03/24/2026
“When locksmithing first began to develop as a trade, locksmiths were not that common. However, there are a few famous locksmiths over the years that have become well known for their locksmithing skills.
Linus Yale
This one you might have heard of, as the Yale name is one of the most famous in the lock and security industry. Linus got his start in locksmithing because his father specialized in producing high quality bank locks. Carrying on the family legacy Linus patented the pin tumbler cylinder lock, which we still use today. He also went on to perfect the combination locks that is used to secure safes. His success continued and in 1869 he founded the Yale&Towne which expanded worldwide and is still operating today under the Yale name.
If you want to find out more about Yale locks, we have lots of information about Yale products.
Harry Soref
Now its very unlikely that you have heard this name, he’s not as famous as Linus Yale, but is equally as integral to the development of locks. Having worked as a locksmith for a few years, Soref noticed that many locks were being easily damaged, determined to solve this, Soref came up with the idea of laminating the layers of steel (the same technique that was used to secure bank vaults) and applying it to padlocks.
This was a much better way of strengthening the padlocks as they had been previously made using stamped metal shells, which were prone to breaking. In 1921 he started the Master Lock company in 1921 and started making these laminated padlocks himself. This was turning point in the industry and locks began to become stronger, more secure, and suitable for prevalent use.
Interested in Padlocks? Looking to buy one? Check out our padlock buying guide.
Harry Houdini
This one might surprise you, as you probably know Harry Houdini as a magician and escape artist. You’ve perhaps never considered the fact that he must have been a very accomplished locksmith to be able to pick a huge variety of locks. At the age of 11 he started working as an apprentice for a locksmith in New York, he became highly skilled very quickly and it wasn’t long before he was a master locksmith.
Once he started performing in the circus his two passions merged and he started adding escape challenges to his act. In his performances he would escape from things such as handcuffs, shackles and locked containers. His early training in locksmithing meant he was able to pick almost any lock. In doing this, he unknowingly pushed the locks production industry forward, as people started designing ‘unpickable’ locks to challenge Houdini. The lock designs triggered by the desire to beat Houdini, bled into the locks available to the general public. Meaning homes were becoming more and more secure.
Pharaoh Khafre
We are taking you way back with this one. If you don’t recognise the name, you might know this guy from the great Sphinx in Egypt, he had it built in his likeness. He also built one of the largest pyramids in Giza. We can never say for sure that he ‘studied’ whatever form of locksmithing they had back then but there is clear evidence that he created the first locking mechanism in the world. This, plus the fact Khafre promoted the idea of securing your property with these mechanisms, means we can call him a locksmith.
King Louis XVI
A lesser known fact about the last King of France, King Louis, is that he was a keen locksmith. It was known throughout the kingdom that King Louis was in love with the mechanisms of locks. The hobby started as a child and as the pressures of his reign grew, he spent more and more time practicing locksmithing. He even practiced opening and even installing locks in the Palace of Versailles. This however did contribute to the French Revolution, as he ignored his duties to find and tinker with unusual and ornate locks. Whilst he was never paid to unlock a door for someone, it’s fair to say he was a skilled locksmith.
So, as you can see there have been many, varied ‘locksmiths’ over the years that have advanced the technology of home security either directly or indirectly”.
-Kim Freeman
