RugerBassMan
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2017
- Messages
- 37
About 4 years ago I moved and hired movers to move my 700 pound gun safe. The movers removed the 200 pound door to lighten their load.
Somewhere or some how the door was either dropped or smashed against something. The combo lock worked but wobbled and scraped. One of the arms on the door handle was slightly bent. The lock worked -- then.
I never got around to filing a claim on the damage (not too smart).
About one month ago I started to have problems - like having to take 3 or more attempts to open. I went online and retrieved -- "S & G Mechanical Lock Trouble Shooting". Yes, I did use the proper dialing technique. Then on the next page - "Most common issues found can be overcome by following one of the techniques below" - they sort of worked. I locked the safe but did not close to door and for a week attempted to unlock the combo. I had a success rate of 85% - and used the "techniques" not good enough!
I called a lock smith (paid talent) and he instructed me to not close & lock the door and asked me to remove the cover on the back of the door. I did and was amazed to find the mechanical parts covered with dry wall dust and large chunks of 5/8 sheet rock resting on the bottom of the inside door and other mechanical moving parts. I sucked up everything with my shop vac then wiped down everything with a soapy paper towel.
The nice lock smith appeared and uncovered the actual inside of the combo lock - it was covered with sheet rock dust and about 1/8 inch of dust was on the bottom of the lock enclosure. The cover was bent and allowed the dust to enter.
The old dial and bent stem was replaced, the cover was straightened, everything was cleaned and now it works.
I am not impressed with touch pad locks - just me - really don't know much about them but would fear heat and possibly EMF effects. When cleaning up the rock mess a small crumb about 1/2 inch per side fell down inside the workings and prevented me from turning the outside handle.
Maintain your safe like your weapons!
Somewhere or some how the door was either dropped or smashed against something. The combo lock worked but wobbled and scraped. One of the arms on the door handle was slightly bent. The lock worked -- then.
I never got around to filing a claim on the damage (not too smart).
About one month ago I started to have problems - like having to take 3 or more attempts to open. I went online and retrieved -- "S & G Mechanical Lock Trouble Shooting". Yes, I did use the proper dialing technique. Then on the next page - "Most common issues found can be overcome by following one of the techniques below" - they sort of worked. I locked the safe but did not close to door and for a week attempted to unlock the combo. I had a success rate of 85% - and used the "techniques" not good enough!
I called a lock smith (paid talent) and he instructed me to not close & lock the door and asked me to remove the cover on the back of the door. I did and was amazed to find the mechanical parts covered with dry wall dust and large chunks of 5/8 sheet rock resting on the bottom of the inside door and other mechanical moving parts. I sucked up everything with my shop vac then wiped down everything with a soapy paper towel.
The nice lock smith appeared and uncovered the actual inside of the combo lock - it was covered with sheet rock dust and about 1/8 inch of dust was on the bottom of the lock enclosure. The cover was bent and allowed the dust to enter.
The old dial and bent stem was replaced, the cover was straightened, everything was cleaned and now it works.
I am not impressed with touch pad locks - just me - really don't know much about them but would fear heat and possibly EMF effects. When cleaning up the rock mess a small crumb about 1/2 inch per side fell down inside the workings and prevented me from turning the outside handle.
Maintain your safe like your weapons!
