Are We Losing the Old Skills of Locksmithing?

Something has been concerning me recently. I’m seeing an increasing number of older locks and security items being brought into us that have been described as ‘obsolete’, ‘beyond repair’ or simply ‘scrap’.

In some cases, the only alternative offered has been to replace a beautifully made original lock with a modern equivalent that simply doesn’t fit, doesn’t look right and – in some instances – fundamentally changes the integrity of the item it was originally fitted to.

That makes me wonder, are some of the traditional skills of locksmithing slowly being lost?

Locksmithing has always been about much more than fitting new locks. There is a huge amount of knowledge and skill in understanding how older mechanisms were designed, how they can be dismantled, repaired, picked, impressioned, restored and – where necessary – how replacement parts or keys can be made.

Recently, we’ve had some great examples come through the workshop. One was an old Sheffield Savings Bank lockable box. It had no usable key, but rather than write it off, I was able to open the lock and produce a key for it. This allowed the original mechanism and box to continue doing exactly what they were designed to do.

We’ve also worked on several late-19th-century French cabinet locks that had apparently been turned away elsewhere. These are beautifully engineered little mechanisms, and although they can require considerably more time and patience than fitting a modern replacement, that is part of what makes this type of work so rewarding.

Sadly, we also see the consequences when older locks are approached without the appropriate knowledge or care. One particularly upsetting example was a beautiful Hobbs lock that had been damaged by cutting through the bolt to gain entry. The item was brought to us by someone looking for a replacement lock.

Hobbs & Co Lock Company played a vital role in Victorian lock making. Examples of its technical innovation and influential presence in the mid-19th century security trade can still be found around the UK in stately homes including Buckingham Palace.

Unfortunately, replacing it wasn’t going to be possible without compromising the original door it was installed on. Instead, I offered to repair the damage and restore the lock. That, to me, is an important part of what being a locksmith should be about.

I’m certainly not suggesting that every locksmith needs to be an expert in every type of antique or historic lock. The industry has changed enormously, and modern security products require their own knowledge and skills.

But I do think we have a responsibility to make sure that the older, fundamental skills aren’t lost completely. There are still plenty of locks out there that don’t need throwing away. They need someone who understands them.

There are skills that can take years to develop, sometimes passed down from one locksmith to another, and if we stop teaching those skills, eventually they disappear.

For me, there is something particularly satisfying about taking an item that someone has been told is obsolete or beyond repair and getting it working again.

Not everything needs replacing. Sometimes the best solution is simply to understand what you’ve got, respect how it was made, and put the time into restoring it. That’s one of the reasons I love this trade.

And perhaps one of the biggest responsibilities we have as locksmiths is making sure that the knowledge we’ve gained doesn’t disappear with us. The old skills still have a place in modern locksmithing. We just need to make sure we keep passing them on.

Learn more about the variety of services we offer at H Harrold and Sons or give us a call on 0114 272 4742.

Rob Stapleton has been a locksmith for 37 years and has worked with us at H Harrold and Sons as a bench Locksmith for over six years. He specialises in heritage locks along with creating locking solutions for bespoke applications and specialist key cutting.