Hewitt Safe and Lock Services Ltd

17/08/2026

Bramah type luggage lock opened for a customer.
Unfortunately someone had damaged the mechanism in an attempt to force open so my open method of making a key did the job to open but the bent internals meant it beyond economic repair to work correctly and smoothly long term.
Now though the lock could be replaced with minimal damage to the case.

17/08/2026

We was out in the Alvis TF21 yesterday to Tatton. You'd think not industry related but You'd be surprised to find that there are a few Master Locksmiths with long standing enthusiasm and ownership with the marque. Chris Taylor got me hooked around 20 years ago.
Transferable skills from either interest bridge seamlessly.

14/08/2026

A continuation on the Chubb theme, this grade 5 safe was locked out. The lock had been damaged by the frustration of somebody previously and had managed to punch the back out of the lock in an effort to force the safe in to submission.
As with any high security safe, brute force will only make things much worse.
You can see the progression of chubb design ( or should I say demise) with this unit compared to the Chubb Isolator. No bushings render the safe less serviceable long term.
Lazer or cnc cut steel and steel drive pins are a recipe for failure and wear and generally just feel poor on operation.
The 11 lever lock with the back punched out really added to a tricky opening but I managed to open this without drilling and was able to do a temporary repair but the safe with multiple issues and after around 30 years work in a commercial environment was condemned to be replaced.

10/08/2026

A proper workhorse of the UK Safe stock from when we did things properly.
An Isolator service is labour intensive for all the right reasons, unlike many modern day units.
The main issue on this was a Bush had detached and causing intermittent lock outs.
They were very lucky for it not to go full lockout.
When that happens on one of Britain's finest, especially if you get the wrong guy in to make it right, they dig their heels in and things go from bad to worse.
This safe had obviously had water ingress at some point too. It cleaned up well, the detached bushing went back with locktite and some adjustments to the casting to ensure it didn't relapse.
Alignment is important too on reassembly, regularly this isn't done well and the stresses put strain on the scroll.
A well maintained Chubb Isolator will last a lifetime. There used to be several in almost every bank un the UK.
Now the highstreets have been stripped, the remainders are still to be found in quality businesses but the vast majority have now been shipped over seas to the east.

07/08/2026

New gun safe picked open, locks on these things vary so much now days with cheap copy locks being installed from factory on your well known brands. Tools have to be made or modified on the job to open without damaging the unit. It's actually more work to open a less superior lock without a dedicated pick but this is now pretty standard for gun safes.

06/08/2026

Back to it today, what will be the flavour of work after some down time?!
ATM'S are a big part of the picture these days, but cash and valuables safes still keep me on my toes, failed E locks are the main culprit but looking forward to an unknown gun safe pick open and a dial com manipulation session this week.. see what else comes my way!
Never a dull day, looking forward to getting Cracking 🙌

02/08/2026

Taking a few days off for recovery from some serious dental, sitting still isn't my way so found a time killer, made a cutout com lock mount, refining my dial com manipulation after the master class with Mark Bates at MLA HQ a couple of months ago👌

11/02/2026

I opened this gnarly old Churchill Olympic recently, broken key.
Once opened, it was in a poor state internally, bits missing and generally unfit for purpose.
Made keys and back in action temporarily, while Steve Gibson @ Hydan Safes knocked up this replacement 👌 💪
Happy customer, now with a fully secure, new door, turned around in less than a week.

18/01/2026