rompom Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 My bag was stolen from a pub recently. It contained my keys which had my gunsafe key on it. Luckily there was nothing with my address in the bag but it was my only key (I know, I know, I should have known better!) What's the best way to get in? Is there any way to get the front panel replaced without damaging the body? If it's a case of calling the locksmith, what should I expect to pay? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayman Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Contact the safe's manufacture for advice is the first call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danddo Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Contacting the maker is good advice, what I would say is once you have it open I would seriously consider getting the locks replaced. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webber Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 A while ago I needed to get into a gun safe in which the lock had jammed. A friend of mine is a master locksmith. He sent one of his men down, within 30 minutes he was in, no damage done. It cost me £45, money well spent. I would therefore suggest that you contact a member of the Master Locksmiths Guild. These men are properly trained and qualified, unlike many who advertise in Yellow Pages etc. webber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covlocks Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 The manufacturers will not keep a record of the keys - no help there. Yes, you will need a locksmith who can pick a 7 lever lock - do not just get one of the 5 day trained wonders out of yellow pages - they will appear with a drill in their hand and screw up your gun safe. When you call up tell them its a NDE job only - and you will only pay on results. Downside - depending on your cabinet - its going to cost you a minimum of £120 to get it opened without damage, then you will want keys cut or a new lock. Wave goodbye to around £200 total. Weigh that up against the cost of a new cabinet. To open it yourselve is pretty easy - but it will destroy the door unless you are a good welder. The way in is fairly obvious - but if you can not see it PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covlocks Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 A while ago I needed to get into a gun safe in which the lock had jammed. I appreciate that the jammed lock was "unjammed" and you got "mates rates" to sort it. But £45 is not the going rate to open a 7 lever double bitted lock where the keys are lost. With a jammed lock its just a matter of sorting out either a worn key or stuck wafers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesbach Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Downside - depending on your cabinet - its going to cost you a minimum of £120 to get it opened without damage, then you will want keys cut or a new lock. Wave goodbye to around £200 total. Weigh that up against the cost of a new cabinet. To open it yourselve is pretty easy - but it will destroy the door unless you are a good welder. The way in is fairly obvious - but if you can not see it PM me. you can get a new cabinet for less than this price..one wordto get in...GRINDER! (after doing it, carefully mind, you could take it to local blacksmith to reweld, probably half the cost of either locksmith or new cabinet then!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covlocks Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 you could take it to local blacksmith to reweld Taking a grinder to it is both messy and un-necessary, then outside of a cowboy town, blacksmiths who will drop everything to cut up a repair patch, cut a new keyhole in that patch, weld it in place and then charge you peanuts, are rarer than pigeon teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Contact the manufacturer - I broke a key in my cabinet a couple of years ago with the end of the key jammed inside it - Quick phone call to Bratton and they e mailed me instructions to break into it - 5 minutes later the cabinet was open. Had to pay a tenner for a new lock which i fitted myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Get a hair clip and then watch 007 for a week and you should able just open it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmax55 Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 it would proberly be cheaper to cut your way in and replace the box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ550Kevlar Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Do the hollywood thing, get a mate round with a shotgun or a rifle and shoot the lock out that always seems to work. Either that or let me at it with some det cord, soon have the door open and i`ll even get it off the wall for you at the same time. seriously though just out of interest when you do get it open by whichever means could you post the cost and method on here?? isn`t going to be the last time it has happened and could be a good guide as to whether to destroy the cabinet or attempt a rescue based on the cost you pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 Contact the manufacturer - I broke a key in my cabinet a couple of years ago with the end of the key jammed inside it - Quick phone call to Bratton and they e mailed me instructions to break into it - 5 minutes later the cabinet was open. Had to pay a tenner for a new lock which i fitted myself. Is it not just me who finds that worrying? I could get in much quicker with a 9" grinder but it shouldn't be so easy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 (edited) What worries me is the fact that the members on this forum are so eager and willing to hand out tips on how to break into safes to someone who hasn't even reached 50 post count. Yes it cold be legit, but you are providing potential criminals with the knowledge they need to open safes. Edited August 27, 2010 by Dancake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatstand Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 How to open a seven lever gun safe lock. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc4c5TRPo00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artschool Posted August 27, 2010 Report Share Posted August 27, 2010 (edited) What worries me is the fact that the members on this forum are so eager and willing to hand out tips on how to break into safes to someone who hasn't even reached 50 post count. Yes it cold be legit, but you are providing potential criminals with the knowledge they need to open safes. lol, i was thinking the same thing. i imagined the OP wearing a black and white stripy top with an eye mask, holding the household laptop whilst crouching next to a safe of course he would need an extra long swag bag. Edited August 27, 2010 by artschool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rompom Posted August 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 lol, i was thinking the same thing. i imagined the OP wearing a black and white stripy top with an eye mask, holding the household laptop whilst crouching next to a safe of course he would need an extra long swag bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rompom Posted August 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2010 Thanks very much for all the ideas, guys. At £120 - £200 I'd definitely be better off buying another 2nd hand, so I will give the manufacturer a call to see what their advice is and let you know how I get on. Hopefully I won't need to resort to an angle grinder! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covlocks Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 What worries me is the fact that the members on this forum are so eager and willing to hand out tips on how to break into safes to someone who hasn't even reached 50 post count. Yes it cold be legit, but you are providing potential criminals with the knowledge they need to open safes. None of the tips given in this thread will tell a would be thief how to break into your gun "cabinet" other that what is total common sense. Very few of you have gun "safes" just cabinets, and these cabinets are what we describe as a lockable biscuit tins, that anyone with a little time can get into, or if they want, rip off the wall (you dont think that a few rawbolts are going to stop a decent crowbar surely). A Gun Safe is a whole different ball game, its made of concrete encased with thick hardened steel, has fail safe locks that will lock the thing perminently if you try drilling, hitting or otherwise tampering with it, and only a specialist will attempt to open it. You could move it of course but a set of rollers and a hiyab is the minimum you will need. For cabinets, as for anyone getting ideas from a video on opening a 7 lever lock, well thats as good as watching someone on TV opening a safe with a thermic lance. First you have to get the equipment, and most importantly, even if you get some instructions off the internet, you just 'aint going to do it without a whole lot of practice. What we were trying to do is draw a balance between opening a cabinet, where the keys are lost, and buying a new one for a little over £100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixer1 Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 (edited) Dynamite....make sure you plug your ears with your fingers..... Edited August 31, 2010 by gixer1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 For cabinets, as for anyone getting ideas from a video on opening a 7 lever lock, well thats as good as watching someone on TV opening a safe with a thermic lance. First you have to get the equipment, and most importantly, even if you get some instructions off the internet, you just 'aint going to do it without a whole lot of practice. That's a very good point. I've spent hours playing woth lock picks and I'd still struggle to get into anything decent. It's quite a skillful task when quality locks are involved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 Youc could always get one of your guns out and shoot the lock through... oh wait, sorry..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashman Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 Always best to tape the spare key to the underside of the safe. Hey presto, no worries if you lose your other key... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 I'd love to see how you get into a brattonsound easily in 10 minutes, I had an old one I left at a previous address and lost the key, managed to crowbar the door. As for an anglegrinder that'll put sparks all round the inside of the cabinet as well so really not a good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beretta28g Posted August 31, 2010 Report Share Posted August 31, 2010 id have thought that hacksaw the corners would gain enoughto get a lever in then hey presto. Personally id prefer to enlarge the keyholes then fiddle/hacksaw/unbolt the lock(i think mines bolted to the door :blink: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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