Emergency locksmith in Winnipeg work in several different fields. Some work exclusively with residential properties, commercial properties, cars or individuals who have unfortunately locked themselves out of a building or car. Becoming a licensed locksmith requires special knowledge, training, skills and tools.

Residential Properties

Some residential property owners may need an emergency locksmith in the event they have locked themselves out of the house, apartment or car. Before a locksmith begins to gain entrance into the property, he will usually ask for the owner to prove that he does reside there. Upon proof of residence, the locksmith will “pick” the lock. This means that the locksmith will bypass using a key to open the lock. Instead he will use long, narrow, needle-shaped tools with a hook on the end to catch tumblers inside the lock and move them into the unlock position. Each tumble must be moved to its unlocked position for the lock to open. Sometimes a locksmith will make a duplicate of the key on site by using tools that determine the shapes of the cutouts that would match the key and the lock tumblers. Sometimes the locksmith may have to drill out the old lock and then replace it with a new one.

Commercial Properties

Locksmiths may be asked to rekey or replace locks to certain doors when a new tenant moves into a building. This prevents the previous owner from gaining access or entry. Apartment owners and commercial building owners contract locksmiths for not only this service but others as well. Sometimes a broken lock needs repair or replacement. Sometimes a locksmith can rekey a lock or drill out the locking mechanism completely to replace it with a new one. A locksmith may be asked to install a lock to a new structure or make duplicate keys in the event the originals were lost.

Car Locks

If a customer has locked himself out of a car, the emergency locksmith may use a device called a “slim Jim”. This is a narrow flat steel rod with a hook at the end. It is narrow enough to slide down the car’s window bypassing the window weather stripping. The locksmith will maneuver this rod until he catches the locking mechanism of the car and releases the latch.

Combination Locks

Combination locks are more difficult because they require a listening device in order to hear the tumblers move into their unlocked positions. For combinations locks, the tumblers are small steel balls that drop into place and allow the lock to open. As the combination is dialed in and the knob reverses direction, each steel ball will drop into its own unlocking position. The lock will open when all of the balls seat into their own unlocked position. Since the tumblers are encased in a steel metal housing, a locksmith must use a listening device to hear when each ball has dropped. A locksmith will open a safe in the same manner except that the tumblers are actually housed within the safe itself rather than as a separate device.