Notice Board
Raising the Bar for Locksmithing:
Yorkshire Locks
» IN AN INDUSTRY OFTEN JUDGED BY its worst operators, Stewart McCracken is quietly doing the opposite. Based in Leeds and covering West Yorkshire, the founder of Yorkshire Locks is building a reputation around trust, education and professionalism in an unregulated trade.
With an army background, a passion for problem solving and a strong belief in doing things the right way, Stewart represents a new generation of locksmiths determined to stand out for the right reasons.
Finding Locksmithing Through the Army
I never planned on being anything other than a soldier. As a kid, that was all I wanted to do. I ended up doing around 12 to 13 years in the army all in, with a break in between.
The first time locksmithing crossed my path was through resettlement. One of the lads I worked with was getting out and training as a locksmith. I remember seeing him going around the offices picking locks and I just thought, that would suit me. Problem solving, working with my hands, figuring things out. It ticked a lot of boxes.
I did my training through resettlement credits back in 2013 in Newcastle and became a locksmith when I left the army. I later went back into the forces in 2019, but an injury to my hand brought that to an end in 2022. By that point I’ d met my wife, and returning to locksmithing made sense. It gave me flexibility, independence and something I genuinely enjoy.
I won’ t lie; I missed the army. The job itself, the friendships, the banter. The old army made better soldiers in my opinion. It’ s softer now. But life moves on, and locksmithing has become my thing.
Coming Back to a Changed Trade
Coming back into the trade properly after time away was a bit of a shock. The market had moved on and high-security locks had become the norm, standards had changed, and I had a lot of catching up to do.
I trained again with other locksmiths I know and did further courses with Fortress Locksmiths. I’ m big on training. You can’ t stand still in this trade. One of my closest mates in the industry is Andy Perrin. Funny enough, we met through YouTube when I entered one of his competitions and won £ 500 worth of tools. Everyone thought it was a fix, but it was completely random.
We got chatting, then his stepdaughter lost her keys while she was at university in Leeds and I went and sorted her door. From there we just became good friends. We’ ve been to each other’ s weddings, talk every week and share ideas. We both probably like the job a bit too much.
Standing Out in a Crowded Market
Leeds and Yorkshire are packed with locksmiths. It’ s competitive, and there are plenty of £ 49 call-out merchants and rogue traders about. That’ s one of the biggest challenges starting from scratch.
The way I chose to deal with that was education. Explaining what a proper locksmith does, why certain locks matter, and what customers should look out for. That’ s why I joined Certified Locksmiths & Security. I want people to know I’ m vetted, trained and accountable. I can show my digital ID and prove I’ m certified.
The industry desperately needs regulation. Anyone can buy a drill and call themselves a locksmith. It leaves customers unsure who they’ re letting into their home. I don’ t think the government will ever fully regulate it, but even simple
12
FEBRUARY 2026
locksmithjournal. co. uk Issue Takeover