My first problem: I needed a lock on a patio door. I tried two other locksmiths before calling Bill. One diagnosed the problem via photos and arrived with the wrong part completely. Then he said that I needed to replace the whole door. The other locksmith said, "No, sorry" over the phone.

Bill diagnosed the problem and explained what caused it. This door opens from the inside by pushing *UP* on the handle, not down, as usual. Someone got desperate and took a pair of pliers to the lock, which was in bad shape.

I needed this repair very quickly, and Bill sent for the part by next day air. He offered to install it on THE SAME DAY that the lock arrived. That's really going above and beyond.

My second problem: I had a padlock with no key. Bill took care of the padlock no problem. He sold me a new padlock and key ID rings at a price that was more than reasonable. His shop had all kinds of padlocks and all kinds of key IDs, and I'm sure that would be true with anything I wanted.

My third problem: try as I might, I could not get the aged shower curtain rings (four kinds) off of the tenant's rod. I honestly thought it needed a bolt cutter. Bill took me seriously, agreed to come after his normal working hours, and easily removed the shower curtain rings by hand. I was so embarrassed, but Bill was kind. He wasn't even going to charge, and then his price was not anything close to a locksmith's hourly fee.

Bill was always on time, always agreeable. He knows what he's doing. He doesn't put on any airs. He's salt of the earth and utterly reliable. His shop has longevity. He is a real contributor to the community in Arlington.