Can't get me old safe open

[Kruel J]

Banging on the hinge side isn't going to do much IMHO.

 

[11Charlie]

Now that @mkwerx has mentioned it I'm really hoping that the thing is just all disjointed from the weight. So I am going to try tweeking it tonight and see if that does the trick.

On the bright side I know that it will keep the smash and grabbers from stealing my ammo!

 

[uscsoldier]

 

[Mark W.]

well the pins on most safes I have ever seen retract into the door. If you bang on the Jam side of the joint it could cause the holes in the jam the pins are protruding into to get even tighter. While banging on the door would cause the holes to enlarge and possibly allow the pins to retract. This would apply to both the strike side or the hinge side as you describe them.

Do your hammer taps on the DOOR only

 

[41mag]

....rent it out to 'Myth Busters' as in-their-face-challenge for a to-be-developed entertaining method of recovering such a prize....

 

[x2ndxall]

You're a big ol boy. With tension on the handle put a solid boot to door. Maybe you stuffed it a little too full and that's what's binding the bolts?

 

[11Charlie]

You're a big ol boy. With tension on the handle put a solid boot to door. Maybe you stuffed it a little too full and that's what's binding the bolts?

I'm afraid to put my weight into things! I might break something

 

[IronMonster]

Don't put too much force on the handle if it does not want to go. Most are designed to shear off if they are forced.


I think banging on it with a big dead blow while working the handle is as good of idea as any. Seems like there is a good chance from what you describe that it's a minor interference issue. If you do feel the need to cut it open use a thin Zip disk on a grinder and cut the top off carefully leaving the side against the wall as a hinge. Once you get in and open you can pretty easy bend the new "lid" back into place and weld it up and still use the thing for Ammo storage. After you sort out what went wrong of course

 

[rick49]

A pic would be helpful. I had a similar problem but there was enough room between the cement floor and the bottom of the safe to get a pallet jack 1/3 the way in. Took the pressure of the front and bingo.

 

[Ownerus]

What style of bolts/lock up does it have? Are there moving bolts on the hinge side or just fixed lugs or interlocking sheet metal? There's one system where the lug is one piece all across the door. When locked it's centered and protrudes across both sides of the door. When unlocked, they slide to the hinge side and allow the other side to open. If something falls into that area on the hinge side it can prevent the bolts from moving far enough to unlock.
Otherwise, like has been mentioned, if the contents are just pressing against the door, it may add enough drag to prevent movement. The handle linkage often doesn't have a lot of mechanical advantage since they dont want it to be able to overpower the lock. If there's no exposed linkage on the inside to be interfered with, pushing back on the door on the side opposite the hinges should be able to relieve pressure on the bolts and allow them to move.

 

[11Charlie]

Don't put too much force on the handle if it does not want to go. Most are designed to shear off if they are forced.


I think banging on it with a big dead blow while working the handle is as good of idea as any. Seems like there is a good chance from what you describe that it's a minor interference issue. If you do feel the need to cut it open use a thin Zip disk on a grinder and cut the top off carefully leaving the side against the wall as a hinge. Once you get in and open you can pretty easy bend the new "lid" back into place and weld it up and still use the thing for Ammo storage. After you sort out what went wrong of course

Thats a great idea as well thanks Iron!

 

[11Charlie]

Lots of great idea's that is why I love this forum. I was so mad last night I just wanted to use some tannerite on the thing.

I will keep you all up to date on what happen's.

 

[Kruel J]

My prediction is you're going to give it a few smacks with a sledge and it's gonna open right up. Then you'll say "Gee that Kruejl is one fart smeller!"

 

[ikemay]

I'm afraid to put my weight into things! I might break something

Yeah, I've seen you and your wife dance. You are a large lad.

 

[Caveman Jim]

UH YA! There is probably about $2500 worth of ammo most .308 and .556 in it!!

Opener fee?

Good luck getting it open man.

 

[ikemay]

Ok, one thing you could try. It obviously is out of square. Put a level across the top directly over the door, left to right as you are facing the door. See which side is lower. Try to knock a shim under the low side to see if you can square it enough to open the door. Might not be enough room between the safe and the floor for a shim, hopefully there's a little room there. Now, if you bolted it to the floor, this probably won't work. But if it' only bolted to the wall, it might work.

 

[AMT]

Did you have to push the door (into your ammo cans) to close and lock the door pins into place?

The ammo cans could now be pushing outwards creating friction on the door pins.

Have you tried pushing against the door inward (top, side, bottom) while turning the handle? That might free up enough friction to allow the pins to open up into the door.

Similar to the locking steering wheel on your car. If you insert your key and the key wont turn, wiggle the wheel to free-up that "locking" pin in the steering wheel. Then the key turns freely.

Maybe?

 

[x2ndxall]

Did you have to push the door (into your ammo cans) to close and lock the door pins into place?

The ammo cans could now be pushing outwards creating friction on the door pins.

Have you tried pushing against the door inward (top, side, bottom) while turning the handle? That might free up enough friction to allow the pins to open up into the door.

Similar to the locking steering wheel on your car. If you insert your key and the key wont turn, wiggle the wheel to free-up that "locking" pin in the steering wheel. Then the key turns freely.

Maybe?

A more elegant way of saying what my simple self was thinking.
Easiest thing to start the process of elimination.

 

[11Charlie]

The shim idea is a good one as well. It is bolted to the floor but its bolted in the middle so I might be able to get a shim under the corner.

 

[johnny bob]

Otherwise, like has been mentioned, if the contents are just pressing against the door, it may add enough drag to prevent movement. The handle linkage often doesn't have a lot of mechanical advantage since they dont want it to be able to overpower the lock. If there's no exposed linkage on the inside to be interfered with, pushing back on the door on the side opposite the hinges should be able to relieve pressure on the bolts and allow them to move.

If you can get to the back side of the safe I was wondering if clamping the door shut would help. If the contents inside are pressing the door outward would a short 2x4 block across/aligned/near the non hinge side of the door and a pair of furniture/cabinet makers clamps put some pressure on the door to close it and give the latch bolts some relief?