Cleveland area locksmiths open up about their businesses
Who we talked to
Jill Csikos, co-owner
Jim's Locksmiths
330-666-3312
Wiley Frank, owner
Chagrin Lock & Key Company
330-562-5776
Joseph Jambor, owner
Security Lock Service
216-561-3576
As a locksmith, what are some of the services you provide?
Csikos: "We do rekeying, repairing, cutting keys, master key systems and installing locks and deadbolts."
Frank: "I do work such as rekeying, installing, repairing and emergency lockout service."
Jambor: "We install locks, repair locks, rekey locks and set up master key systems."
Are there any types of jobs you won't do?
Csikos: "We don't do automobile work or anything electronic."
Frank: "I don't do any safe openings or anything like that. I recently got out of replacing lost keys to cars."
Jambor: "We don't do automotive or car lockouts at all."
What's the average fee for customers locked out of their house, their car or their safe?
Csikos: "The average fee for a house is $45. If the lock has to be drilled, it'll go up."
Frank: "Usually there is a base service call. For a house or car during the day, it's $65 as long as there are no complications. The price goes up after 6 p.m., and at 11 p.m. it goes up again."
Jambor: "A lockout is based on a service call, how many locks we have to go through and the location. There is no fixed price."
What's your experience as a locksmith?
Csikos: "Jim, my husband, and the installer have 27 years of total experience."
Frank: "I've been in the industry for 27 years."
Jambor: "I've owned the business since 1959."
Before you start a job, do you require some type of identification?
Csikos: "Not usually, because all we'd do is police people all day."
Frank: "Anytime I'm opening a door in a lockout situation I always get identification before I do anything."
Jambor: "Absolutely. If someone brings a lock in to repair, we don't. But if it's a lockout, we do."
What makes you stand out from your competition?
Csikos: "Experience, friendliness and dependability. We have a store, so people can actually come in and have locks rekeyed or repaired and keys made."
Frank: "I try to deliver service over and above what the others do. I throw in a lot of extras. I deliver a level of personal service that larger companies can't."
Jambor: "Our services. We do things other companies can't. We have knowledge about certain hardware that others don't."
What's the hardest lock you've ever had to open and how long did it take?
Csikos: "A Corbin, and it took Jim five minutes to open."
Frank: "The most difficult one is a Medeco. You pretty much have to destroy the lock to get in."
Jambor: "Some you really can't open, and you have to destroy them."




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