old cary buffalo ny double door safe.

[lloydrow]

I am new to this site. I have an old cary safe made in buffalo ny . Been in the family for 60 years. Has been opened and closed many time over the years. Cannot get it to open now. Opened and closed it last week. Using the same combination that has worked for all these years. We had it drilled and opened 60 years ago by a pro. He wrote down the combination then and I still have that paper. The hole was never plugged . I just bought a digital inspection camera and can see the tumblers but have no idea what to do or what they tell me as they spin by. I also got a mechanics stethoscope but don't know what sound I am looking to hear. The safe has a 4 number combination and heres the way I have been opening it in the past but doesn't open now . 4 turns R to 65 - 3 turns L to 98 - 2 turns R to 49 - 1 turn L to 6 ...open.
The safe is 36"W 30"Deep and 40"H and has double doors. Weight a ton.
Can anyone help me . Any information will help. Thanks

[Squelchtone]

[EDIT: moved from Ask Beginner Lockpicking Questions to This Old Safe]

Please read through some of the stickies in this area, they may help you troubleshoot your safe.

When was the safe last opened? A few days ago? A month ago? A year?

When you dial it to 6 on the last turn does the dial stop dead at 6 and then you pull the handle or do you have to carefully stop on 6 and make sure not to keep turning the dial?

Squelchtone

[lloydrow]

Opened last week.

[Squelchtone]

Opened last week.

What about my question about the last number, in the past vs today does the dial stop dead on 6 or do you know enough to stop it on 6 and try the handle?

This question will help figure out if issue is with combination lock or the bolt work. You may have some wheel slippage as well, have you tried dialing the combination +/- a number? Actually, we'll get to that, let us know if the dialing "feels" the same to you as usual and if wheel is suppose to stop dead at 6.

Thanks
Squelchtone

[lloydrow]

If I remember correctly the dial used to stop at 6 . Now it doesn't feel like it used to. If I jiggle the handle it will kind of lock on the last number 6. Tried + and - numbers and that doesn't work.

[femurat]

Have you tried to look at the wheels gate with your inspection camera while dialing the combination? It should be obvious if dialing one of the numbers gives a different result. This way you could be able to identify the not working wheel/number, if there's one.

Keep us updated

[lloydrow]

Anyone know a reliable pro safecracker here in Western NY ? Have an old Cary safe that has been opened as recently as last week but wont open now. Many years ago this safe was drilled and opened by a safecracker. The original hole was never filled. Willing to pay for service. Need opened ASAP. thanks....................Lloyd

[bitbuster]

From what you told me about the patent date on the dial nose in your PM, I suspect the lock is a direct entry lock. If it is not opening with the combo you have always used then I suspect wheel drift. Try dialing last number to 5 or 7. If that fails, try dialing entire combo + or - one number either side of your original number.
Also, Mark Swetland is a safecracker from Cheekatowaga,NY, if that is near you.

[Squelchtone]

Anyone know a reliable pro safecracker here in Western NY ? Have an old Cary safe that has been opened as recently as last week but wont open now. Many years ago this safe was drilled and opened by a safecracker. The original hole was never filled. Willing to pay for service. Need opened ASAP. thanks....................Lloyd

It's best to keep the topic in 1 conversation, I have merged your new post asking for a safe technician in the western New York state area. I also sent you a PM about this and about contacting savta.org and finding someone near you. If you can contact Mark Swetland per the reply above, he is a legend.

If it s direct entry as suggested above, dial the combination, then press your hand against the handle like you are going to open the door, and as you press the handle, turn the dial left and right sharply back and fourth back and fourth about +/- a number or two, sometimes that helps things align.

Squelchtone

PS. if you can post a photo of the front of your safe so we can see the entire door or at least the handle and the dial, it will tell us A LOT about your safe and we can offer much better advice. to upload a pic, upload it to tinypic.com or imgur.com or photobucket.com and then Copy/Paste the link to the photo in your reply here on the forum.