Most Asked Locksmith Questions

Q. Is there such a thing as a Locksmith skeleton key and if so were can i purchase one from. As in on key fits all locks. 

A. Being a 24hr Emergency locksmith now for some considerable amount of years i have never seen one key fit all locks even though certain locks can look very much identical, the profile of the lock can be very different with tons of profiles being widely made for different locks. From a locksmiths prospective this skeleton key is not available in to days society of how secure locks are and it is believed this saying came in many years ago were locks were not very protective and a little wiggle of a key could open most door locks or just some. 

Q.How will the locksmith open my locked door can i watch him do this.

A.There is so many ways which emergency locksmiths open locked doors in Cardiff, Newport, Penarth and Barry. Every 24hr locksmith is different and have there own special tricks up there sleeve. Please also remember every lock is different and never is one ever the same as the keys from another lock will be able to open that lock unless there keyed alike.  It is never a good idea to watch a locksmith do there work however curious you may be. A 24hr emergency locksmith will find your homes weak points and then gain entry from this. Most emergency locksmiths will not allow you to watch and ask that you move away.  If this is said to yourself please don't take offence as his job is to also keep the general publics safety into account and something which you have seen you may use in accordance with something illegal.

Q. Why do Locksmith have to charge so much there should be a locksmith who charges very little. 

A. When a locksmith arrives at your destination the only part you will ever see is 10 - 20 mins of work were he has opened your locked door and charged you this extortionate rate of money. The Part which you don't tend to see is the Thousands of pounds spent on tools to make sure he gets you in with the quickest time available. Hours of practice finding new opening techniques which comes a lot of frustration practice. Last one is the best as no matter what time you call we got to be ready we are not like police, ambulance or the fire burgade as they work on shifts our job is literally 24 hrs no matter what time you call we have got to get up or stop what ever we are doing to come and help you. If you are able to find a locksmith who charges you very little this is due because of there little experience and we would imagine they are not a well established company in Cardiff.

Q. If i have my locks changed how many keys come with my new lock and where can i get additional keys from.

A. Most locks come with 2 keys but some newer locks can come with 3. James Cardiff Locksmith can only guarantee you that when you have your locks changed with us that there will minimum be 2 and if the lock we uses as your new lock has 3 we say that this is just a bonus. If you require additional keys please let us know while with yourselves and were be happy to cut you more keys. 

Q.Why do i need my locks on my house to be British Standard, What does British Standard mean.

A.British Standard is term which means something has met the testing criteria to be of British Standard. When Euro Cylinders are met the criteria they will carry the British Standard Kitemark on the front of the lock normally. You don't need to be a locksmith to know if your locks are of British Standard. There are many over Standards which locks can carry. For instance if your lock holds any star ratings this means that they are of higher quality than british Standars quality. Locks can have 1 star, 2 star or even 3 stars rating which are also normally shown on the front of the lock. If you need a locksmith to gain entry to one of these type of locks the charge can be of higher than usual due to the lock not been able to be vulnerable to the normal tactics of entry from the 24hr locksmith. 3 star cylinders are mainly found on ABS Locks which are mainly only fitted to commercial buildings. 

Q.How do i know if the Locksmith is overcharging me, 

A.The first thing you should never do is rush in to anything or sign anything which haven't been read properly. Make sure the locksmith you are using is not a national firm and try going for the closest one to yourself. The 24hr emergency locksmith being local could have many benefits. Be with yourself in the quickest time. Local and very friendly. Cheapest quote as not much travelling incurred. Always check if your locksmith has a good review base. Local Locksmiths with good reviews shows that they care about there company and gives the impression that they wants you to be satisfied with the workmanship to pass there details through a good review. 

Q.The price i paid for a Locksmith in Cardiff was a lot higher than my friends why is this.

A.There could be many factors which could contribute to why your price was considerably more to your friends. You could have gone with a national locksmith firm rather than a local emergency one. Different types of locks which were used or gained entry to. the locksmith was at your address a lot longer than your friends and you were being charged for the time rather than the job. `If you were dissatisfied with the locksmith you used the best thing which i can advise is to ring him or her and explain your situation as i am sure they will have no obstruction to explain why and what charges were injured in your bill. 

Q.How long does it take for a locksmith to open my locked door

A.This questions depends on a range of factors as if the mechanism has failed it can take an incredible longer time compared to if you lost your keys and the lock was working efficiently. The average lockout takes a professional locksmith between 10-30 minutes to open most locked doors but please be aware this is only as a reference and may be longer.

Q.Must i pay James Cardiff Locksmith on the day which i require there locksmith services.

A.Payment must be made at the same time as the lock service required. If for some reason payment can't be made at the same time as the service please make the locksmith aware before any work is carried out as this may lead to a misconduct of work and you may incur additional extra chargers due to late payment.