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 Combination to open antique safe. Shapleig (sp) St Louis MO
yale combination lock in center. Delicate stripes painted in square on door and front of sides of safe. Interior has a key which I have a duplicate of. Safe original to drugstore which has been closed for over 40 years. I'm 72, think safe was there when I was a child. Combination supposed to be 80 40 20 3 or 80 20 40 3?? no left or right.
Followed directions you gave about combination locks, maybe hand too old and shakey??? The hinges on my right facing safe have decorative scrrewed in finials orig to safe all four screw out easily with a metal rod down inside of hinges. Could this be the last means used to open safe? With Yale lock being opened does this work. Safe very very heavy. Bet door is thick. I want to use the safe not look at it. Help???
Answer Lynn,
I will need digital pictures of the safe to identify it. Evaluation photos should consist of full exterior / interior views, and detail photos of the dial, handles, hinges & acorns, wheels or castors, locks and bolt work, cabinetry, art work and any special details or damage. Photos should be high resolution digital pics, to allow me to zoom in, to study in detail the safe you are requesting evaluation of.
Send the photos of the safe to andy@securitysafeusa.com
Generally, Yales locks will have the following dialing sequence:
4 times right to the first number (80)
3 times left to the second number (40)
2 times right to the third number (20)
1 time left, slowly to stop (around 3)
I don't think that you have a 4 wheel lock as the last number wouldn't be three (3). If it is a 4 wheel lock, then try:
5 times right to the first number (80)
4 times left to the second number (40)
3 times right to the third number (20)
2 times left to the fourth number (3)
1 time right, slowly to stop (around 80)
There are several other variations for combo's that aren't set correctly, for instance in the first dialing sequence above, if you have a 4 wheel lock, but the first two wheels are set on the same number you would change the first line to:
5 times right to the first number (80),
and then continue as in the first example.
Change the numbers accordingly based on your other possible combinations. If it still won't open you may need to have a safe technician check your safe out.
Hopefully these instructions help. Don't forget to send me the pictures of your safe so that I can try to identify it.
