Safe Issues

[Wild Deuce]

I have a Champion safe. It has a dial ... no keypad, no batteries ... simple ... manual.

Issue
My wife has a devil of a time getting the safe to open. She can only get the safe open about 10% of the time. It has been this way for a long time now ... maybe a couple years. It's hard to tell since she rarely gets into the safe. I'm the one that usually rummages around in there.

I get in to the safe about 99.99% of the time on the first try. If it doesn't open for me, I chalk it up to just missing a number or counting wrong on the turns. I'll get in on the very next try. Well, today we headed to the safe to try and figure out what she is doing wrong. She has the correct numbers and she has the procedure correct but she can't get it to open for her. I watched her closely and she's got it down pat. The only difference I could tell is that she's a little bit slower than me since she checks the numbers closely as she's hitting them to make sure she doesn't blow past a number. In addition to being slower on the dial, she uses two hands. Well, here's the kicker ... when I went through slowly to try demonstrate the procedure to make sure she has everything correct, it wouldn't open for me about half the time. When I went back to doing it at normal speed without thinking about it, it opened every time.

Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[The Keymaster]

Sounds like you have a wheel that is picking up another wheel when it shouldn't. When you dial the combination quickly it blows right past the issue. When you dial it slowly it has time to make contact and pick up. Could be dirt, congealed lubricant, warped wheel, missing bushing. I would get someone to look at it soon because mark my words the time is coming when it will not open. When it doesn't it will likely mean a hole in the container.

 

[croy]

You should feel lucky, most of the us don't want our wives in the safe!

 

[30calmachinegunner]

You should feel lucky, most of the us don't want our wives in the safe!

I want my wife to have full access as well as full knowledge of what everything's worth. Besides writing it down I constantly remind her what things are worth. Nothing worse then leaving her to the vultures that will be lurking when I kick the bucket.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Sounds like you have a wheel that is picking up another wheel when it shouldn't. When you dial the combination quickly it blows right past the issue. When you dial it slowly it has time to make contact and pick up. Could be dirt, congealed lubricant, warped wheel, missing bushing. I would get someone to look at it soon because mark my words the time is coming when it will not open. When it doesn't it will likely mean a hole in the container.

Thanks. When can you come over?

You should feel lucky, most of the us don't want our wives in the safe!

Mine is a keeper. She's welcome to the safe anytime.

I want my wife to have full access as well as full knowledge of what everything's worth. Besides writing it down I constantly remind her what things are worth. Nothing worse then leaving her to the vultures that will be lurking when I kick the bucket.

Truest words I'll read on INGO today.

 

[ModernGunner]

I don't know much about safes, so I could only speculate something's wrong with the 'spinny-thing with the numbers and notches'.

 

[Wild Deuce]

I don't know much about safes, so I could only speculate something's wrong with the 'spinny-thing with the numbers and notches'.

thanks ... thanks a lot ... that helps.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I second Keymaster. He knows his stuff. Get it fixed now before you have to ventilate it.

 

[actaeon277]

I just use the key. The dial drives me nuts.

 

[The Keymaster]

Thanks. When can you come over?



Mine is a keeper. She's welcome to the safe anytime.



Truest words I'll read on INGO today.

Not sure where you are, but the purple leads me to believe it's not around the corner from me.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Resurrecting the thread ... took me over 15 attempts to get in to the safe one day this past week.

Any recommendations for a competent locksmith in NWI?

 

[lonehoosier]

Have you called the manufacture? I'm sure they would have a list of repair companies in the area for warrantee work.

Also you could try this. They are local. Brandy's Safe and Lock

 

[robbman]

I do bank vaults. You could have something putting pressure on the bolt work causing it to bind or if it is a real lock the combo might have drifted a number high or low and just need reset. I would lock it with the door open and test running the combo right on and then a number high and then low. If it has only drifted you can leave it like that or use a change key to reset. Most of the gun safes have cheaper locks and it may just be something putting pressure on the bolt work causing the drop in lever not to drop. Hope that helps.

 

[PRasko]

As robbman said, and I'm willing to bet, something is binding the bolt.

Make sure the handle is full spun closed before you dial the combination.

On my safe, if I turn the handle trying to open it, and then dial the combo, I can't retract the bolt because the handle is pressing against it.

Picture attached shows what I'm talking about.

 

[bulletsmith]

Have you called the manufacture? I'm sure they would have a list of repair companies in the area for warrantee work.

Also you could try this. They are local. Brandy's Safe and Lock

I've worked with the Brandy guys for a lot of years. I believe they will give you an honest opinion. They got into safes maybe 10 years ago, don't know if they work on them too, but they sell them on top of their regular locksmith work.

 

[Wild Deuce]

I do bank vaults. You could have something putting pressure on the bolt work causing it to bind or if it is a real lock the combo might have drifted a number high or low and just need reset. I would lock it with the door open and test running the combo right on and then a number high and then low. If it has only drifted you can leave it like that or use a change key to reset. Most of the gun safes have cheaper locks and it may just be something putting pressure on the bolt work causing the drop in lever not to drop. Hope that helps.

As robbman said, and I'm willing to bet, something is binding the bolt.

Make sure the handle is full spun closed before you dial the combination.

On my safe, if I turn the handle trying to open it, and then dial the combo, I can't retract the bolt because the handle is pressing against it.

Picture attached shows what I'm talking about.

View attachment 48819

Thanks for the tips.

I did a lot of playing around this afternoon with the door open. Internet search came up with what you guys are talking about ... something called "bolt pressure?" I am not fully educated on the inner workings but this seems to be the problem. When I hold pressure on the handle in one direction (opposite of trying to open the safe), it seems to take the combination. If I put pressure the other way or leave it somewhere neutral, it will not open.

Called a local locksmith and he said that safes need routine maintenance to keep the lockwork operating trouble free. My safe is almost 12 years old and has never been serviced. He doesn't think I need anything fixed or replaced ... just a routine service call. Said it would take about two hours. Thinking about it.

Manufacturer said it was well past the warranty period but still spent time with me on the phone. We confirmed that it had not drifted a number.

 

[Wild Deuce]

Finally done. Had Phil & Son Inc. from Crown Point come out and service the safe. Nothing was broken but the safe was in dire need of cleaning and lubrication. Tech said it apparently shipped bone dry from the factory 12 years ago. It feels like a brand new safe when working the dial now.

It had gotten to the point of the dial working only 10-20% of the time. I was scared and was only using the key the past few weeks until I could get the tech out. I shouldn't have waited so long.

 

[mikefraz]

I love a happy ending.