Born today in 1887: Harry Soref, locksmith

John Biggs

Biggs is the East Coast Editor of TechCrunch. Biggs has written for the New York Times, InSync, USA Weekend, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Money and a number of other outlets on technology and wristwatches. He is the former editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.com and lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. You can Tweet him here and G+ him here. Email him directly at... → Learn More

Monday, March 2nd, 2009

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The Master Lock is an undying invention. Made out of laminated steel, the locks can take a beating and still stay secure, ensuring their place in the pantheon of “good ideas.” Invented by Harry Soref in 1924, the company used pieces of scrap steel stacked on top of each other to create a lock that could survive a gunshot.

Wired has an in-depth look at Soref’s life. Remember to thank Soref every time you lock someone in your garage.

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