Locksmith Exam the practicum portion

[abroxis]

Some people like the idea of being a locksmith and even think they could hang out their shingle.

The province of Alberta has an exam you have to pass in order to have a locksmith license.

After the pencil and paper part comes the practicum where you have to prove that you have some basic skills mastered.

You have 6 hours to complete the test

For the working locksmiths on this site does this look fairly typical of what you would be asking a newbie to prove that they know their stuff

For what its worth I am seriously considering taking the exam sometime next year just to see if I know as much as I think I do.

Alberta Locksmith Test

1: SAFE COMBINATION LOCK 10 Points
2: CHANGE FUNCTION CYLINDRICAL KNOBSET 5 Points
3: REASSEMBLE HEAVY DUTY CYLINDRICAL KNOBSET 7 Points
4: HIGH SECURITY CYLINDER 8 Points
5: FIT FIRST KEY TO CYLINDER 8 Points
6: REKEY CYLINDER 8 Points
7: SERVICE MORTISE LOCK 8 Points
8: LEVER LOCK 6 Points
9: CATALOGUE USAGE 5 Points
10: WAFER CAM LOCK 5 Points
11: DIGITAL KEYLESS LOCK 8 Points
12: a) AUTOMOTIVE LOCK 3.5 Points
b) AUTOMOTIVE LOCK 3.5 Points
13: ELECTRICAL PROJECT 10 Points
14: OPEN LOCK 5 Points
TOTAL 100 Points
TIME ALLOWED 6 HOURS
PASS MARK 70%

- - This information is to be used for candidate counselling purposes only

PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING REQUIRED HAND TOOLS/EQUIPMENT:

SMALL SLOTTED SCREWDRIVER
MEDIUM SLOTTED
SCREWDRDIVER
PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER
NEEDLE NOSE PLIERS
SNAP RING PLIERS, SMALL AND LARGE (INSIDE)TWEEZERS
SMALL HAMMER
FILES REQUIRED TO FILE A FIRST KEY BY HAND
IMPRESSIONING FILE
SET OF HAND PICKS AND/OR PICK GUN
SMALL VISE GRIPS
SHIMS
SCHLAGE PLUG FOLLOWER & CAP REMOVAL TOOL
PIN TRAY, TO HOLD CYLINDER PINS WHEN DISASSEMBLING
SCOPE OR FLASH LIGH TO READ LOCK PINS AND/OR WAFERS
KEY VISE OR VISE GRIPS FOR IMPRESSIONING
KEY CUTTING EQUIPMENT FOR SINGLE SIDED GM KEYS
KEY CUTTING EQUIPMENT FOR FORD 10 CUT KEYS
METER TO MEASURE VOLTAGE (AC & DC)
METER TO MEASURE MAXIMUM 1AMP OF CURRENT (AC & DC)
METER WITH CONTINUITY TEST FUNCTION
SCHLAGE KEY GUAGE

Some of the topics covered make it pretty clear what you will be asked to do. Others require an educated guess what you will be asked to do.

Any suggestions for suitable activities for testing skills relating to the following areas given the tools you are expected to bring with you.

1: SAFE COMBINATION LOCK 10 Points ...... change the combination on a safe ??

Picking forms an other part of the test so ...... dissassemble and reassemble the locks ??

4: HIGH SECURITY CYLINDER 8 Points
8: LEVER LOCK 6 Points
10: WAFER CAM LOCK 5 Points
11: DIGITAL KEYLESS LOCK 8 Points
12: a) AUTOMOTIVE LOCK 3.5 Points
b) AUTOMOTIVE LOCK 3.5 Points

13: ELECTRICAL PROJECT 10 Points ...... trouble shoot a lock set up with electric strikes ??

[magician59]

Yes. Some of those titles are a bit nebulous. These are some of the catagories i would teach an apprentice. If a guy is just starting out, the only way to test him is to see what kinds of mechanical and mathematical skills he has. I would base my training program on the assumption that he has no knowledge of locks or key making.

[sandman]

i was an apprentice locksmith for 2 months, with a very good large lockshop, the had 10 vans and 20 or more employees. I can do everything on this list except for
Digital Keyless Lock and Electrical Project.

If the lever lock portion is on safety deposit locks, then i would be ok. if not, no.

I think this is a decent list to expect of someone to know after 3 to 6 months of locksmithing. or 2 to 4 years of being a serious hobbiest.

but no, i do not believe 90% of the hobbiests on here know how to do all of this. i know plenty of hobbiests, they do not know how to change a safe combo and they never touch automotive.

[magician59]

A particular shop I worked for, in Memphis, was very large. 70-plus employees; accounts in 5 surrounding states; Departmentalized. They trained a tech for about 6 months with safe deposit servicing (various methods of entry; key making; repairs, etc.). Then they sent him to a bank to solo an opening. He showed his nervousness in front of the customer, and the bank said, "...don't EVER send that man to us again...". Stupid company never sent him to another safe deposit job at all!