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I swear its amateur hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**KUPS!

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 1:45 am
by machinist
I keep fixing other peoples screw ups all week long

2012 kawasaki ninja: 2 locksmiths spent 2 hours each then gave up, the second guy hand made a hand made blank then tried to impression all 8 cuts with said hand made blank.

2001 yamaha Vstar: previous locksmith says "sorry man my computer is broken I can read the code" for a 7 wafer lock with 5 in the EFFING GAS CAP/SEAT LOCKS. Spoiler alert the last two cuts were both 1.

97 Camaro -VATS already bypassed-: locksmith breaks down the column and spends 45 minutes dissembling a 6 cut ignition cylinder to make a key, (its 5 pm and there's a pep boys across the street that stocks them for 15.99$) lock fails after a week

2000 Lincoln LS: keys locked in trunk trunk release failed so the locksmith pounds a flathead screwdriver into the lock and gives up after 20 minutes no attempt at picking/impressioning or pulling the door cylinder.


What the f**k....?

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 5:50 am
by xeo
I'm not a locksmith but that just sounds like hackjobbery or shenanigans to effectively raise the billlable service hours while performing no other useful functions.

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 4:43 pm
by Russ
Them people will be calling you back for sure
Just keep fixing them screw ups and make some money and show them who the pro is

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 9:28 am
by DIY Dave
We have an amatuer that comes to my shop alot. He always grabs a handful of my business cards to give to his customers in case he screws up their locks

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 4:18 pm
by GWiens2001
Don't know if that is a good thing or not, DIY! While the work may be good, the fact that the person who screwed up the job is recommending you may be counterproductive. :-)

Gordon

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 5:49 pm
by DIY Dave
GWiens2001 wrote:Don't know if that is a good thing or not, DIY! While the work may be good, the fact that the person who screwed up the job is recommending you may be counterproductive. :-)

Gordon



Yeah I'm not really sure either. I would personally rather him never come back to the shop. He always comes in there and wastes our time asking stupid questions and having us fix locks for him. There is another scam-smith that comes in and gets keys made or buys parts and then complains about or prices

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 10:51 am
by rzr800
WOW. I'm glad I don't live in a big-city with 10+ pages in the phone book.. We only have 4 locksmiths and 1 of em only does car unlocks cause he is a screwball and the other one only works mon-friday. I work 24/7, I feel sorry for you guys that have to put up with the scams and having people look at you thinking your one of those guys, when I know all of us on here are honest and really have a passion for locks and keys.

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:31 pm
by DIY Dave
hixen976 wrote:WOW. I'm glad I don't live in a big-city with 10+ pages in the phone book.. We only have 4 locksmiths and 1 of em only does car unlocks cause he is a screwball and the other one only works mon-friday. I work 24/7, I feel sorry for you guys that have to put up with the scams and having people look at you thinking your one of those guys, when I know all of us on here are honest and really have a passion for locks and keys.


The company I work for has been in business for many years and we have a shop for walk in customers; I think that helps with people trusting us

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Sat Jul 27, 2013 5:29 pm
by machinist
xeo wrote:I'm not a locksmith but that just sounds like hackjobbery or shenanigans to effectively raise the billlable service hours while performing no other useful functions.


Heres the funny part: none of these guys (except the camaro) left with more than gas money.

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Thu Sep 19, 2013 3:00 pm
by machinist
latest this week: a junior tech calls me on my day off via dispatcher: hes panicked out he already took payment for the job the customer left and he has no idea how to rekey these strange locks!!! turned out it was 5 profile cylinders with the little allen screw caps. Sometimes fate knows when I really want to sleep in.

Re: I swear its amatuer hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**K

PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 1:08 am
by machinist
This one takes the effing cake... Nice girl in Pasadena, 2007 camry, her key broke in two the blade is perfectly in tact chipped head is in tact. The car has been parked at the mall for 2 days, she has the blade AND the chip already programmed. I ask why she didnt get around to calling a locksmith sooner she says she did two guys came out said they couldn't make a key for her WITH THE EFFING CUTS AND A PREPROGRAMMED CHIP!!!!!!

I copy a toy44D with the blade she gives me and use the old chip to "add another key function" and working key in um 4 mins? You guys are lucky out here in LA any jackass with a HPC key machine is driving around burning gas and sending people to the dealership.

Re: I swear its amateur hour in LA, 4 calls this week, F**KU

PostPosted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 4:39 pm
by MBI
Good stories, keep 'em coming!