Lock Lab UK

09/08/2025

Jason Johnson: A Pioneer in Smart Home Technology
He is a significant figure in the world of technology and smart home innovation. An entrepreneur from Silicon Valley, he has spent nearly two decades dedicated to developing new technology.
Before co-founding August Home, Johnson was involved in various successful technology ventures. He held significant roles at companies like Dolby Laboratories and Global IP Solutions (which was acquired by Google).
His work also included co-founding companies focused on mobile security. Johnson is also a co-founder and chairman of the Internet of Things Consortium, a group that helps guide the development of innovative, connected devices.
In 2012, Jason Johnson teamed up with designer Yves Béhar to co-found August Home. As the CEO of August Home, Johnson focused on the business side and the technology.
While Béhar focused on the design, Johnson led the company's efforts to develop a secure, user-friendly smart lock.
Under his leadership, August Home achieved significant success, leading to its acquisition by ASSA ABLOY in 2017. This move integrated August's innovative products into a global security business.

03/08/2025

DIY Smart Home Kits

The home security market has seen a massive shift in recent years. High-tech smart locks are no longer just for complex commercial setups; they are now accessible to everyone. It is aimed to integrate advanced security features into homes without the need for professional installation or costly renovations.
DIY smart locks have made high-tech security more affordable and easier to set up. Many homeowners can install these systems themselves using simple tools, often with easy-to-follow instructions or apps. This trend has allowed many people to upgrade their security systems. Designed as a simple retrofit, it attaches directly to the inside of the existing deadbolt. This means installation is quick, homeowners can still use their original physical keys, and they don't need to change the look of the door from the outside.
Homeowners may still rely on professionals for reliable setup, troubleshooting, and support. Locksmiths are now adapting, moving from traditional installations to becoming experts in smart home security integration.

Complete wiring of door access control system

In this tutorial, I will show you a complete wiring connection door access control system.A door access control system is a method of controlling who can ope...

29/07/2025

Cloud-Based Access Management

It is the system that lives on the internet. Managing access permissions needed to be flexible and remote. Cloud management made this possible. It allows the lock to be controlled and monitored from anywhere, turning a simple lock into a sophisticated security system.
The main advantage of the cloud is the ability to manage security from anywhere with an internet connection. If a user needs to grant access to a guest, they can do it instantly, no matter where they are.
It provides real-time monitoring and keeps detailed logs of who entered the property and when. This offers peace of mind and an extra layer of security that traditional locks cannot provide.
For locksmiths, this technology changes how we think about security systems. We are moving from physical key management to managing digital access permissions stored securely in the cloud. It is an essential step in the evolution of modern locksmithing.

24/07/2025

App-Controlled Locking Systems

The most significant change in modern security is simple: your smartphone is now your key.
App-controlled locking systems offer a level of convenience and control that traditional keys could never match. You can lock or unlock your door from anywhere in the world. This is perfect for letting in a delivery driver or a cleaner when you are not home.
But apps do much more than replace a key. They give users real-time updates and activity logs, so you always know exactly who is coming and going. It allows for the ability to share digital keys instantly. Users can give temporary access to guests, contractors, or family members and set the exact times they can enter. These digital keys can be cancelled immediately from the app, which is a massive improvement over traditional physical keys.

Here's a introduction video of Nuki Smart Lock Pro

Discover the Nuki Smart Lock Pro with Matter support for smarter, seamless home security. Comes with a premium build, a convenient keypad, and effortless ins...

19/07/2025

Smart Lock Connections: Wi-Fi vs. Bluetooth

Smart locks were developed to offer convenience and remote access. It relies on two main technologies: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Bluetooth: The Local Connection

Bluetooth is designed for short distances. It allows your smartphone to connect and unlock the door when you are nearby quickly. The main advantage of Bluetooth for locks is power efficiency; these locks require very little energy, so batteries often last up to a year.

Wi-Fi: The Remote Advantage

Wi-Fi connects the lock to your home's internet. This lets you control and monitor your door from anywhere in the world. However, Wi-Fi connectivity is always on. Wi-Fi-only locks often need batteries changed much more frequently, sometimes in just a few months.

The August Smart Lock uses efficient Bluetooth for local control and relies on a separate Wi-Fi "bridge" to connect the lock to the internet. This system enables remote access while ensuring the lock's internal batteries last much longer. By using the bridge, August provided a clever and practical solution that the smart lock industry needed.

Here's a great introduction video for those considering buying a smart lock in the UK.

Looking for a multi-point door compatible smart lock? In this video I share an overview of the 4 main locks out there.Purchase Links:Ultion Nuki: https://gen...

15/07/2025

Yves Béhar: The Designer Behind the Smart Lock

He is a famous designer from Lausanne, Switzerland. He is known for creating products that are both intelligent and aesthetically pleasing.
He has focused on designing things that improve people's lives.
Béhar started his company, fuseproject, in 1999. Before that, he spent time working in Silicon Valley. During his early career in California, he developed product designs for major tech companies like Apple and Microsoft.
His projects also include the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) computer, designed for children in need, and the Snoo Smart Sleeper, a special cot for babies.

Béhar's August Smart Lock design, designed in 2012, was highly significant. It was designed to fit over the lock you already have on your door. This makes it easy to install. He brought the top-level design to the product. His work made the smart lock look elegant and easy to use. The lock lets people use their smartphones to lock or unlock the door, share digital keys, and check who is coming and going.
The August Smart Lock became very popular. In 2017, August Home was acquired by ASSA ABLOY. It is best known for its smart locks in North America, the UK, and Europe.

02/07/2025

🔐 Ancient Egyptian Locks – The First Pin Tumbler Locks

Long before Yale, Rome, or modern locksmithing, the Ancient Egyptians were crafting real security, nearly 4,000 years ago.

What did they build?
They carved wooden pin-tumbler locks, often used on doors, chests, and even granaries. A horizontal bolt held upright wooden pins in place, blocking the bolt when locked. A large, flat wooden key (looks like an oversized toothbrush) lifted those pins to the right height to free the bolt.
These locks appeared in Mesopotamia, Khorsabad, and Egypt as early as 2000 BC, evolving over time from basic city-door bolts into clever security inventions.

Why did they do it?
-Protection of Grain and Goods
Egypt’s economy ran on agriculture, especially grain. Granaries stored vast amounts of food, and that food meant wealth and power.
These wooden locks were mainly used on storage rooms, temples, and private homes to prevent theft, not just from outsiders but from servants or labourers.
-Need for Controlled Access
The locks allowed certain people to hold keys, a primitive form of access control.
In temples and elite households, locks gave physical authority: “You don’t get in unless you have the key.”
-Psychological Deterrent
Even if the early locks weren’t super secure by today’s standards, they looked impressive and complex.
This was a visual deterrent, a message saying “This space is protected.”
-Bonus: Available Tools & Craftsmanship
Egyptians were skilled woodworkers. They had the ability to drill, carve, and align pins and holes precisely enough to make this mechanism work, a perfect match of need + tools + skill.

Why it matters today
The design is the direct ancestor of the modern pin-tumbler lock: screws and metal aside, it's fundamentally the same mechanism used for 4 millennia.
Archaeological finds, like those from Nineveh and Saqqara, reference the existence of ancient locksmiths and their wooden tools.
Today’s apprentices can look back at these locks and trace a clear line: wooden pins and springs, brass cylinders with serrated keys: high-security anti-snap/anti-pick systems.

Locksmith takeaway: These primitive wooden locks were ingenious, they introduced the core idea of aligning internal elements to a shear line. The next time you’re fitting a euro cylinder or explaining pin tumblers, remind folks: they're using over 4,000 years of history packed into their key.

26/06/2025

🔐 What is an ANTI-SNAP LOCK?
Burglars love weak locks. That’s why anti-snap matters.

You’ve probably heard the term before, especially if you’ve worked on uPVC or composite doors. But let’s break it down properly:

Lock snapping, the burglar’s shortcut
Most cheap euro cylinders can be snapped in half with nothing but a bit of pressure and a basic tool.
Why? Because the centre of a standard cylinder is the weak spot. Snap that, and the cam turns freely, door opens in seconds.

An anti-snap lock is a specially reinforced euro cylinder designed to resist this exact attack.
Here’s how it protects:

Sacrificial section — the front snaps off safely, leaving the mechanism locked inside.
Hardened steel bars — built in to stop the cylinder breaking entirely.
Snap lines — placed to trap the attacker and keep the cam locked.

Most proper ones meet TS007 (British Standard) or Sold Secure Diamond ratings, a must-have for serious home protection.

Watch this short video demo:
https://youtu.be/DFPmktNOVxQ?si=Xp5YpWFbkkqEPWxq

Who should care?
Homeowners: If your door faces the street and your lock isn’t anti-snap, you’re at risk.
Landlords & Letting Agents: Your tenants deserve better than budget cylinders.
Locksmiths & Fitters: Recommend TS007-rated locks, not just for sales, but for proper peace of mind.

85% of lock break-ins are by the 'Lock Snapping' method. A burglar can simply grip the exposed (jutting out) part of a lock and force it to snap. Lock snappi...

21/06/2025

🔑Pin Tumbler Locks: The Most Common Lock Explained
You’ve used one today. So have your neighbours. Here's why they're still the go-to design.

Most of us think of “a lock” as a single thing. But when you turn your key in the front door? You’re most likely using a pin tumbler lock, a design made popular by Linus Yale Jr. ( Scroll to the bottom to click on the biography link.) over 150 years ago.
It’s not changed much since. And that’s saying something.

🧠 So what makes it work?
Inside the cylinder, you’ve got stacks of small pins held in place by tiny springs.

When there’s no key, those pins block the cylinder from turning.

Put in the right key? Each cut on that key lifts a pin to the exact height — just to the shear line.

Hit that line perfectly across all pins... and boom, the plug turns and the lock opens.

Simple on the surface, but clever underneath.

The Birth of a Legacy: Yale Lock Company’s Founder Born on This Day
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19VWpJZzf3/

📽️ Pin Tumbler Lock | How it Works (YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olGjEP_vtzI&t=55s

Brief explanation of a how a pin tumbler styled lock and key works.

15/06/2025

MYTH: “All locksmiths are the same, just pick a cheap one.”
The truth: Not all locksmiths are trained. Not all carry the right tools. And not all give a toss about doing it properly.

Anyone can throw “locksmith” on a van these days. But when it comes to your home, your car, your security, cheap and cheerful can turn into costly and chaotic.

A real locksmith knows more than how to drill a hole.
They know how to open without damage.
They know smart locks, transponder chips, BS3621, TS007, the lot.
They know when not to touch something because it’ll void your warranty.

If you're a landlord, do you want to be the one explaining to tenants why the same door's been kicked in twice?

If you're a garage or auto trader, is it worth saving £20 on a key cut that leaves the car stuck in “immobilised” mode?

🧠 It’s not just about price — it’s about what you're actually getting.

10/06/2025

How a Wooden Key Shook the Lock Industry

Back in the 1800s, a lock company called Newell & Day thought they had the game on lock. Their mechanism was considered top-notch, until Linus Yale Jr. came along.

Yale didn’t just talk about better locks, he proved it. Armed with nothing but a block of wood, he carefully carved a key by hand… and used it to open a Newell & Day lock.

That’s right, wooden key beat a “high-security” lock.

It wasn’t just a flex. Yale was making a point: locks need brains behind the brass. That moment helped push the industry toward smarter, more secure designs, including his revolutionary pin tumbler lock, the blueprint for many modern locks today.

Thanks to Jason Jones for sharing that great bit of history, really appreciate it.

06/06/2025

Theodorus of Samos: The Greek Inventor Who Pioneered the Lock

Theodorus of Samos, an ancient Greek engineer and inventor, is firmly recognized for developing one of the earliest forms of mechanical locks around the 6th century BC. While details of his personal life remain scarce, his remarkable contributions to engineering and security are undeniably significant.

Born on the island of Samos, known for its rich legacy of innovation and engineering, Theodorus focused on enhancing everyday safety and security. His creation of a mechanical lock was nothing short of groundbreaking. This was not simply a latch; it was a sophisticated system designed to protect valuable possessions and secure important areas. At a time when the need for security in personal and public spaces was escalating, Theodorus delivered an essential solution.

The lock he devised employed a system of pins and bolts, echoing the pin-tumbler locks we utilize today. This design was revolutionary; it could only be accessed with the correct key, establishing an early form of mechanical security. Theodorus’ lock secured doors and chests, providing essential protection against theft and unauthorized access.

Why did he invent it? In Theodorus’ era, the need to protect wealth, property, and personal spaces became paramount as societies evolved. Recognizing this pressing necessity, Theodorus engineered an ingenious solution. His lock was a significant technological advancement, laying the foundation for future locksmithing developments.

Theodorus’ invention markeda key moment in the evolution of security technology. His work set the stage for generations of engineers and locksmiths, ultimately leading to the advanced locking systems we depend on today.