Purchased a locked safe, and need advice on affordable safe cracking!

[CoRoMo]

I think it was made in the mid-1970s, and the serial number is 6567x.

LOL! I love how you disguised the serial number of this forty year old, rusted out, inaccessibly locked up, immovable 1,400 pound safe by hiding the last single digit!!

Nobody will be able to make the ten guesses needed to use that serial number for nefarious purposes!!

 

[desidog]

Why not just aim for the hinge pins? with M995 or soviet steel core.

On the bottom door, i'd grind through the pins at the point between the plates. If you're worried about heat damage, just hose it off every couple minutes while grinding.

The hinges should be a lot easier to get through than the side of the safe; of course, if the bottom's rusted through...

 

[Kernel]

I've seen hydraulic rams used to open safes by pushing the door frame apart. They move very, very, slowly but exert great pressure.

 

[xxjumbojimboxx]

Hey, if we never find out whats in this safe I'm going to whereever you are and opening it myself...

Probably nothing... But I've been following this thread since its inception!

 

[leadcounsel]

Sorry, my plans to open this guy were derailed - just like most of my personal life - by work. Worked several weeks straight, 12-14 hour days, without any time off...

Going to try to get to it this coming weekend, if possible. I am eager to find the treasures inside and will report when I do!

 

[Alec]

Why not drill a single small hole and use a seesnake camera? If there's nothing interesting-looking in there, you just saved a TON of time and effort.

 

[Lloyd Smale]

neighbor just ran into the same. he was given a big bank safe that was locked. What he ended up doing was cutting a hole in the back with his plazma cutter going inside and taking the lock out. He welded it back up and you cant even tell it was ever cut. By the way there was nothing in his. He was hopping for some money or old stock certificates but there wasnt even a scrap of papper.

 

[ROW]

Hire a guy fresh out of the joint for safe cracking.

I just wanted to be funny.

most places that sell safes can open it for you.

 

[leadcounsel]

Cutting this guy open today! Crossing my fingers this is a treasure chest!

 

[rondog]

Good luck! And bring photos please.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors//
Nice good luck and good times!

 

[taliv]

Didn't geraldo Rivera do a show on this?

 

[content]

That's a good point .. can't do any worse!

 

[Resist Evil]

I had given up hope for resolution.

 

[col.lemat]

I say empty

 

[jstein650]

Five bucks says ther's SOMETHING in there...

 

[leadcounsel]

Step One - Cutting

First step, we rolled the safe onto its a face. It took three men and a long steel pry bar to get it over. We used a gas Stihl saw to cut the back off. As expected a layer of 3" concrete awaited.

 

[leadcounsel]

Cut, banged on it with a sledge hammer, and chiseled our way through 3" of sturdy concrete liner to find the inner steel wall. WE DID NOT EXPECT WHAT WE FOUND NEXT!!!!

 

[fallout mike]

What was found next?

 

[leadcounsel]

I was very surprised to see the thick inner steel liner. Estimate that was 1" thick. Maybe more.

We burned through about 4 steel cutting 12" blades cutting through the exterior 1/8" steel wall, some concrete, and the 1"+ solid steel inner wall!

 

[leadcounsel]

And.....

Empty. (Both top and bottom sections)... The top section is a drop box for small deposits, and offers a way to drop larger deposits over the back down to the main section.

But worth every penny for the experience and opportunity to crack open a modern day treasure chest...

BTW, it took about 3 hours or so with two people working on it, and a saw with plenty of blades, and being outdoors and not caring about being secretive. A very laborious job.

 

[fallout mike]

That sucks man. You never know though.

 

[leadcounsel]

Thank you all for the advice!

 

[a1abdj]

Remember when I said that I rarely find anything in the safes that I end up with? Well the other day was an exception to the rule, when I brought in several safes from a mall demolition project. Since I found goodies in mine, and you found nothing in yours, I'm willing to share the wealth.

I figured this $500 gift certificate will cover your cost of the safe, plus your expense of getting into it. Along with the Booksavers membership, that $500 will stretch even further.

 

[03fatboy]

I was dreaming right there with you.