A. W. Gifford Locksmith

Since young children can be great at locking doors, yet find themselves unable to unlock them, you may want to keep our number in your phone if you’re going to be outside when your children are inside. This will ensure you have the ability to get back in to them.

Make a habit of having car keys available to avoid lockouts. Don’t exit the car without them and carry them in the same place every day.

It is a good idea to review your security protocols periodically. During this process, check your facility door keys to make sure they all keys are accounted for. If you discover some keys are missing, have your locks changed immediately.

We recognize that not all car buyers get a spare key to their vehicle when they first purchase it. It’s important to have an extra key to your car just in case, stop by, we may be able to help you create the key you’ll need for piece of mind.

It’s important to remember that having an extra set of keys to your car does you little good when you can’t get into your house to get them because your house keys are also locked in your vehicle. When you need access to your car, a locksmith is often the most efficient way to go.

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.

It’s important to remember that most commercial keys contain verbiage that restricts them from being copied or reproduced. While this will stand in the way of law-abiding citizens, criminals may be able to get around it. Let’s ensure your locks are changed as soon as you discover keys are missing.

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!

The first all-metal locks appeared about 900 years ago and were English. These locks were simple bolts that were made of iron, with “wards” or obstructions fitted around the keyholes—intended to "ward off" intruders who tried to enter using the wrong keys.