Safe won't unlock

[joken]

My safe with a mechanical combination lock will not unlock. I'm curious if anyone else has had this problem and how it was resolved. When I turn the dial to the left a few turns to start, I feel normal resistance to the first number and then the dial feels like it is free-wheeling for lack of a better term. The lock is a LG

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[gsparesa]

Your not suppose to touch your guns while drinking.
I've only had two safes in my life. The first one was a Liberty Franklin which came with a mechanical lock. I quickly upgraded it to a digital lock. Never had any problems with the mechanical lock though. My new safe I purchased last year is a Liberty Lincoln. It came with a digital lock. Liberty gives a lifetime warranty on their safes. If it has a mechanical lock, Liberty will warrant that lock. However, if the safe has a digital lock they wont give you a lifetime warranty for the digital lock. I paid extra to get the lifetime warranty for the digital lock. Who makes your safe? Maybe its time for a new safe?

 

[joken]

Your not suppose to touch your guns while drinking.
I've only had two safes in my life. The first one was a Liberty Franklin which came with a mechanical lock. I quickly upgraded it to a digital lock. Never had any problems with the mechanical lock though. My new safe I purchased last year is a Liberty Lincoln. It came with a digital lock. Liberty gives a lifetime warranty on their safes. If it has a mechanical lock, Liberty will warrant that lock. However, if the safe has a digital lock they wont give you a lifetime warranty for the digital lock. I paid extra to get the lifetime warranty for the digital lock. Who makes your safe? Maybe its time for a new safe?

I just bought another safe recently from Costco. I suspect both safes are Chinese. The one that won't unlock has a LG lock

 

[gsparesa]

I just bought another safe recently from Costco. I suspect both safes are Chinese. The one that won't unlock has a LG lock

You know the old adage, "You pay for what you get." Your next purchase should be American. Pay once, cry once. The only reason I replaced the Franklin with the Lincoln, it was easier and cheaper to sell the Franklin when I moved.

 

[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[SrMachoSolo]

After giving it a lot of rotations reset it, I'd smack it with a hammer to get things motivated. Maybe part of the mechanism inside is stuck.

If that doesn't work...


-Robert

 

[Hop Sing]

After giving it a lot of rotations reset it, I'd smack it with a hammer to get things motivated. Maybe part of the mechanism inside is stuck.

If that doesn't work...
View attachment 1141261

-Robert

What he said! Like motorcycle transmissions occasionally do, sometimes the mechanisms go into a neutral place, much like you described.

 

[joken]

After giving it a lot of rotations reset it, I'd smack it with a hammer to get things motivated. Maybe part of the mechanism inside is stuck.

If that doesn't work...
View attachment 1141261

-Robert

I have tried that a number of times, no luck. Thanks

 

[joken]

I'll get a chunk of 2x4 and a bigger hammer

 

[Member 34319]

The wheels might be getting loose or just be sloppy. Most are made of plastic these days, especially inexpensive LG locks. I doubt you have copper wheels or cast aluminum.

I'd start by going 1 number past your combo on 1 of the numbers. Try that for all 3, not all at once. IE 1 past in the 1st regular on the last 2. Then 1 past in the 2nd. If that doesn't work, go to one past on 2/3 combo numbers. Then all 3.

 

[USMC1911]

You know the old adage, "You pay for what you get." Your next purchase should be American. Pay once, cry once. The only reason I replaced the Franklin with the Lincoln, it was easier and cheaper to sell the Franklin when I moved.

No offense but acting like a digital lock from Liberty is not full of Chinese parts is laughable.

 

[Flopsweat]

Have you tried bumping? Also called bouncing. This is where you pull the handle (or the wheel) while smacking the top of the safe with a BFH. It is supposed to work on cheaper safes, just as it does on cheap padlocks.

I presume you've already tried swearing loudly while kicking the front of the safe.

 

[gsparesa]

No offense but acting like a digital lock from Liberty is not full of Chinese parts is laughable.

You might be right, but I have never had a problem with my Liberty safes. But now that I said that...
No, you are right. I checked and the SecuRam ProLogic lock is made in China. I'm humbled now. I guess nothing is totally made in the USA, even Harley Davidson motorcycles.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Drill a little hole in the top and fill it with water so the grinder doesn't set everything in there on fire.





Lool

 

[Member 34319]

I would NOT hit the safe with anything. Especially the dial. The dial is not the lock. It's merely a mechanism to control the lock through the door. They are made purposely to break when manipulated incorrectly. Hitting it could break it, and then your really gonna need a locksmith.

My bet is still sloppy combo wheels. LG has a broad spectrum of locks on the market. The cheapest tend to have plastic combo wheels. They are notorious for having slop and or warped gates from frequent opening. When each combo wheel aligns the bolts arm falls into place then the dial pulls the bolt inward allowing the doors locking mechanism to move freely. These plastic wheels warp over the strain of a strong twist of the hand when unlocking on the last combo number.

Simpler terms, it can mean the the combination opens up a bit. IE a 47 becomes a 46 and so forth.

 

[Flopsweat]

I would NOT hit the safe with anything. Especially the dial. The dial is not the lock. It's merely a mechanism to control the lock through the door. They are made purposely to break when manipulated incorrectly. Hitting it could break it, and then your really gonna need a locksmith.

My bet is still sloppy combo wheels. LG has a broad spectrum of locks on the market. The cheapest tend to have plastic combo wheels. They are notorious for having slop and or warped gates from frequent opening. When each combo wheel aligns the bolts arm falls into place then the dial pulls the bolt inward allowing the doors locking mechanism to move freely. These plastic wheels warp over the strain of a strong twist of the hand when unlocking on the last combo number.

Simpler terms, it can mean the the combination opens up a bit. IE a 47 becomes a 46 and so forth.

View attachment 1141721

I wouldn't hit the lock with anything, but the "safe" (RSC) itself should be able to handle a kick or a smack.

 

[Alexx1401]

If all else fails call a Smith of course. Not sure what one costs to come to you these days. Weigh that to what the safe is worth and do you really want to keep it after this? If it was me? I would just cut one side or back off, take out the guns, haul it to the dump. Assuming its old enough that the maker will not cover it? If you decided to scrap it a sawsall with carbide blade would do best. They do slow enough to not make a mess inside. Would not take too long to cut a large enough chunk out to get the guns out of it.

 

[Flopsweat]

If all else fails call a Smith of course. Not sure what one costs to come to you these days. Weigh that to what the safe is worth and do you really want to keep it after this? If it was me? I would just cut one side or back off, take out the guns, haul it to the dump. Assuming its old enough that the maker will not cover it? If you decided to scrap it a sawsall with carbide blade would do best. They do slow enough to not make a mess inside. Would not take too long to cut a large enough chunk out to get the guns out of it.

An axe is more fun though.

 

[Alexx1401]

An axe is more fun though.

The thought of the guy going at it with an ax while turning the air blue will have me laughing as I drive to work

 

[RicInOR]

There are a couple of U-Tuby channels dedicated to stuff like this

LockPickingLawyer for one.

Mr. Locksmith for another.



good luck