Foley-Belsaw?

its a VERY beginner course... for the person that know NOTHING.. (PS, MY OPINION.. you MUST have a VERY good mechanical ability, to get good in this business) --Shiva--

My opinion's in the FAQ, I believe.

Thanks, Tony

Very beginner oriented........IMHO, it will give you enough of a start to be able to ask the questions you will want to ask of a seasoned locksmith, correctly. The course will give you a good basis of locksmithing........please do not buy into the idea of finishing the course and becoming a self-employed locksmith without further (read massive) training! Just My Thoughts.....M

Thank you all for your replies. I read the significant part of the FAQ, and understand that F-B would only be touching on the "tip of the iceberg". I am looking elsewhere to get started in this long-awaited hobby .... who knows, possibly a career.

Tony

My Dad and I took the Locksmith Institute course many years ago. Foley is some what similar. It will expose you to 5 to 10% of what you need to know to get started, but it will get things started.

As a Foley graduate, you will be a "certified locksmith". But in the 10 plus years I've been asking people, not one "certified locksmith" has been able to tell me what those words mean.

Certified: Someone handed you a certificate. What the certificate is worth depends on who handed it to you and what it claims they certify that you have done or can do. ("Authorized" is a similar word. I've been Authorized; I got a published author to sign her name on my arm many years ago.)

The best thing about the Foley-Belsaw Institute course may be that you can truthfully (though misleadingly) claim to have been certified by "the FBI". And that statement ought to give you pause.

F/B is not a bad introduction-to-the-basics-of-the-basics. It's overpriced, it's dated, it requires that you make an effort to practice and experiment beyond what the course actually calls for, it's got some stuff I flat-out disagree with, but I managed to get my money's worth out of it. Then again, I didn't expect it to make me a locksmith; I just wanted it to make me a better-informed beginner and give me some idea of what I needed to invest time and money in learning more about.

a beginner?

Google group search Foley-Belsaw

has a length of 80 characters and resulted in the following TinyURL which has a length of 24 characters:

You say this everytime you post on the subject and it's been explained to you everytime you post on the subject. It means you have a certification from somewhere, anywhere which certifies that you completed a locksmithing course.

Foley Belsaw is a good foot in the door although only the very basics are taught.But without the basics you will be at a dead end. John Middleman,CRL.

I think it would be great for a beginner and hobbiest. There are things that are VERY dated. I've never had to "Smoke a key" except in the course work. (I decided to leave that the way it reads - but be assured I'm talking Brass or Steel, nothing organic!) Learn the terminology it teaches. It will help you ask questions later.

That said - don't buy the hype that you'll be ready to open up shop. They are a licensed "supplier" and will try to sell many items you will NEVER use. I took the course and have saved the books. I even look back through them from time to time, but I am convinced that the only way to become a Locksmith is as an apprentice. If you try go into the field after reading a book - I guarantee you'll find that things don't come apart or go togetther like the pictures say. The course shows what things look like new, not how to troubleshoot and repair.

In my area, most locksmiths won't hire someone that's received their training via correspondence because it's too much work correcting and teaching someone that's bought into the "Certified Locksmith" hype the school uses to sell courses, and thinks they already know what they need to know.

I'm glad I took it, and I paid full price, but it didn't make me a locksmith. What it did that I found to be of most value is the common terminology I learned.

Guess I've rambled long enough when I could have just said "AMEN" to the comments other have made. Mike Thomas Lock & Key For an email list discussion of locksmith related marketing concepts join us:

Joe,

That has been the most informative reply that I have received.

Thank you.

Tony

Mike,

Extremely informative!

Thank you very much.

Tony

I'm impressed. You are aparently a F/B grad.... and you can answer the question. No F/B grad I've ever talked with before knows that answer.

The locksmith institute guys smoked keys, too. After awhile, I found out I could impression as well without smoking keys.

Like you say, it opens the door. I'm surprised the shops near you don't want to hire correspondence course grads. Of course, it would depend on the candidate's attitude. I don't have enough business to hire anyone. If I did, I wouldn't want to hire someone cocky and over confident.

at one time, I thought about air brushing up a shirt..

I was TRAINED by the FBI

but, want to be trained by the CIA

(Culinary Institute of America) --Shiva--

That's been their experience. Most "grads" that have approached the shops did so from a "I'm gonna be a real asset BECAUSE I ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING!" attitude. Those that may have been hired wouldn't listen to their mentor with an open mind and wanting to learn.

My first locksmith job was because I offered to work for free for the experience and sweep the floors for the chance to "watch and occasionally do some of the fun stuff." It got me on. I showed up every day and worked all day, for the first week. I waited on customers, cut keys, and answered phones. When they saw I was serious, they offered me "part-time". I worked "part-time" about two weeks then they figured, "Why not" and was hired full time. Still friends with the owners. Sometimes I can take some of their workload on commission, and sometimes I send business to them. I still listen to anyone that wants to offer suggestions or different way to do something.

I think my willingness to let them take me on a "test-drive" with no obligation is what enabled me to get my start!

Mike Thomas Lock & Key For an email list discussion of locksmith related marketing concepts join us:

I was told a story once.. Guy wanted a job as a Carpenter and heard that a certain old man was looking for a helper.. He found him, told him why he was interested in working for him, etc..

The old man had 2 handfuls of nails and handed the youngster one part of 1, and then the old man started talking about EVERYTHING but carpentry..

Pretty soon, the old man says, "well, it looks like you got a job'..

The youngster asked HOW did the old man know he knew something about carpentry... as he had asked him NO questions about his schooling or experience..

The old guy said look at the nails in your hand... all the nails had been turned so that all the heads were at the same end, and the youngster didnt even realize he had did it, he was so used to doing it, it was an unconscious thing..

same thing here.. LOTS wanna do it, cause 'it looks fun'... but, how many got the 'stick to it' willingness TO learn, AND be WILLING to admit they NEED to learn more things (and allow themselves to actually BE shown, as needed).. AND have the mechanical (IMO) curiosity, to look at something and ask, how and why... --Shiva--

Go make me an omelet!