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Antique Safes/Opening the Safe

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Expert: - 6/13/2011


Question
Julius Bing Safe
Julius Bing Safe
My dad was given this Julius Bing Co. safe by a friend that found it in an old storage unit.  I only have the one image because I have not been able to get it open.  Is there any special secret to opening this safe.  I don't have the combination, and I really can't afford to have an expert come out.  Any information would be appreciated.

Answer
Kate,

First question:  Why do you think that this is a "Julius Bing Safe"?

The "Julius Bing Safe Company" was a distributor not a manufacturer.  Also while this safe says Detroit Safe Company, it appears to be made by the Syracuse Safe Company!

The "secret" to opening the safe would be knowing the combination.  If you don't know the combination you have two options you can try the 1,000,000 possible combinations or you can have a safe technician open the safe for you.

If you try 500 combinations every day, it will only take 5.5 years to try all of them, hopefully though you will find the correct combo before you spend the whole 5.5 years.

The dialing sequence for this lock is:

4 times left to the first number,
3 times right to the second number,
2 times left to the third number,
1 time right slowly until the dial stops.

NOTE:  left is counter clockwise, right is clockwise.  DO NOT count the revolutions of the dial, count the individual number as it arrives at the 12 o'clock index mark.

Cost to have your safe opened and the combination recovered should be between $350 to $500, and shouldn't cause any damage.  While the safe technician may have to drill a stragegically placed small hole to decode the lock, there should be no damage as parts are not available.  The small hole can be easily repaired.

While I understand that money is tight, these are your two options.  If you can't afford it, then just move it out of the way until you can, in the mean time you can make up a spread sheet with all the possible combos and dial away.  You may find the combo and not have to pay an expert!

Sorry, I wish the news was better, but if the safe was really easy to get into, they wouldn't have called them "safes"!

Andy

Terry V Andreasen (Andy)

Expertise

Safe and Vault related Questions; Antique Safe Repair and Restoration; With over 40 years in the Safe & Vault industry, if I can't answer your question I know where to get the answer. Current Project: Restoration of two Tilton & McFarland Safes from the 1860's. Will answer Safe & Vault related questions concerning age, value, restoration, moving, opening & repairing, parts, operation and history. Note: It is not my intention to teach you to open safes or to provide information which may aid in the unlawful opening of a safe. I will not give out drill points or information which I deem inappropriate.

Experience

40 years in the Safe & Vault Industry. Service Manager for one of the largest Safe & Vault companies on the West Coast. Graduate of Lockmasters Safe Lock Servicing, Safe lock Manipulation and Safe Deposit Lock Courses. Graduate of Locksmith Institute. Certified Instructor for the California Locksmith Association teaching Basic and Advanced Lock Servicing, Basic Safe opening and Repairing. Factory Trained by AMSEC, LORD Safes, LeFebure, Mosler, KabaMas, LaGard and Sargent & Greenleaf

Organizations
Safecrackers International and the National Antique Safe Association

Education/Credentials
Graduate of Locksmith Institute 1972 Graduate Lockmasters Safe Lock Servicing 1974 Graduate Lockmasters Safe Lock Manipulation 1975 Graduate Lockmasters Safe Deposit Lock Servicing 1985 Instructor Certified - California Locksmith Association - 1985 Factory trained by AMSEC, MAJOR, STAR, Johnson-Pacific, Kaba-MAS, Allied-Gary, ISM, Lord, Brown Safe, EXL, Mosler, Diebold.

Awards and Honors
2009, 2010 & 2011 Listed in AllExperts top 50 Experts. All Experts Categories - Safes & Security Containers, Locksmithing, Antique Safes. Retired US Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), with 32 years of total service. With numerous awards from Vietnam, Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. US Navy - 1971-1981 US Army Reserve 1984-2006 US Army Retired Reserve 2006-present

Past/Present Clients
US Secret Service, FBI, BATF, Local Law enforcment agencies, Diebold, Hamilton Pacific, Red Hawk Int., Chubb International, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, Mechanics Bank, El Dorado Savings Bank, many Credit unions and smaller banks. McDonalds, Togos, BurgerKing, TacoBell, Carls Jr. FoodMaxx, SaveMart, Lucky's, Albertson's, Raley's, Safeway, NobHill, Bell Markets, PW Markets. Great America, Century Theatres, Cinemark Theatres, UA Cinemas, and many homeowners and small businesses. Provide warranty service for lock and safe manufactures. Service area is Northern California - Fresno to Oregon, including western Nevada

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