A. W. Gifford Locksmith

Do you ever worry that the locks you can buy at the hardware store aren’t really as heavy duty as they claim on the packaging? Let’s talk about the level of security you’re trying to create so that we can help you select and install the appropriate locks.

Rekeying an existing lock allows us to reset your tumbler pins so your existing lock will take a new key. You might want to do this if you don't know who may have keys to your building, employee changes, or if your keys have been lost or stolen. We can help you feel safe.

Did you know that American Linus Yale Jr., a mechanical engineer and lock manufacturer, patented a cylinder pin-tumbler lock in 1861? The following year in 1862, Yale invented the modern combination lock.

Did you know locksmiths have a fairly ancient tradition to look back upon? Evidence for locking mechanisms goes as far back as ancient Egypt, where large wooden bolt locks were used to secure doors. Thankfully, we’ve gotten a little more advanced since then.

Catherine the Great, Czarina of Russia (1762-1796), had one of the greatest lock collections of her time. She admired the craftsmanship and intricacies of locks, especially those with ornamental face-plates. In fact, she once even pardoned a criminal who escaped from a Siberian prison because he was a locksmith!