From the Editor
THE CRAFT OF CURIOSITY – WHAT GOT YOU INTO LOCKSMITHING?
Even busy locksmith magazine editors take a break sometimes, and this week I went to the cinema; one of my favourite ways to wind down.‘ Winding’ might be the operative word as the movie I chose to see was Tuner – a piano tuner turned safe cracker. Have you seen it?
» WHILE THE PLOT MAY BE A LITTLE FAR-FETCHED, IT did get me thinking about the many different routes people take into our industry. Speak to enough locksmiths and you’ ll quickly realise there is no single path into the trade. Many of our readers arrived here from completely different careers and backgrounds, bringing with them skills and experiences that have helped shape the profession we know today. Thankfully, most of those career changes didn’ t involve high-stakes robberies.
One of the things I enjoy most about producing this magazine is hearing those stories. Wendy’ s interviews regularly remind me that locksmithing remains a trade built on practical knowledge, adaptability and an appetite for solving problems. Whether you’ ve been on the tools for 40 years or four months, there is always something new to learn and another challenge around the corner.
That ability to adapt has perhaps never been more important. The locksmithing and security sector continues to evolve at pace. Mechanical skills remain the foundation, but today’ s professionals are increasingly expected to understand electronics, access control, smart security and the growing interconnectedness of modern systems.
At the same time, many businesses are navigating familiar pressures: recruiting and retaining skilled staff, managing rising costs, competing in a crowded marketplace and demonstrating the value of professional expertise in an age where customers often expect instant solutions.
These challenges are reflected throughout this issue, and every issue for that matter. As always, I hope you find something in these pages that informs, challenges or simply reassures you that others are facing many of the same opportunities and obstacles. And, speaking of adapting, we have some exciting changes coming up too.
Stay tuned to find out more and see you next time, Gemma
HALFWAY THROUGH 2026, BUT THE TRADE NEVER SLOWS DOWN
» WE’ RE NOW OFFICIALLY HALFWAY THROUGH THE year. The school summer holidays are just a few weeks away, families are planning getaways, and hopefully you are too! Although, it’ s hard to switch off in locksmithing, as locks still fail, keys still go missing, and customers still need help whether it’ s the middle of summer or the depths of winter.
In this issue, we meet someone helping to shape the future of our industry: Gemma Hemming of Lock Stock Barrel. From starting out through garage contacts to becoming the Auto Locksmiths Association’ s first female committee member, Gemma’ s journey demonstrates how determination, continuous learning and a willingness to challenge perceptions can open doors in a traditionally male-dominated part of the trade. Covering areas including Telford, Shrewsbury and Albrighton, her story offers a fascinating insight into the changing face of auto locksmithing.
From there, we head north to Carlisle to meet Dean McLaughlin of McLocklin Locksmiths. Dean has only been in the trade for six months, yet his previous career in mental health and residential childcare has equipped him with skills that many locksmiths will instantly recognise as invaluable. His story highlights how transferable skills such as communication, patience and risk assessment can be just as important as technical ability in this trade. If Dean’ s locksmithing journey doesn’ t catch your attention, his impressive collection of tattoos probably will.
Finally, we travel down to Essex to meet Adam Cowell of Instalock Essex. When Covid brought London’ s famous black cabs to a halt, Adam found himself returning to skills he first learned during school work experience. What began as a necessity soon became a thriving locksmith business built on reputation, professionalism and community trust. Check-out Adam’ s little apprentice, he’ s very cute and another is on the way!
As always, this issue is packed with real stories from real locksmiths, each taking a different path into the trade but sharing the same commitment to helping customers and building successful businesses. Hopefully you’ ll resonate with these stories, perhaps learn something that stays with you, long after you’ ve turned the final page.
For now, I hope you enjoy the read and don’ t forget to schedule that all-important break- even if( for now) it’ s just to catch-up with LJ. Until next time, if you’ ve got a story to tell get in-touch: wendy @ cvgroup. co. uk
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JUNE 2026
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