Opinions Needed Please

[ChicoSlim803]

I have been given the opportunity to learn the locksmith trade.He asked me which field I wanted to learn first I was curious which one I should do residential, commerical, or automotive. I figured what better place to ask the question than here on the forum.

[the lockpickkid]

Start with residential, the commercial, and automotive last, the residential will get you ready for the commercial and do the automotive last because you will always be learning more anyways automotive changes alot in technology.

[thelockoutguys]

I disagree....If someone gave me the opportunity to do it all again ..i would take the auto first..Although the residential is the basics and a good place to start.. The auto is the hardest and the most challenging...and is where the good money is at...The rest can be figured out fairly quickly by yourself or with help...I think if you got the hardest out of the way the rest would be a snap..and while doing auto get some books and buy some res. locks and start learning that too..just my 2 cents

[the lockpickkid]

Automotive is the hardest for sure and it does change alot I just think by starting in the residential gives a person more understanding on how locks work, but I agree with thelockoutguys, probably better money in automotive, I guess you have to start somewhere but you need to learn all 3 that you mentioned.

[ChicoSlim803]

Well I have been picking for about a year now so I have the basics of locks down. I can pick basic sergant and kwickset some yale mortice cylinders I can pick good bit of residential and some commerical i dont have much experience in automotive so should i highten my picks skill by going commercial and residential or learn automotive and practice my picking at home.

Residential -> Commercial -> Automotive

If you're starting out, you shouldn't be looking at the most profitable avenue first.
Trade-level lock fitting carries on into so many sections of your life, you can step into any job and people can expect the same quality of workmanship.
The lessons you'll learn and the situations you'll be put in during residential and commercial jobs will alter how you tackle jobs and what you'll consider "done well".

Physical automotive is relatively simple. The technology side of it is a rolling stone, constantly changing and updating.

[thelockoutguys]

Picking is a really smal part of locksmithing. You can practice that at home. As far as residential i would take a good look at most house locks you run across and ask a locksmith there what are the most common locks they run across in that area and then pick them up and learn everything you can about them Good luck at whatever you decide..

[ChicoSlim803]

Thanks everybody I originally decided to do Commercial but than realized that I know a good bit about commercial since I use to work for a door company the only thing we didnt do was pick or drill locks. I work in the automotive field so after much debate I have decided to go that route. Thanks again for those who put their 2 cents in. It is much appreciated.

[HallisChalmers]

Thanks everybody I originally decided to do Commercial but than realized that I know a good bit about commercial since I use to work for a door company the only thing we didnt do was pick or drill locks. I work in the automotive field so after much debate I have decided to go that route. Thanks again for those who put their 2 cents in. It is much appreciated.

Good luck, hopefully everything will work out for you.

[ChicoSlim803]

Thanks homie. I hope so to I am going to start on the 7th

[magician59]

Well I have been picking for about a year now so I have the basics of locks down. I can pick basic sergant and kwickset some yale mortice cylinders I can pick good bit of residential and some commerical i dont have much experience in automotive so should i highten my picks skill by going commercial and residential or learn automotive and practice my picking at home.

You will soon enough learn that locksmithing is much more than picking locks. For the return on investment, I agree with lockoutguys about the autosmithing. Residential and automotive money is immediate. Commercial money will carry your business, but it comes in slowly.

[ChicoSlim803]

Well I start today

[s1deshowmick]

Well I start today

So hows it all going for ya? settled in yet?

[ChicoSlim803]

it is going great i am starting to learn that automotive really isnt complicated just a pain in the butt to try to remember everything.

[Jimmy-slim-smith]

I would do it diffrently as well, I would learn auto, Reason being is ther is so much to learn, a ton, auto is my personal weakest point, I can do about everything but.....i am no pro, I hate pulling door pannels or ignitions, and lots of auto locks are difficult to learn with out a teacher,, you can alway figure out res. and comm, do one you done them all,,,,but auto,,,thats a real skill to learn,, I know locksmiths that dont do auto at all!...