Best way to open a safe????

[DerekP Houston]

95% of the safes I seen on display opened with all 0's or 123456 if they had a digital dial

****** how did you get my secret code =/ they told me it was secure.

[triggerhappy243]

you could also utilize a hole saw around the safe overlapping each hole and cut the top out that way.

[Blanco]

^^^^^ This is true I know of at least 2 people that have never changed the factory ship out combo

[abunaitoo]

All good info. Thanks.
I haven't even seen it yet.
Don't know how good or what brand it is.
I'll talk with the family and see what they want to do.

[fouronesix]

If you have power of attorney over the contents and getting into the safe the only answer that makes any sense is: call a locksmith. If you don't have power of attorney over the contents and getting into the safe have whomever does make the decision about how to get into it.

[Petrol & Powder]

Destructive means would be my last option if it was a high quality safe but likely my first option if it was a cheap safe.
As for tipping it over to attack the door of a cheap safe, i wouldn't just shove it over. I would lower it down on its back slowly. Yes, the contents will shift but they'll be OK. The doors of cheap safes are far easier to defeat if the safe is on its back.

[mold maker]

When my combo failed, I called a pro. $350. included a new combo lock, and the service. Safe was a second-hand unit that I paid less for, but I still have a serviceable safe, and no damage to the contents. And it came with a guarantee.

[MUSTANG]

Call a Marine Lance Corporal and tell him to open the safe.

Many years ago in Korea we had a safe that the combination lock failed on for some reason. Tried finding a locksmith from the Army to open it, but there was no way to get them to our location in a timely manner. We had an encrypted communications link that had to have the encryption updated in a few hours, and it was locked in the safe. Had a Lance Corporal who kept saying: "I can open it sir. I can open it sir". Finally after we exhausted all the options I gave Lance Corporal BeeKnots permission to open the safe. He took a pick from the jeep and with one swing took off the Combo Dial and manipulated the dial interface and popped open the safe. Always made me far more cautious of additional security on Classified and sensitive materials stored in government safes after that. GSA claimed it took four hours to defeat the Sergeant Green Leaf Combo/Safes we used. The LCPL did it in less than 3 minutes, including time to go get the pick from the jeep.

Seriously, Call a locksmith and get a quote.

[Tackleberry41]

Call a Marine Lance Corporal and tell him to open the safe.

Many years ago in Korea we had a safe that the combination lock failed on for some reason. Tried finding a locksmith from the Army to open it, but there was no way to get them to our location in a timely manner. We had an encrypted communications link that had to have the encryption updated in a few hours, and it was locked in the safe. Had a Lance Corporal who kept saying: "I can open it sir. I can open it sir". Finally after we exhausted all the options I gave Lance Corporal BeeKnots permission to open the safe. He took a pick from the jeep and with one swing took off the Combo Dial and manipulated the dial and popped one the safe. Always made me far more cautious of additional security on Classified and sensitive materials stored in government safes after that. GSA claimed it took four hours to defeat the Sergeant Green Leaf Combo/Safes we used. The LCPL did it in less than 3 minutes, including time to go get the pick from the jeep.

Seriously, Call a locksmith and get a quote.

Yea but marines are specialists in destroying things. We used to joke that you could put a marine in a room w no windows or doors, a rubber ball and an anvil, turn around real quick the anvil would be broke and the ball lost. They quit using the prong flash hider on the M16 due to its use for everything but a flash hider, or that they put that thicker barrel on as we tended to use them as pry bars.

[castalott]

Just like a rig crew joke...the pusher always bought tools in sets of 4....the rig hands would break one, steal one , lose one, and have one to work with...

[Lance Boyle]

Call a Marine Lance Corporal and tell him to open the safe.

Many years ago in Korea we had a safe that the combination lock failed on for some reason. Tried finding a locksmith from the Army to open it, but there was no way to get them to our location in a timely manner. We had an encrypted communications link that had to have the encryption updated in a few hours, and it was locked in the safe. Had a Lance Corporal who kept saying: "I can open it sir. I can open it sir". Finally after we exhausted all the options I gave Lance Corporal BeeKnots permission to open the safe. He took a pick from the jeep and with one swing took off the Combo Dial and manipulated the dial interface and popped open the safe. Always made me far more cautious of additional security on Classified and sensitive materials stored in government safes after that. GSA claimed it took four hours to defeat the Sergeant Green Leaf Combo/Safes we used. The LCPL did it in less than 3 minutes, including time to go get the pick from the jeep.

Seriously, Call a locksmith and get a quote.

LOL, sounds like Lance Corporal BeeKnots got in with a waiver.

[WILCO]

Any suggestions.

Don't get involved. No good deed goes unpunished. Provide a list of Locksmiths and leave it at that.

[Duckiller]

Get a locksmith! They know what they are doing and can open the safe without damaging it. Neighbour got a safe from his father in law, kept the combination in a china cabinet. FIL died, wife cleaned the china cabinet. Locksmith wasn't that expensive and the safe was undamaged.

[hunterldh]

I was the executor for my friend's estate. He left two large high-end upright gun safes that were packed full of firearms. One was his and I found the combination in a safety deposit box. The other had belonged to his father who had recently passed away. I had to pay several hundred dollars to a locksmith to get it opened. He drilled above the combination dial at about a 45° downward angle. I remember him talking about a hardened steel plate being in there to prevent drilling and the angle had to be exact to miss it. He went through a couple of expensive carbide bits during the hour that it took him. After the safe was open the drill chips had to be cleaned out of the mechanism. Part of the service was filling the drilled hole with what looked like auto body filler. Later I sanded that small area smooth and used the factory touch-up paint that I found inside of the safe. It was hard to tell that the drilling had happened, even if you knew the story. Hunter

[wv109323]

If a locksmith is out of the question,check out the web. You can find how to open some safes from the Internet. Usually there is a place to drill where you can can defeat the lock or locking mechanism.
My father bought an old safe box from a church that the combination had been lost. He found out where to drill and opened it. Nothing important inside.

[waarp8nt]

I would say it would depend on the manufacture of the safe. I know the small Century safes sold everywhere from Bills Hardware to Wal-Mart all that is required is serial number off of the safe and a letter signed by a Notary. The letter can be downloaded from the manufactures website...its all going to depend on the manufactures policy.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have opened two safes by simply cutting the back out with a torch. They were cheapies. Once I was inside I took the back off the combination and turned the dial until the first wheel was in place , then turned the dial to the right to line up the next wheel. I then turned to the left and so on. I turned the handle and the safe door opened. There was nothing in either safe but old receipts. I could have welded new backs on the safes but they were not worth the trouble. Many safes or more for fire protection than security. I had one small high dollar wall safe made of very thick steel but I didn't want to try and cut into it so I asked a lock & safe dealer if he could call the MFG and get the combination. I have known him for many years so he called them and got the numbers but they didn't work. I guess the combo had been changed. The man told me the safe sold for about $800. I gave it to a scrape metal man.

[OS OK]

Yea but marines are specialists in destroying things. We used to joke that you could put a marine in a room w no windows or doors, a rubber ball and an anvil, turn around real quick the anvil would be broke and the ball lost. They quit using the prong flash hider on the M16 due to its use for everything but a flash hider, or that they put that thicker barrel on as we tended to use them as pry bars.

A smart Marine would have written his combination on the front next to the dial…"always prepared"...didn't they teach you dummies anything?
It's so you won't forget it and have to suffer through problems like this situation!

Semper Fi…'this side and the other'…charlie

[leeggen]

We had a big safe at work that had not been open in about 30 years. It just sat in the corner and was not used. Boss contacted the mfg. and the faxed the papers to them as requested. We got the combo. but it didn't work we tried a few different combo.First # then changed last # and so on, the last number had been changed and none of the rest. When it opend we found the origanal warrenty and the old combo plus someone was nice enough to leave the changed combo written down on the warrenty. Most mfg will work with you or atleast thru a locksmith to give you the combo.
CD

[Doggonekid]

The safe value should be more than the locksmith. Pay the locksmith and you won't have any damage to the stuff in side and you could keep the safe for yourself. I could easy cost you $1,000 to replace the damaged safe. Not to mention the damage that could happen to what is in side.