Scully Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Lost my keys to the above last weekend ( have a spare set which I have hidden somewhere REALLY safe! ) so after turning the house upside down and no joy decided yesterday enough was enough and I was going to have to bite the bullet and get it opened. Phoned up a local locksmith who took one look at it and said 'that's a handgun cabinet, not your ordinary ammo cabinet'. 'You're correct' says I; 'how do you know?' 'I shoot practical pistol and used to have one just like it.' And then with the practised ease of a car mechanic he sucked in a huge lungful of air before shaking his head and telling me it wasn't going to be easy. Turns out he moved up here from Surrey where he used to shoot pistol at Bisley but now travels to somewhere in Croatia where he still does. Anyhow, after the best part of two hours, and despite having all the gear we were still looking at an undeniably locked cabinet. 'Can you drill through the back?' asks I. 'If we can get it off the wall?' 'Yep', says he. So off to work I go for reciprocator and 110 gear, and two hours and three blades later ( am not going to tell boss ) we got it off the wall. Maybe another hour later lock is unbolted from inside via keyhole surgery and hey presto door is opened. I now look forward to finding my spare set of keys! My question now is, bearing in mind how long it took a professional to get in it, and despite having a 10p sized hole in the back (which will be covered once re-affixed to wall ) has the integrity of this cabinet now been compromised? I don't consider it has, but there again I'm biased as it is me who will have to fork out for a new one, and will be contacting the NGO for their opinion but would welcome the opinions of those on PW. Anyone else had a similar experience? Edited October 18, 2014 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Don,t know about the cabinet integrity, as it is on the back fastened to the wall a plate welded over the hole should suffice or a washer with a smooth bolt head on the outside and then a lock nut on the inside to seal the hole. You might want to consider changing the locks or lock barrels if you can,t find the lost set. Edited October 18, 2014 by loriusgarrulus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun4860 Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Cant you just weld a plate over the hole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Don,t know about the cabinet integrity, as it is on the back fastened to the wall a plate welded over the hole should suffice. You might want to consider changing the locks or lock barrels if you can,t find the lost set. He took safe with him as he is going to order and fit new locks and keys to go with it and get it all done hopefully while I'm on holiday. I'm assuming he's going to weld a patch over the hole so didn't ask, but you're right, I should ring and ask to make sure. Cant you just weld a plate over the hole? Sorry, you replied while I was typing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm a bit puzzled why you think may be compromised. Fix it back on the wall and with a new lock nobody would ever know, and sounds more secure than needed for an ammo safe anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm a bit puzzled why you think may be compromised. The more I think about it I think you may be right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 They would only see the hole if they got the safe off the wall. Would they not then just take the whole safe ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 What's to say the locksmith won't make himself a spare key? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 They would only see the hole if they got the safe off the wall. Would they not then just take the whole safe ?? Yes, again, you're right. Think I let myself get too concerned about the fact it had actually been broken into, and although I did say I personally didn't think it had been compromised, thinking about it now I would have given the same advice I have been given if it had been someone else. Nevermind, it's not the first time I've made a divvy of myself; I'm sure it wont be the last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 What's to say the locksmith won't make himself a spare key? Nothing really I suppose, though I think he would be number 1 suspect if stuff went missing from it. Let's face it, he couldn't pick it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 What's to say the locksmith won't make himself a spare key? I suppose the same could be said for every safe maker/supplier and their employees who, after all, have your name and address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'd say you more than safe just to bolt it back on the wall with a new lock fitted, if a cheap B&Q job is accepted, a little hole will be fine it's against a solid wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 You haven't made a divvy of yourself mate, no harm in asking questions even if just a bit of reassurance is all that's needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Juicer Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Its the whole cabinet they will steal and open it at their leisure. Weld over will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Yes, again, you're right. Think I let myself get too concerned about the fact it had actually been broken into, and although I did say I personally didn't think it had been compromised, thinking about it now I would have given the same advice I have been given if it had been someone else. Nevermind, it's not the first time I've made a divvy of myself; I'm sure it wont be the last. Don't worry about it. We put stuff on hear. sort of thinking out loud. I'm sure if you had sat and thought about it you would have come up with the same answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Thanks all folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Hands up all those who thought Scully was going to say that he found the spare keys.................... when the cabinet was opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapid rich Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 (edited) How much did locksmith charge you ? Callout plus time plus welding and new lock and keys may be cost of a new safe?? Rich Edited October 19, 2014 by rapid rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 £50 plus new locks and keys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapid rich Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 £50 plus new locks and keys. Couldn't be bad to that. Well worth doing. I shouldn't think a patch welded on back and safe rebolted to wall will be a problem. Atb Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 I have a couple of cheap electronic safes. Yours (with the hole) is a damn sight more secure than mine. Have you seen the potato video? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markhoward13 Posted October 22, 2014 Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Could you not put a 10mm raw bolt through the hole and use it as a extra fixing. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2014 Could you not put a 10mm raw bolt through the hole and use it as a extra fixing. Mark Hadn't thought of that, I probably could. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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