Safe maintenance

[Marauder2003]

Sounds like a good experiment marauder!
Let us know how that goes? [emoji38]


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[golfish]

Converting a good mechanical lock to a digital or biometric thingamabob is NOT an upgrade.

Get a Smith out to service the lock and you should be good for years to come.

This is a very wise post

[smoothy8500]

Converting a good mechanical lock to a digital or biometric thingamabob is NOT an upgrade.

True. Electronic locks fail without warning. A mechanical lock will give you plenty of indications that it needs service or replacement.

[TurboChrisB]

I have always wondered about fingerprint sensors. What happens if you get a cut across the pad of your finger?

Well on this particular set up....you can have up to five finger prints stored. I have my thumb and index finger stored...AND it has a keypad so I can open it with a number.

Additionally, to enter a new fingerprint or to delete the old ones...you get into programing mode by entering a code. Not using a fingerprint. So worst case, I just delete the old fingerprints and enter new ones using other fingers.

[TurboChrisB]

Converting a good mechanical lock to a digital or biometric thingamabob is NOT an upgrade.

BS, it's absolutely an upgrade for me. My eyes are getting old and it's hard for me to read the dial in any kind of low light condition and without my glasses? Forget about it.

Put my finger on it and 1.5 seconds later I'm in the safe. If that's not an upgrade I don't know what is.

[smoothy8500]

I dunno, A quick search on YouTube brought up a dozen videos of electronic lock failures...won't open, don't accept code, master code denied, etc, etc.

I agree that having to get my glasses to open the safe is a pain. I might only trust electronic lock for a smaller safe in the house for immediate protection and uses regular combination lock for the main safe.

[mikeyr]

a safe is a emergency tool that stores other emergency tools. If something needs batteries, it is no longer a emergency tool and it becomes one more thing that might not work when you need it. Stay with a good ol combo lock.

Go with biometric or keypad for your day to day firearm storage if you want, but I would never convert to digital/battery on a safe.

[Term]

BS, it's absolutely an upgrade for me. My eyes are getting old and it's hard for me to read the dial in any kind of low light condition and without my glasses? Forget about it.

Put my finger on it and 1.5 seconds later I'm in the safe. If that's not an upgrade I don't know what is.

Ive seen mechanical devices that last more than a century.
Electronics cant touch that reliability.

[TrailerparkTrash]

I really like S&G dial locks on safes. No batteries required. But they do wear with use internally. Mine started an issue where it wasn’t opening after daily use and “hard” spins. I called a locksmith after I finally got it open and kept it open. I was afraid I wouldn’t be a lot to open it again. The locksmith looked inside and said, “this lock mechanism has seen some severe use!” I told him I use it daily and spin it hard and fast. He advised to take it easy and not slam the dial on its final spin where it “stops.”

He lubed it, tightened some things (or whatever locksmiths do in there, I don’t know becasue I’m not a locksmith) and made it all reliable again. Never had an issue since and I don’t spin the dial hard anylonger. He did tell me that those S&G lock do require “some” maintenance every so many years.

[Garbcollector]

When I bought my safe biometric wasn't even an option

[Robert1234]

You can buy an S&G lock on Amazon for like $88.00.

There's cats on YouTube who have done the install, and it's apparently not a huge issue.

Not sure what a locksmith/safecracker charges to do maintenance, but if it's more than $100.00, I'd be replacing the old lock.

That said, I have two safes, a Sturdy Safe from 2006 and an old data safe (1.1" thick sides, top, bottom, and back, 1.6" thick door, 34" H x 30" deep x 30" wide, like 1,800 lbs) from I have no idea when, and, but it's old, and both locks work perfectly, both S&G. They're pretty durable if you're not spinning them too vigorously, but as stated they have moving parts, and will eventually begin to wear. How long they'll last before this starts happening is a mystery to me, hopefully a good long time.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002EDF466?pf_rd_r=25C7WDEQ6NWM9S73ADCT&pf_rd_p=1ab92b69-98d7-4842-a89b-ad387c54783f&pd_rd_r=44613193-35dd-4ead-9bb6-8addce5b66d5&pd_rd_w=Zd62p&pd_rd_wg=aoEd5&ref_=pd_gw_unk

[sonofeugene]

Converting a good mechanical lock to a digital or biometric thingamabob is NOT an upgrade.

Get a Smith out to service the lock and you should be good for years to come.

I agree. One should always have a mechanical means to get into the safe. Biometric and electronic alone is a bad idea.

[FAS1]

One of the benefits of a mechanical dial is it will usually warn you that something isn't quite right, and if you don't ignore it chances are slim you'll get locked out.

On the other hand, the electronic lock shows no mercy when it decides to fail. I certainly see how the electronic version can be easier to use, especially as my eyes are starting to struggle as I get older. I just can't bring myself to trust it enough over a dial. My big safe isn't for quick access either.

[Fate]

Another vote for mechanical. Luddites united.

[Manofmayhem]

I just replaced my 10 year old SecuRam electronic pad with an S&G mechanical. It took an hour and was worth it, I haven't had an issue with the electronic but I started to get a bad feeling about its reliability.