A man who’s been locking locks since the 1970s has now become a lock designer with a new home in Brooklyn, New York.
A lockstitcher named Lockstitch created a pair of lock-making tools for him in 2017.
He made them in Brooklyn and they’re still on display at his shop, which sells everything from jewelry to watches and other household items.
He’s also a member of the International Lock-Stitching Federation, and in 2017 was the first person to be awarded a silver medal at the IWF’s annual convention in Atlanta.
“It’s really fun to see the things people can do with this, how simple it is,” Lockstitcher said.
“It’s so satisfying to see something new.
It’s fun to build a little thing that I’ve created myself.
And when I do that, it feels like I’ve got something to share with the world.”
Lockstitch began locking locks as a hobby in his mid-20s, and when he turned 30, he began selling his products online.
He had some money left over from his jobs as a computer programmer, but he didn’t have a job lined up and he wasn’t sure if he could continue working in the software industry.
“I was thinking about starting a family, but I wasn’t quite sure if I wanted to do that,” Locksteitch said.
So Lockstitched thought about the possibility of becoming a locksmith.
He also decided that he wanted to be an entrepreneur, and he wanted his work to be seen as useful, so he started a lockschool company, Lockstichoschool.com.
He set out to make the products as easy to use as possible, which is why Lockstitches tools are simple, durable, and easily accessible.
“We make a simple and easy to open lock that fits a glove and works in just a few seconds,” Locksteady said.
He said he also uses his lockschool tools to make jewelry, including a lock he made for himself in 2006 that he’s been selling online for years.
He’s worked on many different types of locks for different customers, and Lockstittle said he sells the most popular and sought-after locks in New York and New Jersey.
Lockstitches website includes a section for locksmiths to buy their locks online.
“The main reason we’re in this business is because of our customers,” Lockstein told ABC News.
“They want to get their hands on a lock that is the right size, that’s going to stay safe, and they want the best customer service.”
But he said that’s not the only reason he’s doing it.
“Lockstitching is an art form,” he said.