There was a huge semi-annual neighborhood sale last Saturday 10/7. I've never walked away disappointed and this time was no exception. The sheer number of not only homes, but also different neighborhoods participating is a bit overwhelming. The find of the day was a SENTRY F2300 Firebox Safe with NO KEY. The thing was marked $1 so I thought 'what the hell, I'll figure it out later.' The guy selling it looked a little shady and was a big burly guy with close cropped hair and a full beard.
After getting home and viewing a few Youtube videos about how you can open one of these things with just a Bic pen I tried my luck. Let's just say, it's not as easy as they made it look or SENTRY improved it's locking mechanism to prevent this. That was strike one and let's face it: Somebody walking into a locksmith with a safe, no key, and no ownership papers is likely to be turned away pronto. Not to mention the fact that there might well be something inside the safe that could AHEM.... get me in trouble....
Finally, I found a guy on ebay that cuts keys for these types of safes. He just needed $13 and the 4-digit code stamped on the front of the lock. Yesterday, the 2 keys arrived in the mail USPS --- a full week after I bought the safe.
As the suspense built I turned the key only to find the top latch was stubbornly sticking --- strike two. After some serious jimmying of the key in the lock and pushing the latch it finally popped open. It was empty.... except for a bunch of white powder residue in the bottom and around the upper rim. Hmmmm
Anyway, I used some WD-40 on the locking mechanism and it's now working like a charm. The thing is a BEAST too it's only 15" x 15" x "8, but it weighs like 30 pounds! I have no doubt it could withstand the hottest fire or a massive flood with ease.
HH
-spyguy
After getting home and viewing a few Youtube videos about how you can open one of these things with just a Bic pen I tried my luck. Let's just say, it's not as easy as they made it look or SENTRY improved it's locking mechanism to prevent this. That was strike one and let's face it: Somebody walking into a locksmith with a safe, no key, and no ownership papers is likely to be turned away pronto. Not to mention the fact that there might well be something inside the safe that could AHEM.... get me in trouble....
Finally, I found a guy on ebay that cuts keys for these types of safes. He just needed $13 and the 4-digit code stamped on the front of the lock. Yesterday, the 2 keys arrived in the mail USPS --- a full week after I bought the safe.
As the suspense built I turned the key only to find the top latch was stubbornly sticking --- strike two. After some serious jimmying of the key in the lock and pushing the latch it finally popped open. It was empty.... except for a bunch of white powder residue in the bottom and around the upper rim. Hmmmm
Anyway, I used some WD-40 on the locking mechanism and it's now working like a charm. The thing is a BEAST too it's only 15" x 15" x "8, but it weighs like 30 pounds! I have no doubt it could withstand the hottest fire or a massive flood with ease. HH
-spyguy
