The aim of locksmithing, he tells the students
he teaches at Melbourne Polytechnic TAFE, is
to do no damage. “Or minimal damage. If you
damage a lock, you’ve got to repair or remake
it, and that’s demoralising.”Asides from the tools they use, the main
difference between Smith’s practice and
that of a mainstream locksmith is the
emphasis on retaining a lock’s original
components. “A lot of people have pieces
of furniture that may have been in their
family for generations, and they want to
preserve them – locks and all,” Smith says.
“Other locksmiths just tell them to replace
the locks, but some people want to remain
authentic down to the last detail. It’s not
enough to just look the part – having a piece
continue to function after hundreds of years
adds an extra element.”It is, in a way, a thankless task. “I know
people will never look inside their locks and
see my handiwork, but I believe in doing
things the right way.” Moreover, he doesn’t
want to open a lock by any means possible
and move on – he wants to ‘solve’ it. For
Smith, breaking a lock open “is like looking
at the last page of a book.”Once he’s figured out a lock’s inner workings,
he can make a key from scratch or file one
down to suit, mainly from the collection
of old blanks he’s picked up over the years.
Depending on the job, Smith may ‘age’ the
key, which he does by applying heat, or using
basic chemistry. “Or I bury it in the backyard
for a couple of weeks to rust it up and make it
look more the part.”Occasionally he’s called upon to crack an
antique safe. “Sometimes the job goes really
smoothly and you look like one of those
Italian Job types. Other times it goes really
badly and you’re there for eight hours.” The
theatrics of safecracking, Smith reckons, were
developed by Hollywood executives to make it
look more glamorous than it really is.“Not to say when the door swings open
isn’t one of the best feelings. Defeating
the lock and feeling that buzz is incredible;
that’s what keeps me going.” It’s certainly
not the contents. “Most people tend to empty
the safe and then lock it, so you usually find
pen lids, five-cent pieces, staplers, maybe
a receipt book.” As with all worthwhile
puzzles, the prize is in solving it, and
moving on to the next one. •<<