How can a see inside safe with a borescope and smartphone

[Quickpicknpay]

Many shipwrecks with safes or vaults too heavy or difficult to bring to the surface need to be opened underwater......actually I was just kidding, I realy can't see a use at least in locksmithing where a waterproof borescope would be needed.

[mechanical_nightmare]

Quickpicknpay wrote: Many shipwrecks with safes or vaults too heavy or difficult to bring to the surface need to be opened underwater...

A very interesting point. I am an SSI Dive Control Specialist and am a certified wreck diver too. It is a hazardous business to penetrate a shipwreck. In a salvage operation, the problem of having to open a vault or safe in a shipwreck would need a very unique combination of commercial diving and safe opening skills. The easiest way would probably be thermal cutting, or a few other forceful methods. Do you know of any actual salvages where safes had to be opened on shipwrecks? That'd make for a good read!

It would be pretty much impossible below a certain depth without using robots. To my knowledge, the deepest successful salvage operation was made from 260 meters.

[MacGyver101]

Do you know of any actual salvages where safes had to be opened on shipwrecks? That'd make for a good read!

Charles Courtney was an American locksmith, whose career spanned the early 1900's, who led a fascinating life. His skills as a locksmith (a safe technician, in particular) led him to all corners of the world; his book Unlocking Adventure details much of it, and reads more like an adventure story than a biography. One of his adventures was opening a safe at depth. There's no pictures of the actual opening, obviously, but he does include a picture of him in his (at the time, in the 1940's) "state of the art" commercial diving suit. This was, of course, in the hard hat days... so going in now, with today's suits and gas mixes, would make for a much easier time. The book's out of print, but highly worth the read if you can find a copy.

[dll932]

Unfortunately that book is about $150 on Amazon!

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ohio/o ... fhid=15577
This guy is who nearly every 'smith in Northern Ohio turned to when stuck on a safe opening. Real nice easy-going chap, he is much missed.

[MacGyver101]

Unfortunately that book is about $150 on Amazon!

There are a few copies under $25 (before shipping) on AbeBooks. (It's often the same small bookstores that also sell on Amazon, but without their markup.)

[Capt_Tom]

If your dad is a locksmith, then he can purchase from Lockmasters or MBA. They sell a USB camera that goes over the eye piece of boroscope, and plugs into your laptop or Android device..... Or he can but the V4 or V5 video boroscope from Lockmasters. Mine sells for $1,095... but I caught it on sale for $100 less.

[ptlockguy]

If the camera cable is too flexible, put a length of heat-shrink tubing over it. Just be careful when heating. Applying a wet rag to cool it quickly should minimize the risk. The camera I just bought is only 7 mm diameter, so a 5/16" drill is sufficient. If it gets the job done, it's a good investment.