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Back in the days of old, locksmiths dealt predominantly with locks, keys and safes, and while their role was specialized enough, it has since gotten even more so due to advances in technology and security innovation. Nowadays, the scope of the profession has really expanded, leaving many unaware of just how knowledgeable qualified locksmiths are. From traditional deadbolt locks and the cutting of keys, to high-tech burglar alarms and digital access systems, locksmiths are trained in many different areas related to security.

Could we manage without locksmiths?

Well unless we all trained as locksmiths, no, we couldn’t manage without them! Think about the millions of doors that we all walk through every day, the millions of locks on each one, not to mention the millions of keys that protect our most valuable possessions such as vehicles, homes and assets. Locksmiths are responsible for ensuring that not only do we remain safe when we’re in our cars and homes, but that our most precious belongings do, too.

Locksmithing, one of the oldest professions in the world:

Thought to be one of the oldest professions in the world, locksmithing can be dated back to Ancient Egypt and Babylon, almost 4,000 years ago. While locks used to be a lot bigger and were made of wood, the first ones ever to be made worked in much the same way as they do today, containing a series of pins and requiring a key to open them.

For many centuries after the first lock was made, there were few major innovations in the design until metal began to be used more frequently in the 9th and 10th century. As new locks were invented, they became more popular and their demand increased, giving rise to the locksmith trade.

Originally, locksmiths were craftsmen who made community locks, and many began by working as blacksmiths or metal workers before going on to specialize in lock making. As demand continued to increase, more and more blacksmiths were being called upon to make locks, and so the name ‘locksmith’ came to be used.

The next major shift in the locksmithing industry came as a result of industrialization, with mass production reducing the need for locks made by hand. Locksmiths had no choice but to shift from making locks to repairing them and offering their expertise. The industrial age saw many locksmiths going to work for industrial lock companies while others moved into security to work as repairmen and key makers, or to designing and building safes and other forms of security devices.

The amazing things a locksmith can do:

There are 3 main types of locksmiths, residential, auto and commercial. Residential locksmiths are mainly responsible for cutting keys, helping with domestic lock-out situations, rekeying locks, repairing or replacing broken or damaged hardware, installing locks and doors, and repairing locks. They also invariably sell locks and door hardware.

Locksmiths dealing with vehicles will often be called to help people gain entry to their car after losing their keys or locking them inside the car and replacing keys. While commercial locksmiths are often involved with more complex security systems that keep business sites secure, and with selling and installing safes for storing documents and valuable items in.

Locksmiths have been helping us keep our properties safe and secure for many thousands of years, and with crime on the rise, and criminals always looking for new ways to gain unlawful entry to our homes and business premises, we will need their services for a long time to come. For an assessment of your security needs, reach out to your local locksmith today.

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