Locksmith: I'm not paranoid, am I?

Mar 15, 2003
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So I busted my front door and lock up pretty nasty when it seized on me the other day, and my super recommended a neighbor and locksmith in the building. Is it paranoia or common sense that I'd rather not call someone near me to possibly have a copy of my keys when I have two little girls and the dude is an unknown to me? My super's following up and I'm just buying time until a highly rated yelp kindly old locksmith can make his way out here.. again, dick move or self preservation?
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,114
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I get your concern, but it's not like travel is difficult in the US. Anyone that wants in your place can get in. A smith from across town can take the subway. I'd rather support my neighbor.
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
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Umm, he can just pick your lock anyway no matter who you use.

Edit: As long as he is licensed and insured you are good to go. But there is a reason you call locksmiths when you are locked out, they don't need keys.
 
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Mar 15, 2003
12,668
103
106
I get your concern, but it's not like travel is difficult in the US. Anyone that wants in your place can get in. A smith from across town can take the subway. I'd rather support my neighbor.
Valid, just seems like less of a chance for a spur of the moment "i'm drunk and he has a nice 4k 65 incher and they've been on vacation..." sorta thing from happening.. it's silly, but i got a dope deal from someone a few town overs, less chance of gossip about how messy our house is (our 3 year old is a beast, i walk out of the room for 5 minutes and boom - toilet paper fiesta)
 

Mayne

Diamond Member
Apr 13, 2014
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i'm still confused how we went from front door to bathroom door lol.
 
Mar 15, 2003
12,668
103
106
who the hell locks the bathroom door anyways?
Front door to the apartment's lock seized and I had to really go to the bathroom, car a few blocks away and I wasn't thinking straight. thought it was going to be a quick pop, it did more damage than expected.
 
Mar 11, 2004
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You could look at it another way, that if you have a similar issue arise, you have someone nearby that could get you into the apartment without having to bust it down. Same with your daughters, maybe they'd be locked out and need to get in.

Actually, wouldn't the apartment itself have a set of keys to get in? Considering the amount of landlords being caught entering tenants places (without proper notice, and some of them were doing all sorts of crazy shit, stealing, putting in video equipment, think one was caught taking women into their tenant's bedroom and having sex with them), I'd probably be more worried about that.

Guess it'd depend, as there's also stories of sleazy locksmiths (wasn't it NYC where it was known to not to call locksmiths - basically you want to just deal with it and go during business hours and just say you'd like to get locks changed - as there were a lot of instances where they'd send someone out, and then say it was like obscenely higher price, and they'd pretty much outright threaten that if you don't pony up that well they have the keys and know where you live).
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
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it's not paranoia if they're out to get you

imho mild paranoia is the safest way to live, and therefore the best
You know there are places to live where paranoia is unnecessary, right? We'll tiptoe pass the whole 'hiring an outside lock Smith versus the one in the building' level of paranoia being labeled as "mild."
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
2,329
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You could look at it another way, that if you have a similar issue arise, you have someone nearby that could get you into the apartment without having to bust it down. Same with your daughters, maybe they'd be locked out and need to get in.

Actually, wouldn't the apartment itself have a set of keys to get in? Considering the amount of landlords being caught entering tenants places (without proper notice, and some of them were doing all sorts of crazy shit, stealing, putting in video equipment, think one was caught taking women into their tenant's bedroom and having sex with them), I'd probably be more worried about that.

Guess it'd depend, as there's also stories of sleazy locksmiths (wasn't it NYC where it was known to not to call locksmiths - basically you want to just deal with it and go during business hours and just say you'd like to get locks changed - as there were a lot of instances where they'd send someone out, and then say it was like obscenely higher price, and they'd pretty much outright threaten that if you don't pony up that well they have the keys and know where you live).

While some shady assholes might have been/are still pulling schemes like that I still resort back to the fact that locksmiths don't need keys to get into your house. If they needed a key they wouldn't be a locksmith.
 

Darwin333

Lifer
Dec 11, 2006
19,946
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lol, i'm guessing that's another name for the turtlehead

No, a turtlehead can be worse because part of a log comes out and stays out requiring precise control of the sphincter muscles to keep the rest in while not cutting off the piece already out.

A prairie dog is when a turd starts popping out but you are able to get it back in, it keeps doing this until you either make it to the bathroom or it passes the point of no return and you need a new pair of undies. Kind of like a prairie dog sticking his head above ground and then going back in.

Edit: If he had a turtlehead then no way he could have kicked down the door while applying the precise muscle control necessary so that is why I went with prairie dogging.
 
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MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
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No, a turtlehead can be worse because part of a log comes out and stays out requiring precise control of the sphincter muscles to keep the rest in while not cutting off the piece already out.

A prairie dog is when a turd starts popping out but you are able to get it back in, it keeps doing this until you either make it to the bathroom or it passes the point of no return and you need a new pair of undies. Kind of like a prairie dog sticking his head above ground and then going back in.

Edit: If he had a turtlehead then no way he could have kicked down the door while applying the precise muscle control necessary so that is why I went with prairie dogging.
who knew there was science to these things?