Escape Artists And Pharaohs: Locksmiths And Their Impact On History
It is possible that people who have never locked themselves out of a house, safe or car may have never given the locksmith trade a thought. However, once their assistance is needed, they can become the most important person in the world. Locksmiths are people who work hard to attain their skill level, and they are capable of saving the day when someone is standing outside their apartment in their pajamas or late for work because they are unable to get into their car. Locksmiths have been making an impact on the world for centuries. Here are some historical examples that prove their importance.
The Magical Harry Houdini
It seems as if Houdini was not as magical as he may have appeared. Many of his tricks involved masterful escapes from certain death. These amazing feats appear to have been thanks to his skilled hand with the locks that kept him chained in place. His training started at the age of 11 when he discovered his amazing abilities after he began working with a locksmith. It was only a short period of time before he able to triumph over any lock. Without these skills his name may never have made it through history, and no one would understand what the phrase "pull a Houdini" actually means.
King Louis XVI
Unfortunately for Louis, his fascination for locks was entwined with his eventual downfall. Interested in carpentry and lock making, the king became friends with the royal locksmith Francois Gamain to learn more about the skill. Sadly, Gamain began working with the revolution and alerted other members to the iron chest Louis had commissioned from him in order to store sensitive documents. Shortly after the discovery of the chest Louis and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were executed.
Paranoid Egyptian Pharaohs
The first known locks were designed by ancient locksmiths in order to meet the desire of their leaders to keep their treasures safe. This locking system was made thousands of years ago, but their basic design inspired Linus Yale to create his pin and tumbler lock in 1865. The cylinder pin and tumbler design is still used in cars, houses and many other places around the world.
Commercial locksmiths have helped to keep people safe, sometimes kept them contained and made it possible to protect valuables and secrets. Locks have continued to change with the times, going from wood to metal and now digital versions. Even with the changes, these experts have done what they could to help their customers get in or keep others out as needed.