500 members, many of them retired locksmiths passing on quality gear to those who need it.
Networking is everything in this trade. When I first started out, I rang around the local locksmiths in Cannock. At first, they weren’ t too keen, another locksmith on the patch, but I said,“ I want to charge £ 5 more than you do, I’ m not here to undercut you, I want to raise the bar.” Now, we’ re all mates. We pass jobs to one another. One of them even bought my old house.
Through the Keyhole & Letterbox Over the years, I’ ve seen some strange things. Once, on a warrant job, I was trying to open a Chubb 114 while on the phone to David Duffty who was guiding me. My neck was killing me holding the phone against my ear, so I wedged it in a letterbox spring. I turned round, knocked the door, and the phone fell through the letterbox, but I was still on the call! Dave was like“ Are you through now?”, I replied“ No but you are!”
Dave continued the tuition through the letterbox. It was one of those days!
On another job, we stumbled across a cannabis farm. The“ gardeners” had scarpered, the police were called, and we had to retrieve the tampered meters. You never know what’ s behind a door.
Words of Advice for Aspiring Locksmiths
Here’ s my advice to anyone starting out: be versatile, especially with domestic and commercial work. Stock your van well. If you haven’ t got the right part, that’ s more time and fuel going back. If you need one part, buy three. It might sit for two years, but it’ ll come in handy. Do the callouts. They’ re worth the money. Say no, and the customer will call the next locksmith on the list. Join trade groups and sites. You’ ll learn far more than you expect. Avoid overpaying for marketing. I rely on MLA certification and my Google page. Paying hundreds a month for clicks? Waste of money. Most importantly, get involved and NETWORK. Whether it’ s as an MLA affiliate, trainer, or just turning up to LockFest every year, don’ t do this job in isolation.
Final Thoughts
There’ s plenty I love about this trade- meeting new people, solving problems, testing out new tools, learning about new locks. I hate turning work away, but I’ ll always give the customer an alternative. I’ m still not a fan of those 2am calls, but that’ s life in this line of work.
After 10 years in the trade, I’ m still as enthusiastic as I was on day one. Maybe it’ s the magpie in me, always looking for something shiny and new. But that drive has got me this far, and I don’ t plan on stopping any time soon.
www. chaselocksmiths. co. uk info @ chaselocksmiths. co. uk 07940 788054
AUGUST 2025
11
Issue Takeover locksmithjournal. co. uk