Notice Board
SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW
Happy New Year and welcome to 2025’ s very first issue of The Locksmith Journal. There’ s so much we want to share with you over the next 12 months; to continue building on the success of 2024, carry on forging relationships and nurturing friendships in the industry. So, what do I mean by‘ something old, something new’?
»‘ SOMETHING NEW’ MAY SEEM LIKE AN OBVIOUS reference; it’ s a brand new year. We are a month into it already, but does anyone else feel like January has flown by( or should that be‘ blown by’ as I sit and write this with Storm Eowyn in full force)? We are always looking at new ways to bring news to you through the magazine.
So, while January presents the perfect opportunity for a fresh start, here at The Locksmith Journal, we’ ve been on a path of change for the past few years. We like to do something new every month, explore new opportunities, meet new people, hear new stories. Maybe there’ s nothing new about being new here!
Joking aside, we understand that change and development are essential to the industry. That’ s what we strive for too; continually evolving so that we are always renewing and refreshing.
But we can’ t do that without some‘ old’ things as well; by that I mean experience, knowledge, connections and bonds that have been built over the years.
I always believe that locksmithing provides the perfect blend of old and new; modern methods and classic craftmanship. I think there are few industries that can boast this and it’ s what makes our work here so exciting. Through articles and interviews, we get to hear about locksmiths who have been in the industry for decades and brand-new starters in the sector – plus everyone in between. How lucky are we?
I consider myself a beginner too – having started here at the magazine( working on one of our events at Lockex) a mere eight years ago. I haven’ t even reached my decade milestone yet and I have so much still to learn, but I’ ve already been here long enough to know that it’ s never same old, same old in locksmith news.
See you next time, Gemma
HAPPY NEW YEAR- WHAT A GREAT START IT’ S BEEN …
» HELLO 2025! I HOPE YOU’ VE ALL HAD A wonderful Christmas and here’ s to a happy, healthy and successful New Year. The real-life locksmith stories are going down a treat, so much so, that we’ re‘ revvingup’( for the auto locksmiths) and‘ bumping-up’( for the domestics)! We’ ve had locksmiths recommend other locksmiths in the trade, give newbies the heads-up about TLJ, tool and lock suppliers, as well as training companies getting involved. Even the shy ones are coming out of their shells and speaking to us, and it’ s wonderful to hear everyone’ s unique story.
Ex-Army pals, Stuart Game and Mark Santi, cofounded Eight Ball Engineering a locksmith tool design company who created the famous Ultra Pick – if you didn’ t get one in your Christmas stocking, then speak to Stuart or Mark. They’ ve recently formed Certified Locksmiths & Security offering excellent hands-on training courses on mortice lock picking, non-destructive entry and safe / vault opening.
We’ ve covered the ingenious idea of producing a young readers’ book on locksmithing. Hear how mum-tobe Natahsa Pugh, Sales Director of APECS, and Richard Tracz, Marketing Manager, pooled their knowledge and creative skills to help nurture the next generation of locksmiths!
It was a great pleasure to interview Daniel Pulley of Crosskeys Carpentry & Locksmiths, in South Wales, who offers an interesting combi of trades. Also, Sam Thorpe of Samson Locksmiths, in Leeds, a newbie to the trade who is getting to know all the right people such as John from Solid as a Lock.
I think we can all agree that opening a store requires a whole new level of commitment and risk. But previous snowboarding fanatic Jon Bentley of JP Locksmiths, in Cheadle, is perfectly‘ au fait’ with risk- why stick to the blue runs when you can do black? Jon shared with us how having a physical base is incredibly beneficial. Find out why …
By the time this edition lands January will almost be over, and we can look forward to lighter, and( hopefully) warmer days. Thank you to everyone who has taken part so far, if you would like to join our interview list to receive some TLJ coverage( or fame) get in-touch. Yes – it’ s totally free!
Get in touch with Wendy at wendy @ cvgroup. co. uk
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JANUARY 2025
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