The MLA offers various training courses, some of which are outlined below

GENERAL LOCKSMITHING COURSE

This 5 day residential course aimed at people new to the industry covers:-

• Basic Locksmith Tools.
• Basic of Master Keying
• Blank Identification & the basic of key cutting to Pattern
• Brief History of safes & locks
• Door & Frame Construction
• Health & Safety
• Key Machine & workshop safety
• Key Procedures for Restricted & Registered Keys
• Keycutting to a: Cabinet, Mortice & Safe Lock
• Mechanical & stand alone Digital Locks
• Mortice& Rim Lock Fitting
• Padlocks & Locking Bars.
• Principle of Lever, Disc Tumbler & Pin Tumbler mechanisms & key differs
• Product Knowledge
• Specialist Door Locks, UPVc, Aluminium & Multi-point
• Stripping & reassembling of Lever Locks & Pin Tumbler Cylinders
• Stripping a Rim Cylinder & Cutting a key by hand.
• Window & Ancillary Door Locks

This picture shows one side of the classroom, equipped with PC projector, flipchart, overhead project etc. Examples of typical locks can be seen on the "boards" around the room. The class room covers the full first floor of the industrial unit and can easily cater for up to ~15 students. A kitchen/canteen found next door allowing food to be provided on-site.

OPENING

This 2 day residential course aimed at Advanced Student and above and covers:-

• Theory & terminology
• Opening authority procedure
• Lock identification
• Pick making & Picking tools
• Silver Soldering Demonstration
• Opening techniques and skills demonstration for various lock types
• Workshop for students to implement skills learnt

[For security reasons, full details of this course are not publicised]

Here the various electronic key cutting tools are visible in the workshop, as well as the numerous key blanks on the far wall.

ELECTRICAL ACCESS CONTROL

This two-day residential course will be aimed at Advanced Student & above who are new to electricity and those who wish to increase their knowledge of this very important subject.

This course covers:-

• Health & Safety in relation to Electrical Access Control
• Installation and Best Practice
• Theory of Electricity
• Product Choice
• Specification

In addition to the above items there will be hands-on workshops dealing with the practical installation of 3 different types of access control system, in order to get you confident in this field.

This picture shows the practical part of a recent Access Control course

This shows the board prepared by a student with the 3 different types of access control system

SAFE COURSE

A 2 day residential course dealing with domestic and light to medium commercial safes, covering:-

• Introduction to start at common level of knowledge.
• Overview of safe construction, locking methods and opening techniques, including wording of invoice to cover work completed.
• Drill technology including sharpening, Drill rigs type and use.
• Hardplate penetration and lock manipulation methods through drilled hole.
• Relocking devices in detail- pitfalls and rectification.
• Safe repairs following opening by penetration.
• Safe repairs and maintenance as a result of user problems excluding lock-out.
• Alter combination & cut new keys.
• Final assembly adjustments, test & hand safe back to customer.

All subjects covered will be by taught by lecture and demonstration. In the case of safe opening, students will examine safes in open state followed by practical opening of a randomly selected safe in teams of two by drill and tool manipulation, a case of a lock-out due to relocker activated will be demonstrated.

This picture shows the training workshop facility. The far students are working on the dummy doors, fitting locks. Those nearest the camera are working on the vices.

This is another view of the dummy doors used for practicing lock fitting. The sections where the locks are fitted are re-usable.

AUTO LOCKSMITHING

A 2 day residential course forming an introduction to the art of Auto Locksmithing

• Hands on experience of the removal of Ford Tibbe ignition barrel without a working key, Vauxhall ignition barrel removal without a working key and Rover ignition disassembly for re-keying and reassembly
• Examination of the following lock systems, and discussing general tips and tricks for dealing with: Citroen pin systems, Fiat side bar system, Peugeot, and Renault lock systems. VW 2 track internal laser, Peugeot 4 track external laser, Lexus 4 track internal laser. Ford C-Max 2 track external laser
• Mechanical methods of opening old and new cars; wedges, air bags, through the car tools, lock picking and over lifting
• Diagnostic equipment demonstration by Hickley Valtone and hands on key programming & tips.

This course should help you on the way to passing the auto exam and is useful if:-

• you are cutting car keys in the shop but want to start to go a little deeper into autos.
• you are not sure if you want to invest time or money into auto work, come and ask questions, meet your colleagues who are interested, to discuss, investigate the possibilities.
• you want to make a simple start into autolocksmithing.

NB: It is not for those wanting advanced specialised techniques. If there is demand for these specialised classes then we will look into the potential of making them available as the next step on from this course.