....

[thospb]

I have my safe serviced as often as I have my wife serviced - I do it myself.

[Carsgunsandchics]

I have my safe serviced every time I bring my pet rock to the vet.

[Vladimir]

I'm guessing its a lube and....??? Maybe a check too see if anything is worn?

[SonofWWIIDI]

Just another way to get money out of your pocket. Since they last so long, they need another way to keep the profit coming in.

With other products, especially these days, planned obsolescence is a given. We accept it in electronics, automobiles, kitchen appliances, etc. I'm sure we've all heard/said the phrase; "they don't make em like they used to!"

Would you buy a safe if you knew that in 5-7 years it was gonna break down?

[joemama]

I'm guessing its a lube and....??? Maybe a check too see if anything is worn?

If thats the case then these dealers are selling themselves short, should be at least charging a $250 assessment fee prior to the $130 service fee.

[BroncoBob]

I service my safe each time I open it

[holyhandgrenade]

Everything mechanical needs to be serviced from time to time, why would a safe lock be any different?
Im by no means a safe expert but I do know a bit. The only thing that allows your safe to open are a few pieces of brass, about the size of a pencil lead, attached to wheels. Every time the dial is spun these nubs of brass collide with one another. If you open the safe often enough, or spin the dial hard enough, you can cause the lock to fail eventually. How quickly, who knows. It all depends on how much use and/or abuse it gets. Spinning the dial quickly or with a lot of force will increase the likelihood of problems later on. Again, you're slamming two tiny pieces of brass together. If you're really rough with your safe Id recommend getting it looked at, having to do an opening because of a failed lock is not a road you want to go down.

As I understand it, a typical safe service includes disassembling the lock, cleaning and inspecting components (replacing as necessary), lubricating the lock, reassembling, and recomboing the lock.

Again, how often this needs to be done depends on use. I would guess 3 years for a typical gun owner is a bit excessive. I dont know enough to venture a guess as to what the proper interval would be though.

And just for the record, $130 for a safe service is more than fair, if not on the cheap side. All the safe techs I know of would charge more. This work is specialized and cant be done by just anyone, nor would you want it to be.

[unusedusername]

While I agree that everything mechanical needs to be serviced eventually, some safe designs are require more service then others.

My safe is definitely not opened by 2 small pieces of brass.

My understanding of how mine works is that it is opened by a small microcontroller controlling the action of a battery powered electromagnet acting on a spring retained metal bar which functions as a deadbolt on a larger bar that also functions as a deadbolt to the bar that is attached to the spokes that pull back the deadbolts that hold the door closed.

All that can be done to "service" my safe is to take off the door panel and oil the spring occasionally to ward off rusting and keep the 9v battery fresh in the keypad...

Start at 1:15 for video of the innards:


Also:

I have my safe serviced as often as I have my wife serviced - I do it myself.

I'm hoping this means you are OCD about servicing your safe multiple times a day...

[G-forceJunkie]

Can't comment on the mechanical lock, but its a good idea to pull the door off occationally and grease all the contact points. There are alot of sliding and rotary friction points in all the bolts and what not. I notice my safe handle getting stiffer over the years and greasing the friction points make it like new again.

[elsolo]

Last one I took the door off to change the combo, the guts were all steel, no brass.

[50BMGBOB]

I have had mine for years but I don't open it daily. It also has double doors with two locks so If one fails, I can access thru the other to repair by myself. That being said, how much does it cost to get any service person to come to your house? Just to get them to you house even if they don't do much cost money.

[jyo]

I've had my safe for over 25 years and it still works just like it always has...

[desertjosh]

My safe is from the 70s and has never been serviced. Its a sargent and greenleaf lock FWIW.

[BBJohnnyT]

You're contents are far more at risk from the minimum wage kid they hired ogling and remembering the contents when he's at your place to "service" your safe than from the mechanism or hinges failing from lack of servicing them.

[robcoe]

I'm guessing its a lube and....??? Maybe a check too see if anything is worn?

With the kind of service you would be getting, you will definitely need the lube, though it will probably cost extra.