AboutTerry Andreasen (Andy) Expertise Safe and Vault related Questions;
Antique Safe Repair and Restoration;
With over 37 years in the Safe & Vault industry, if I can't answer your question I know where to get the answer.
Current Project: Restoration of three, 36 ton steel vault doors and drop floors, in the old Federal Reserve Building, San Francisco.
Experience 37 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
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
Awards and Honors Retired US Army, with many decorations and awards from Vietnam, Desert Storm and Op Iraqi Freedom.
Past/Present Clients Secret Service, FBI, Dept. of Homeland Defense, US Army, US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Marine Corps, Lawerence Livermore National Lab, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, various local banks, credit unions, state agencies, Jewelers, and many commercial and residential customers.
Service Area is Northern California (Fresno to Oregon and Western Nevada)
QUESTION: hi andy, My name is Irene,i'm trying to help my friend, she is the widow, lives on disability, very nice lady and she desperately need help!we need help to open Brinks Fire Safe Model 5059 is now called a Honeywell Model 2054( i found on the web).we have the key(not the combination), but since the combination was never set,it got locked by rotating the dial keys somehow.I try many combinations, couldnt open... The safe content , mostly important papers,documents, disability card, SS card, etc., i'm afraid to cut or drill the safe open at the my brother car garage - it will spark the fire and we can loose all the documents! what would you reccomend? Thank you,irene.
Answer Irene,
Well you have a couple of choices, first I recommend that you have a safe technician open the safe for you. This will be the least destructive method and you will still have the safe to use later. Unfortunately this method will probably cost $350-$450 to open & repair.
The second method, which I don't recommend, would be for you to open it yourself. The safe is just a fire resistive safe, not a burglary resistive safe. The material in the walls of the safe are thin sheet metal and some type of fire resistive material (gypsum or mortar). You could also use a small sledge hammer and a couple of pry bars to rip the safe open.
Again, I don't recommend this method. If you elect to open it your self use all appropriate safety techniques and equipment to protect your self from injury. If you are worried about the contents don't use a cutting torch. If you use a rotary saw, to not allow over penetration which may also damage your documents.
Remember that a trip to the hospital may far exceed the cost that a safe technician would have charged you initially.
Bottom line, I recommend that you contact a local safe company to open the safe for you.
