A Brief Look at the History of Padlocks

 When it comes to enhancing security, padlocks are an iconic piece of equipment. They’re every thief’s worst nightmare and are devices steeped in history, having protected all kinds of items and locations since the Roman era. As a leading provider of combination padlocks for sale, we’ve summarized a brief history of the padlock below.

Originally Invented by the Roman Empire

 The Romans were the first people to come up with the concept of padlocks around 500 BC. They created iron locks with metal bolts that held them closed. Keys were required to open these locks. Basic keys were created by bending metal at 90 degrees, and while this wasn’t high-tech, it worked efficiently. It’s believed that Chinese merchants saw these padlocks and spread the invention to the far corners of the Earth. 

Distributed Across the Planet by the Chinese

The Chinese managed to create and maintain the legendary shipping route known as the Silk Road hundreds of years ago. After trading with the Romans, it’s believed that Chinese merchants created bronze padlocks and spread them across the planet. The technology is said to have reached Europe via the Vikings.

Updated by the Europeans

The British were the people that advanced the technology of the padlock. Due to problems with animals and thieves entering the smokehouses and stealing meats, the buildings had to be secured. An upgraded version of the Roman-style iron padlock was created featuring notches, which paired individual keys with corresponding locks.

Made Popular by Industrialization

Our modern world is in debt to the concept of industrialization. Without the success of industry, we would be without many inventions that we take for granted in our modern lives. Products such as computers, electronic key cards, keyless entries, and smartphones with which we can unlock our homes remotely.

Industrialization saw the mass production of padlocks, making the job of the locksmith much more manageable. Machines took over the complicated process of making each lock and padlock by hand. Die-casting in the early 20th century also managed to revolutionize the products that were made, and since then, the technology has advanced rapidly.
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