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locksmith question
Spartacus
Member Posts: 14,415
How does a locksmith open a safe with a dial type combination lock? do they need the serial number prior?
tom
tom
Comments
The locksmith just drilled a small hole, looked in, and lined up the disks manually to open the vault. But, to make the vault secure again he had to weld over the hole, grind it smooth so you couldn't find it, and repaint the entire door. [:D]
I sure hope you get those safes back, not to mention what is in them.
Not from what I have personally seen, I had a lock smith come to open an old safe that I had. We had no combo. He felt the dial a little and determined the tumbler and in about ten minutes he had "felt" his way to the combination and had the safe open. ten minutes and $75 later I was in the safe and he reset it to my combo.
I sure hope you get those safes back, not to mention what is in them.
I've heard of that technique. That worked on the older locks where a tumbler actually fell into a slot. On the newer locks, there are layers of disks with slots that have to line up and not tumbler falls. Once the slots are lined up, the latch can manually be levered into place and the door opens.
In all seriousness most locksmiths drill combination locks
quote: drilling may be the most practical method of entry. It also requires an intimate knowledge of the lock and safe being opened. The idea is to place a tiny hole that would allow the safe to be opened through the use of a precision instrument though the hole, or so that the hole can be used to visually obtain knowledge leading to correctly dialing a mechanical safe open
The ones you can't get a template for, they do the hard way. Big old angle grinder and an air chisel and go in the back.
I haven't seen them do every safe, nut I've seen them do a bunch. Most times with a template and a drill.
Early combination locks had brass disks with a slot for the bolt to fit into. A sensitive touch or listening equipment could tell when a slot passed beneath the bolt. Newer locks, disks are plastic, bolt is held away from disks until slots are are aligned. Plastic also cannot be xrayed.
It really depends on the lock. There are good, better really good, and then the stuff used for high end jewelers and classified documents. THOSE have a time guarantee for attack by a skilled person with a torch, power tools and explosives. And a price tag that will take your breath away! A Tann TRTL x6 is about 8,000 lbs, and $14,000.
A Tann TRTL x6 is about 8,000 lbs, and $14,000.
And only rated by UL to withstand attack for what, a half-hour? Or does the X6 indicate it's good for a full hour? [;)]
Have never worked on a safe with tumblers; they all have wheels in the combination pack. There is one wheel for each number; four number combo equals four wheels, three number equals three wheels. If the last number causes the dial to stop turning, it is called a drop number and can not be changed as the others can.
The wheels of combo were of brass and there were several ways of setting the numbers of combination; most today are of aluminum and normally use a key to change combination. The method by which they work has stayed the same; meaning with other things that they can be manipulated. "... Once the slots are lined up, the latch can manually be levered into place and the door opens..."
Most safe techs are quick to drill a safe with unknown combo; it is quicker. By knowing the type and brand of lock, they know where to drill a single, small hole to scope the information needed to dial the combination. There are books with drill point information; information is coded and makes no sense to average reader who finds a book. Problem with drilling on a quality safe is metal called "hard plate"; it is what the name says.
The idea of drilling, grinding, etc from the back would be a waste of time on many safes that are a little older and better quality----they have an inner door that prevents access to back side of door and lock.
For reference, there are three safe locks on desk now; one from a Mosler safe of 1910 vintage (4 number plus drop), a LaGard and S&G of 2012 vintage (both 3 number). They are made the same, and work the same; and all three can be manipulated. Also working on a safe from 1880. Another is a cheap safe from 1980's that came with dial sheared off in attempted break in. Attached an temp dial and dialed it open. Have not found any yet where lock had to be destroyed to open
And it is fun to find an old safe with booby trap of tear gas!