As Stuart settled in, the post-war economy was beginning to recover. Importing and exporting demands were growing rapidly, trade routes had reopened, and the timing was right to reinvigorate the lock trade. On 26th April 1949, the now familiar name Locksmiths Supply Co. was officially registered, marking the start of a new era.
Following the successful introduction of EzyCut in the early 1950s, the next three decades saw it become the most widely used key blank in Australia. In the early years, sales were driven largely by word of mouth, but as demand grew, a more active approach was needed.
By 1951, at just 21 years of age, Stuart was travelling extensively across the country, calling on locksmiths and building relationships face-to-face. He promoted not only EzyCut, but a growing range of products including Lockwood, Yale, Union, Vaughn, Mancuna, ILCO, Mattox, CO Tilney and many others, spending countless hours sourcing products locksmiths would value from around the world.
These were the days before fax, email or the internet. Once Stuart found something new, he would load it into the old Studebaker or Chev and head out on the road to show customers in person. Throughout the 1950s he travelled widely - north beyond Brisbane, west to Adelaide, regularly to Sydney, and later to Perth. It was a time of hard work, long drives and worn tyres, but it laid the foundations for LSC’s national presence.
By the early 1960s, the rise of commercial air travel began to change everything. The jet age made it far easier to move around Australia and opened the door to overseas travel. Stuart was able to meet suppliers face-to-face, strengthening relationships with companies such as HPC, ILCO, Taylor, Dominion Lock Company and CO Tilney. These connections helped accelerate the growth of both LSC and the locksmithing industry across Australia.