Phone 01473 622461    or     07754915613
Church Locks, Keys and other ‘Heritage Services’
Ipswich Locksmiths ‘Neighbourhood Locks’, are able to offer a lock restoration service,
for vintage locks, and can also provide a variety of ornate keys suitable for these. In situations
such as these, the keys are cut to fit, by hand. There is quite an art to this, in order to produce
a working key.
Restoration of the lock, usually requires any replacement components, to be fabricated by
hand, from scratch.
While it is not always the case, many vintage locks have not stood the test of time particularly
well, and although they may appear to be well preserved from the outside, the same may not
be true on the inside. When we dismantle many contemproary locks, we find amounts of debris
inside them, mainly blown in by the wind, and occasionally small items placed there by children,
so it is natural that the older locks, which have not been renovated, have a larger build-up of
foreign matter. Dirt and grit together with thick oils and grease that may have been placed in
Church locks by well-meaning caretakers, make for an ideal ‘abrassive compound’ that will
speed up wear to the mechanism. This in turn can cause some level of damage to the keys,
which are usually of the ‘Cast, bridge warded’ variety, and can become fragile over time, due
to the ornate cuts to the ‘flag’ (the part that actually ‘works’ the lock) of the key.
It is a good idea to check these keys carefully, to ensure that there are no cracks to the ‘flag’,
and if there is, to contact us as soon as possible. A cracked ‘flag’, will usually break off in the
lock itself, making it inoperable, and costing more in the long run. Any unusual stiffness felt
while operating the key, is also a sign that something is not working how it should be, and
again, it is wise to call us right-away. Never force the key in the lock, as this is sure to cause
something to break.
We can also make up keys for furniture, including cabinets, writing desks and boxes etc.
Please contact us if you are interested in more information regarding this highly-
specialised service.
Tel.  01473 622461 / Mob. 07754915613
Mendip Drive, Rushmere St. Andrew, Ipswich IP5 1AU Suffolk.
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