When it comes to safes and locks there are so many untruths it makes me laugh at times. Long ago I worked with a locksmith who is no longer alive. I was fascinated with how much knowledge his years of experience had given him. So one day I said " you probably know it all". He said" no one knows it all and anyone who says they do has got a lot to learn." Pretty wise words.
So with that said, I do not know it all and never will but here are some examples of myths and misconceptions surrounding the locksmith trade that I have heard. Did you know that you can use a stethoscope to open a safe? Just listen for the clicks. Picking locks is easy. I saw it on tv. Police, post offices and banks have master keys. Drilling safe deposit lock mount screws unscrew themselves leaving minimal repair, Not true! Vault door locks work on aligning lugs allowing it to open. I'm not sure what that guy was trying to say but he sounded like he knew.. One locksmith I met once was 50 years old. He had been a mechanic for 20 years. A geologist for 20 years. A locksmith for 20 years. Blah. blah, blah. Safes are funny. The old cartoons would have Bugs Bunny push a safe off of a cliff onto Yosemite Sam. Another locksmith I used to know would draw cartoons and a famous one was a patron about to receive a drop safe. On the head. Back in the wild west days a band of thieves would ride into town and rob the local bank, forcing the employees into the vault and locking it. I don't know if any of these things are true but they seem to grab peoples attention. Beware of such wild stories and rely on your own experience and gut instinct. Obviously if it were easy to open a safe or pick open a lock then there would be no use for them. I guess it is the fascination of breaking the odds that makes for an interesting story.
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AuthorHi there. My name is Mark Johnson and I am in my 26th year of locksmithing. Every day brings new adventures. Archives
January 2018
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