So I acquired a locked safe...

[CB900F]

Tallpaul;

The first thing you want to do is determine if the lockshop you contact is a member of ALOA. That's the Americcan national certifying organization for locksmiths. In other words, if they're ALOA, they didn't get their certificate by mail order when they were otherwise unoccupied in the state pen. Then, you want the locksmith who comes out to do your job to be a member of a sub-set of ALOA called SAVTA. Safe And Vault Technicians Assn. Which means that he's qualified to work on your safe without damaging it beyond the absolute necessary to get in.

As for costs, that depends on the market area you're in. We charge a service call just to show up at your door. Then safe work is $85.00 an hour. Parts are extra. Altogether, I don't think that our fees are too far off of A1abdj's. However, since we drive highly un-aerodynamic vans, & Montana is the fourth largest state in the union, we also charge $1.50 a mile for each & every mile we drive outside of the city limits. That can add up.

900F

 

[Sistema1927]

I hope that you don't find Jimmy Hoffa.

 

[rainbowbob]

Any idea what a locksmith runs?

I'm sure you must have a phone and a phone book? Keep us posted as to what you find - it could be interesting.

 

[never_retreat]

Open it your self.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/safecracking3.htm

I'm sure someone has a better link somewhere.

 

[Avenger]

+1 on taking a little precaution before opening it. I'd have a signed statement from the property owner that any contents are the property of the previous tenants. This is useful if the contents are something you don't want. If they are something that you want, that would be the reason that you didn't bring that little note out BEFORE they opened the safe....LOL!

 

[zxcvbob]

I'd have a signed statement from the property owner that any contents are the property of the previous tenants.

That the contents *were abandoned* by the previous tenents.

 

[GearHead_1]

Maybe you don't want the locksmith to see the million dollars left in the safe. I guess there could be a lot of things in the safe you might not want people to see.

 

[Zip7]

if the contents are something you don't want

Yeah like a long lost relative of the previous renter...

I'm not going to be able to sleep until I find out what's in the safe. I'd say even money it's an expired desiccant pack. Maybe 100 to 1 it's a corpse - or part of one...

 

[scrat]

The brand model and serial number are nice but do nothing for you. nothing nada as far as getting a combo.

Years ago we had a huge liberty safe at work. we used it to keep the cash. it was a huge auto parts store. So when ever we changed managers we had to change the combination on the safe. some guy would come out charge about 150.00 and would spend an hour on it then come up to us and give us the new combo. So it can be done just you need to call a locksmith. its so worth it. especially if you have the leather padded walls and carpet paded shelves. you dont know what your missing

 

[nambu1]

Around here, $150 to show up, plus labor.

 

[peyton]

How about if you take the safe to their shop?? Would that cut down on the locksmith traveling charge??

 

[Jdude]

Pics as it opens!
If the items inside are indecently clad women, you had better pm pics to me first so I can make sure they are safe for THR.

 

[tallpaul]

'm sure you must have a phone and a phone book? Keep us posted as to what you find - it could be interesting.

it was saturday afternoon when I got it- I don't need to bother a guy on the football hall of fame weekend- I imagine they are busy spending time with friends and family or helping others in dire need.... I will call monday



as far as a body etc- there is no smell... nothing is flopping around when I moved it... and its not super heavy...

 

[Code3GT]

All you need is a little C4 and some chinese fuse

 

[Walkalong]

Years ago we had a huge liberty safe at work. we used it to keep the cash. it was a huge auto parts store. So when ever we changed managers we had to change the combination on the safe. some guy would come out charge about 150.00 and

Our corporate locksmith let me borrow a special tool, and gave me precise instructions on how to change mine. He said he would not trust most folks to get it right because it is easily messed up and you can end up with a combo you don't know and be in a real mess, but he said I was so anal and picky about my work that I should be able to do it.

Takes one to know one.

 

[MAKster]

Before you spend $300 to open a safe that sells retail for $600, I would call Granite Security which makes the Winchester model. Most manufacturers keep a record of the safe combo that was installed. It's highly unlikely that the previous owner had the combo changed. Whether they are willing to give you the combo is another issue but it is worth a phone call.

 

[ilbob]

Before you spend $300 to open a safe that sells retail for $600, I would call Granite Security which makes the Winchester model. Most manufacturers keep a record of the safe combo that was installed. It's highly unlikely that the previous owner had the combo changed. Whether they are willing to give you the combo is another issue but it is worth a phone call.

When I got my safe, I got a little notice with it that said that if I lost the combination, they would send it to me via certified mail, but only to the address I put on the form. It also came with the tool to change the combination, but a warning not to lock the door closed until I had tried the new combination several times.

I asked a locksmith about it one time. He said he can open some of them by feel and some of them by feel and sound. He also said that there are only so many combinations typically used, and usually he can figure out the first number (not sure how) and there are only a couple hundred combinations after that so he said he might be able to get it open just by trying a lot of different combinations because a lot of safe manufacturers use only digits that end in 5 or 0. That reduces the number of combinations by a lot. He also said there are some numbers you would never use after other numbers (no idea why) so that reduces the number of combinations a lot.

He also said that on some safes he can tell what the numbers are but not what order they are in, so he just gets the numbers and then tries all the combinations. He was not specific about how he would get the numbers.

 

[tallpaul]

Makster- thank you!

I will contact them and hope the combo was not changed from the factory... I have the info they need according to the FAQ section. It may very well be an easy and good deal!

 

[bobotech]

/subscribe

Just because I'm curious to know all what is in the safe and how much it costs to open!

 

[GW]

Me too!

 

[ambidextrous1]

This is a very interesting thread!

Here's a tip for you when/if the safe tech gets it open (hopefully without drilling):

When my safe was installed many years ago, I prepared for the event by recording some Lawrence Welk music on a cassette tape, then set the tape to about 10 minutes from the end. When the installer showed me the sequence for opening the safe, I recorded the procedure, then opened the safe myself while recording and reciting the operation.

In 15 years, I've had to use the tape three times.

The tape is "hidden in plain sight", labeled "Lawrence Welk", with 40 or 50 other assorted tapes...

DON'T lock the tape in your safe! :banghead:

 

[Bushwhacker]

The tape is "hidden in plain sight", labeled "Lawrence Welk", with 40 or 50 other assorted tapes.

Where did you say you live?

 

[Flyboy]

Where did you say you live?

El Paso, TX. It says right under his name.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Street address,

I was being sarcastic......not a SA:banghead:

 

[Nate C.]

This could be the equivalent of finding buried treasure! Were I in your shoes, it would be worth the locksmith fee just to see what's inside! Make your friend an offer on the safe--with the agreement that the locksmith fees are deducted from the sales price and you get to keep whatever is inside.