Serving Watertown and the North Country

About us:

Dawn A. Smith, CRL is now the majority owner of this business. Although the LLC was formed in late 2017 it did not become effective until early 2018.

Dawn is a graduate of LaFargeville Central School and is Ron’s niece. Dawn started learning the Locksmithing from Ron while she was still in high school. Dawn is a general locksmith and also did the books for Advanced Safe & Lock. At one time she also did automotive Locksmithing but was forced to leave that section of Locksmithing to take care of an ailing member of the family until that family member passed. Dawn has taken several classes in both Locksmithing and safe work. Those classes include many automotive classes, safe classes including safe manipulation. Classes in masterkeying, interchangeable core, ASSA certified, ABLOY certified, Medeco certified to name just a few and some business classes. She also is a past member of Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) and through their testing became a Certified Registered Locksmith (CRL). She has also been involved in Central New York Locksmith Association that is now defunct.

Dawn is an honorary member of the LaFargeville American Legion and plays taps for them both at funerals and at other events. Dawn also is an election inspector, certified by Jefferson County Board of Elections and works all general and special elections conducted by the county board of elections. She has been head election inspector for the Town of Orleans Fire District in the election of Fire Commissioners since December 2014, that is independent of her county position.

This is an old bank vault that was locked that Ron opened and repaired.  

Ronald R. Smith, CPL, CPS is the founder and the original owner of the business. The business officially opened in 1973 under the name of LaFargeville Locksmith Shop and later changed to Advanced Safe & Lock. The business is now undergoing another big change as Ron’s niece Dawn A. Smith, CRL becomes majority owner under a new business name and new business structure of Advanced Safe & Lock, NNY, LLC. Ron is now a minority owner in this now woman owned business.

Ron has taken numerous classes at J.C.C. in both the lock side and the safe side. Some of those classes include masterkeying, interchangeable core, safe opening, safe repair, safe deposit box in addition to general locksmith classes. Ron also took classes in automotive but never done automotive. Ron has taken business classes.

Ron has several factory certifications. Some of the many certifications include Medeco, ASSA, Abloy, Simplex, KABA Peaks, KABA Mas.

Ron has taught several classes at the Central New York Locksmith Association in Syracuse which is now defunct. Those classes included safety deposit box service, safe opening, safe servicing – both the lock and the total door, safe moving, masterkeying, interchangeable core.

Ron has had several technical articles published in national magazines.

Ron has some expensive good equipment to provide high quality work in a timely manner.

The letters behind Ron’s name are from very difficult tests that few can pass. The CPL stands for Certified Professional Locksmith and the CPS stands for Certified Professional Safe Technician. The testing was done by Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) based in Texas.

Other locksmiths both have referred work to Ron and asked for Ron’s help.

Ron is also the proud holder of a US Patent US2014-0133929A1.

Below is a lot of general information about Ron.

The founder Ronald R. Smith, CPL, CPS was raised on a family farm outside of LaFargeville and had intended to follow his father’s footsteps and stay in farming. The Locksmithing was started as a hobby by taking a correspondence class while Ron was still in high school in the late 60’s. Ron is a graduate of LaFargeville Central School. The business was officially started March 15, 1973 but was still viewed as a hobby. The hobby turned part time and then full time. Ron still has farm property and leases the property to another farmer but is no longer involved in farming.

Ron has also been involved in volunteer fire service and emergency medical services. He has been a member of LaFargeville Fire Department since 1970 and ran hundreds of ambulance calls as an EMT in the 70’s and 80’s with LaFargeville and was an officer in charge of the two ambulances. LaFargeville no longer has an ambulance. He also taught advanced first aid for 9 years for the American Red Cross. Ron is also a charter member of the North Country Regional EMS Council serving Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties founded in 1973. He has chaired many committees over the years and was secretary for one year in 1993. The committee that he is most known for and chaired until 2018 is the Certificate of Need Committee for new ambulance service areas, enlarging ambulance service areas, name and or ownership. Ron is still a member of the council.