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Restoration is the Key :
The pride of handcrafting at Keith Carrier & Son
» WE CAUGHT UP WITH NEIL CARRIER of Keith Carrier & Son in Willenhall , Wolverhampton , an extraordinary locksmith whose industry reputation for carrying out work on Royal residences , churches , historical and listed buildings precedes him . The locksmith of choice to carry out intricate lock and key metalwork , Neil designs and manufactures bespoke locks and keys , and also restores some of the oldest ironmongery to its former glory .
So , tell us about some of the prestigious jobs you ’ ve done ?
I guess general locksmithing day-today can be become quite ‘ samey ’ at times but I couldn ’ t quite believe my ears as Neil Carrier told me all about his expertise and the high-profile projects ( far too many to mention them all ) that he has been involved in : “ I ’ ve done many jobs for Buckingham Palace , Westminster Abbey , House of Lords , various castles and churches , and stately homes both in the UK and further afield such as in Mumbai .
“ The brasses on the 17ft main staircase at Longleat , bronze locks and keys made at the special request of Eric Clapton through an ironmongery company for his place in the Bahamas , antique bureau refurbishment for Aston Villa Owner Randy Lerner , locks made as ‘ specials ’ for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s desk , and I have reconditioned locks and keys for the Royal Yacht Britannia . These are just a few projects that my late father and I have done .”
Repair of Fine Masterpiece for Peter Finer , London
Keith Carrier & Son specialise in repair , refurbishing , restoring or even replicating from scratch antique locks , keys and ironmongery which , on occasion , involves casting new parts .
Neil told Locksmith Journal about one of his most prestigious jobs : “ Back in 2018 , I was approached by a gentleman from a company in St James ’ London , who specialised in antique arms and armour . Peter Finer is a London dealership established in 1967 specialising in armour from Greek and Roman times to mid- 19th century to repair an 18th century lock with no key ( bought for £ 6,000 ). My client had searched everywhere for someone to take on the project and found that the expertise required was very difficult to find , due to the complex nature of the lock repair and making a key from scratch by hand .
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APRIL 2024
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