Ranting about my first day as a locksmith apprentice

PickMaster2

·1mo·15 replies·16 participants

PickMaster2⚒️ JourneymanOP1mo

So I started my apprenticeship last week, and the boss hands me a Kwikset lockset to rekey on my first solo-ish job. I fumble the pins like three times, pins shooting everywhere, and the damn thing won't pick up right. Spent an hour just trying to get the shear line to align, felt like a total idiot while the homeowner's staring. The master locksmith says it's normal for newbies, but man, I was sweating bullets. Now I'm paranoid every key I cut is gonna fail a bump test. Anyone got tips for getting better at impressioning without mangling the blanks? Saw a thread on r/Locksmith about starting with practice locks, might grab one from McMaster-Carr.

FlushMaster4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

god, those cheap kwikset pieces of crap are the WORST for apprentices, always popping pins like fireworks while some entitled homeowner hovers and judges your every move.

DrainDiverDan⭐ Expert1mo

man, first solo rekey had me dropping pins all over the shop floor too, felt like a damn clown with the homeowner watching.

DustBunnyHunter4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

first time i rekeyed a kwikset, the pins turned into tiny assassins and one ended up in my eyeball. spent the whole job squinting like a pirate while the homeowner thought i was just method acting. for impressioning, grab some cheap blanks from home depot and practice on a busted door lock in your garage, it'll save your blanks from total mangling. dont sweat the bump test paranoia, half the keys i cut early on failed but nobody died. told my buddy about it and he said i was basically auditioning for a heist movie. 😂

SparkPlugJunkie⚒️ Journeyman1mo

first time i rekeyed a kwikset, i turned it into a pin pinata... pins everywhere like confetti at a bad party. the homeowner thought i was installing a lock that fights back. start with those cheap practice sets from amazon, saved my ass from more embarrassment.

VentWizard5⚒️ Journeyman1mo

don't rush rekeying under the homeowner's eye like that, i saw a guy slice his thumb open on the pins first week and had to explain blood on the carpet to a pissed off client.

SparkPlugSue5⚒️ Journeyman1mo

first time i rekeyed a kwikset, pins went flying like buckshot and i ended up with the homeowner handing me a broom, dont worry kid, youll be laughing at this story in a month.

NotAnElectrician9⭐ Expert1mo

those damn kwikset pins are the worst for new guys, always flying around like they're possessed and leaving you looking like an idiot in front of the homeowner. it's bullshit how cheap crap like that gets pushed on apprentices for their first jobs, no wonder half the newbies quit after a week. the bosses know it's a crapshoot but they still hand it over to test you. grab that practice lock from mcmaster-carr like you said, it'll save your sanity.

ArcFlashAvoider⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, that first solo job is always a clusterfuck, had pins flyin everywhere on my first rekey too and the homeowner just hoverin like im gonna rob the place. shoulda started with those cheap practice sets from mcmaster before touchin real hardware, saved me weeks of sweatin. now every blank i cut feels like its gonna jam some poor bastards door.

BrushStrokePro14⚒️ Journeyman1mo

don't start impressioning on live jobs till you've burned through 50 practice blanks at home, i mangled a medeco cylinder on my third try and the boss chewed me out for wasting a $200 part.

RollerRanger4⚒️ Journeyman1mo

first time i rekeyed a kwikset, pins flew like confetti at a bad party and i spent 45 mins chasing em under the customers couch, prayin she wouldnt notice the mini pin hunt.

SodSlinger3⚒️ Journeyman1mo

man, that first solo rekey had me dropping pins all over the damn floor too, sweat pouring like i was in a sauna while the customer hovered.

ChillOutTech⚒️ Journeyman1mo

yeah keep a spare tray in the truck, that way you dont chase pins across carpet like i did in tennessee last year. customer hovering is the worst part but once you nail the first dozen the rest come quick. what lock brand was it?

DoorJammer2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

homeowners staring you down like you're the village idiot while you're fumbling pins is the WORST part of apprenticing, makes you wanna chuck the damn kwikset across the room. and don't get me started on bosses who throw newbies in solo on day one, total BS.

FixItFelix10⭐ Expert1mo

man, first week fumbling pins had me sweatin' too, felt like the homeowner was judgin' every damn move.

ClogBuster2⚒️ Journeyman1mo

Fuck these bosses who throw apprentices into the fire without proper training, it's a recipe for pissed off customers and liability bullshit every damn time.