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Locksmith Guides Written by a Working Locksmith
These guides explain what actually happens to door locks, written by Sam Gregory, who repairs them for a living in Sheffield rather than writing about them from a desk. Each one covers a question customers ask at the door, answers it plainly, and says when a repair will do rather than steering you towards a replacement. There are two live now and more being added as the questions come in.
Written by Sam Gregory, locksmith in Sheffield. Updated October 2026.
What These Guides Are and Are Not
Every guide here is written from jobs rather than from research, which changes what goes into them.
- They name the part that actually fails rather than describing the symptom in general terms.
- They say when a repair will do, including when that earns less than a replacement would.
- They carry no price figures, because a number written on a website is a guess about a door nobody has seen.
- They are written in plain words rather than trade terms, and the trade term is explained wherever it is needed.
What they are not is a substitute for somebody looking at your door. A guide can tell you which of four faults you probably have, and that is usually enough to know whether you are facing an adjustment or a part, but the diagnosis still happens at the door.
Start With the Fault You Are Looking At
Two guides are live now, and they answer the two questions asked on almost every call. The first explains why a uPVC door stops locking, which of four faults you are looking at and which of them need a part rather than a new door. The second explains what decides the price of a locksmith job, the six things that move the figure and the four questions worth asking before anybody travels to you. Both are listed again at the foot of this page with a link each.
If your door is a composite rather than a uPVC one the faults overlap, but the door is heavier and drops further on its hinges, which is covered on the composite door repair in Sheffield page.
Guides Being Written Next
These are the questions coming up most often at the door, and they are the ones being written next.
- Anti snap euro cylinders, what the star ratings mean and how to measure one correctly.
- The types of door lock found in British homes, and which standard applies to each.
- What to do when you are locked out, in the order that actually helps.
- A key snapped in the lock, and why pulling it out is usually the wrong first move.
- How a locksmith opens a locked door without damaging it.
- BS3621, what the kitemark means and when an insurer will ask for it.
There is no publication date promised for any of them, because they get written between jobs. The two that are live were written first because they answer the two questions that come up on almost every call.
How to Spot a Guide Worth Reading
Most locksmith advice online is written to sell a call out rather than to answer the question, and four signs give it away.
- It describes a symptom without ever naming the part that failed, because naming the part would let you price it.
- It treats every fault as urgent, because urgency is what turns a reader into a phone call.
- It quotes a price range wide enough to be true of anything, which tells you nothing and protects the writer.
- It never says a job is simple, because a simple job is one you might do yourself or shop around for.
A guide worth reading does the opposite. It names the component, says plainly when a fault can wait, admits when a repair is cheap and tells you which bits are reasonable to attempt. That is the standard these guides are written to, and it is worth holding any other source to the same one.
Who Writes These and Why That Matters
Sam Gregory has worked as a locksmith since 2022 and has completed over 2,000 jobs across Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and north Derbyshire. He is DBS checked and insured with public liability cover, and he does every job himself.
That matters for a guide because the failures described here are ones he has had in his hands rather than ones he has read about. When a guide says a gearbox is the part that usually fails, it is because that is the part in the van, bought by the box.
It also sets the limits of what is written here. There are no guides about safes, master key systems or vehicle locks, because that is not the work he does, and writing about it would be the exact thing these guides are meant to avoid. That is also why there is nothing here about work he does not do.
Ask the locksmith directly
If the answer you need is not in a guide yet, send a photo of the door from the outside with the lock and handle in frame. Sam replies with what it is and what it would take to put right, whether or not you book anything.
The Guides That Are Live Now
Two guides, both written from the questions customers ask at the door.
The four faults, what the handle tells you and which ones are a part rather than a new door.
What Decides a Locksmith Price
The six things that move the figure, and the four questions to ask before anybody travels.
Jobs the Guides Lead To
When a guide ends with a repair rather than a fix you can do, these are the pages that describe the work.
Gearboxes, multipoint mechanisms and doors that will not lock.
Locks changed after a move, a split or a lost key.
TS007 3 star cylinders measured and fitted flush.
Lockouts opened without damage, day or night.
Questions About These Guides Answered
Short answers on who writes these guides, how often they are updated and what to do if yours is not here yet. If your question is not here, call Sam on 07842 685254.
Who writes these guides
Sam Gregory, the locksmith who does the work. They are written from jobs rather than researched, which is why they name the part that fails rather than describing the symptom.
Why are there no prices in the guides
Because a figure written on a website is a guess about a door nobody has looked at, and the moment you read one you expect to pay it. What moves the figure is explained instead, which is what the pricing guide covers.
How often are the guides updated
When something changes in the trade or a job shows that an explanation was not clear enough. Each guide carries the month it was last updated at the top.
Can I fix my door myself using these
Sometimes, and the guides say which parts are realistic to attempt and which are not. A cylinder change is usually doable with correct measuring. A mechanism replacement is not, because the part has to be identified by exact dimensions.
My problem is not covered, what now
Send a photo of the door from the outside with the lock and handle in frame and describe what happens when you try it. Sam replies with what it is, whether or not you book anything. Every way of reaching him is on the contact details and hours page.
Do you write about car keys or safes
No. Sam works on doors and windows in buildings, so there are no guides about vehicle locks, safes or master key systems. Writing about work he does not do is exactly what these guides are meant to avoid.
Are these guides only for Sheffield
The lock faults are the same anywhere in the country, so the explanations apply wherever you are. The repairs are only offered across Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Chesterfield, Worksop and the villages between them, which is covered on the residential locksmith services page.
Can I use these guides on my own website
No. They are written for this site and are not for republishing. A link to the guide is always welcome instead.