Home› U.S. Coin Forum

Anyone here ever had to crack a safe?

DNADaveDNADave Posts: 7,282 ✭✭✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum

I picked up this HEAVY Guardian safe today at an estate sale. It was opened but no combination so I took a chance at $20. I’ve actually been able to deduce the combination of a safe before by taking off the inner door plate and looking at the dial gears, so I thought I could do the same with this one.

Anyhow got it home and accidentally got it closed while moving it. DOH!

So what I don’t know is how possible is it to get this opened/how expensive and if it’s going to be worth it given the safe here. We’ll be looking for a locksmith Monday. Any experience here?

Comments

  • bombtech25bombtech25 Posts: 209 ✭✭✭

    Locksmith will drill it for a few hundred bucks.

  • gumby1234gumby1234 Posts: 5,591 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Try a stethoscope

    Successful BST with ad4400, Kccoin, lablover, pointfivezero, koynekwest, jwitten, coin22lover, HalfDimeDude, erwindoc, jyzskowsi, COINS MAKE CENTS, AlanSki, BryceM

  • HoneyMarketHoneyMarket Posts: 806 ✭✭✭✭

    Try 50-25-50

    That used to be the default code we set unused safes to, while working for the gov't.

    BST references available on request

  • HoneyMarketHoneyMarket Posts: 806 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 18, 2021 7:50PM

    Well...if you got some time on your hand...
    Give this a shot...You might pick up some pointers!

    Is it Actually Possible to Crack a Safe? || Learn Quick ---> https://youtube.com/watch?v=tiDsXtp46XU

    BST references available on request

  • moursundmoursund Posts: 3,207 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I heard you are supposed to sandpaper your fingers...

    100th pint of blood donated 7/19/2022 B) . Transactions with WilliamF, Relaxn, LukeMarshal, jclovescoins, braddick, JWP, Weather11am, Fairlaneman, Dscoins, lordmarcovan, Collectorcoins, SurfinxHI, JimW. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that who so believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,827 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd be on the phone to representatives from the estate. They somehow got it open once......

  • Jzyskowski1Jzyskowski1 Posts: 6,650 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 18, 2021 8:56PM

    Try calling the company that made it. They might be able to help. Also a real locksmith will open it. Not the local place that makes copies of your keys. You can call them and get a feel for price

    🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶

  • jedmjedm Posts: 3,080 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That one looks like a safe I had for a few years for which I paid $40. @BryceM has the best advice in my opinion, since the auction house I bought mine from provided the combination. If that is to no avail my humble opinion is to not mess with it because your time spent will not be worth the savings - just buy another, nicer safe, you're worth it.

  • oih82w8oih82w8 Posts: 12,405 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Look underneath at the bottom...of the safe.

    oih82w8 = Oh I Hate To Wait _defectus patientia_aka...Dr. Defecto - Curator of RMO's

    BST transactions: dbldie55, jayPem, 78saen, UltraHighRelief, nibanny, liefgold, FallGuy, lkeigwin, mbogoman, Sandman70gt, keets, joeykoins, ianrussell (@GC), EagleEye, ThePennyLady, GRANDAM, Ilikecolor, Gluggo, okiedude, Voyageur, LJenkins11, fastfreddie, ms70, pursuitofliberty, ZoidMeister,Coin Finder, GotTheBug, edwardjulio, Coinnmore, Nickpatton, Namvet69,...
  • habaracahabaraca Posts: 2,037 ✭✭✭✭✭

    12-18-64

  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,582 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bombtech25 said:
    Locksmith will drill it for a few hundred bucks.

    A good locksmith will pick it for less than that.

  • Jzyskowski1Jzyskowski1 Posts: 6,650 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Jzyskowski1 said:
    Try calling the company that made it. They might be able to help. Also a real locksmith will open it. Not the local place that makes copies of your keys. You can call them and get a feel for price

    @pruebas said:

    @bombtech25 said:
    Locksmith will drill it for a few hundred bucks.

    A good locksmith will pick it for less than that.

    🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶

  • ifthevamzarockinifthevamzarockin Posts: 8,902 ✭✭✭✭✭

    How not to do it. :p:D

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcSFeHSkbsQ

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,700 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Dynamite wercs

  • CoinHoarderCoinHoarder Posts: 2,612 ✭✭✭✭✭

  • renman95renman95 Posts: 7,037 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Take a 120# pull magnet and place it 3 inches above the handle. The magnet will compress the spring that holds the locking mech. Magnets are $10 at Home Depot. Works on most late model home safes...so I've been told. ;-)

  • ReadyFireAimReadyFireAim Posts: 1,828 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Gravity?
    Or something heavy?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGPGknpq3e0

    My Saint Set

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The fastest method will be to call a locksmith. Otherwise, turn the handle as far as it will move (likely very little), then turn the combination knob.... The knob will lock on a number... That is the last of the three digit combination. After that, well, a fine touch and patience.... Oh yeah, write down the numbers as you try... saves repetition. Cheers, RickO

  • Jzyskowski1Jzyskowski1 Posts: 6,650 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I’ve lost the key and forgot the combination. Not so unusual for people who collect have to deal with safes and have had to get in for a legitimate reason but ofcourse 👀

    🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶

  • ms71ms71 Posts: 1,546 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TomB said:
    Who was the guy on ebay who claimed to have purchased a two-hundred year old building, which appeared to be made of modern cinderblock bricks, and found a safe overflowing with bags of coins? I bet he could help!

    It was likely an alias of our old friend centsles.

    Successful BST transactions: EagleEye, Christos, Proofmorgan,
    Coinlearner, Ahrensdad, Nolawyer, RG, coinlieutenant, Yorkshireman, lordmarcovan, Soldi, masscrew, JimTyler, Relaxn, jclovescoins

    Now listen boy, I'm tryin' to teach you sumthin' . . . . that ain't no optical illusion, it only looks like an optical illusion.

    My mind reader refuses to charge me....
  • ProofmorganProofmorgan Posts: 762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I bought a property with a large 6 foot tall safe. Local locksmith could have drilled it, but I wanted to keep it for use.

    80 year old “safecracker” drove from 300 miles away and wanted to come for the ride anyway. With about 40 minutes of patience and quiet, he got it opened, serviced it, and reset to the combination of my choosing.

    Cost was around $400, but I got a large usable safe out of it in addition to some antique marbles, and and estate inventory of what was once in the safe…..what a teaser. Many coins as part of the inventory but nothing of crazy value.

    All that to say: call the ones who last opened it. Otherwise the cost won’t be worth it for a safe like that.

    Collector of Original Early Gold with beginnings in Proof Morgan collecting.
  • DNADaveDNADave Posts: 7,282 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Proofmorgan said:
    I bought a property with a large 6 foot tall safe. Local locksmith could have drilled it, but I wanted to keep it for use.

    80 year old “safecracker” drove from 300 miles away and wanted to come for the ride anyway. With about 40 minutes of patience and quiet, he got it opened, serviced it, and reset to the combination of my choosing.

    Cost was around $400, but I got a large usable safe out of it in addition to some antique marbles, and and estate inventory of what was once in the safe…..what a teaser. Many coins as part of the inventory but nothing of crazy value.

    All that to say: call the ones who last opened it. Otherwise the cost won’t be worth it for a safe like that.

    That’s the way I think this would go if I pursued it further. I’m not going to throw good money after bad so this one is going to the dump. I think I’ll cut the door off just to see if I could had figured out the combination.

  • HoneyMarketHoneyMarket Posts: 806 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 19, 2021 6:24PM

    @CoinHoarder said:

    I seem to remember someone else who had access to similar tools like those and could get out of jam!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1En6FKd5Pk

    BST references available on request

  • edwardjulioedwardjulio Posts: 1,126 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Acetylene + oxygen + Victor torch + scarfing tip

    End Systemic Elitism - It Takes All Of Us
    ANA LM
    LSCC
    EAC
    FUN

  • logger7logger7 Posts: 8,711 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "Jug-heavy", slang for safecracker, don't ask me why.

    You could contact the safe company, with serial number and they may have it; that worked when I lost my combo.

  • JeffMTampaJeffMTampa Posts: 3,295 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @TomB said:
    Who was the guy on ebay who claimed to have purchased a two-hundred year old building, which appeared to be made of modern cinderblock bricks, and found a safe overflowing with bags of coins? I bet he could help!

    As I recall the coins inside were AMAZING raw Barbers. I wonder if any of them graded?

    I love them Barber Halves.....
  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    it looks like the dial goes up to 100, so I think that means there are 1,000,000 possible combinations. the sooner you start the sooner you'll be finished. oh yeah, pen and paper, too. :s

  • WAYNEASWAYNEAS Posts: 6,892 ✭✭✭✭✭


    Wayne

    Kennedys are my quest...

  • braddickbraddick Posts: 24,243 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MilesWaits said:
    Try your ex wife’s birthday.

    Or her measurements.

    peacockcoins

  • WAYNEASWAYNEAS Posts: 6,892 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @braddick said:

    @MilesWaits said:
    Try your ex wife’s birthday.

    Or her measurements.

    That could be a fatal. lol
    Wayne

    Kennedys are my quest...

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,006 ✭✭✭✭✭

    given two paperclips, I can open most any padlock or keyed locked container :)

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • 1630Boston1630Boston Posts: 14,006 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yes , would have been extremely easy to find the combo and/or reset it if the door was open
    :#

    Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb

    Bad transactions with : nobody to date

  • USMarine6USMarine6 Posts: 1,948 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I did the same thing as you, bought a safe for 20 bucks but no combo. Found a local hardware store that found out the combo for 30 bucks. You'll find a serial # somewhere on the outside of the safe. They will make a phone call to the safe company and give them the serial # and in turn give them the combo

  • AMRCAMRC Posts: 4,280 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bombtech25 said:
    Locksmith will drill it for a few hundred bucks.

    This

    MLAeBayNumismatics: "The greatest hobby in the world!"
  • 2dueces2dueces Posts: 6,559 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Part of my parole is to never offer advice or pick another safe.
    The FBI asked me why I continue to opens safes.
    I told them “That’s where the money is. “

    W.C.Fields
    "I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
  • Jzyskowski1Jzyskowski1 Posts: 6,650 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It’s a $20 safe. Old friend of the family said get in touch with the manufacturer. This may be $20-30 fix. For $50 it’s a nice safe. (Ofcourse he said in the day no problem)😂. He’s a good guy and been around for ever. Good luck 👍🏼

    🎶 shout shout, let it all out 🎶

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Format
SpoilerCodeQuote
Heading 2Heading 1
Emoji
:):D:(;):/:o:s:p:'(:|B):#:*<3o:)>:)
Url
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file
Home • U.S. Coin ForumComment As ...