Locked out of Diebold file safe - MAS Hamilton X-07 lock

[FSX07]

Hi all,

I have a Diebold MDL 20-63 4-drawer file cabinet/file safe that I purchased from a government liquidation site back in 2013. This thing weighs 1,024 lbs. empty according to a little plate on the bottom front edge. It has the Mas-Hamilton X-07 electronic lock. This has worked great since I bought it but recently the LCD "flipped out" for lack of a better term. One day I was dialing the combination and the LCD starting flashing some codes like I was changing the combination but the change key was not inserted. It flashed "E1" which, according to the manual means enter the first combination. Then just turning the dial it showed "E2" for the second combination but had not allowed me to enter any combination. I did not see a "PO" code for Pull Out change key, and no "CC" to Confirm Combination. Now when I try my combination it just get the lightning bolt.

I have read these locks can fail due to "bit shift". I have tried making a list of the possible bit shifted combinations and entering them but it still won't open. One number of the combination bit shifted left would be > 99 so that number could not be dialed since 99 is the maximum number on the LCD.

I have also tried the original 50-25-50 combination.

Any other ideas?

I do have the X-07 manual and X-07 Troubleshooting guide which does list instructions on replacing the LCD when the container is closed. I see some X-07 and later series locks on eBay. Would I be able to swap the LCD and open the lock? Could the dial of another lock, like an S&G 6730, be swapped in place of the electronic lock?

If all else fails I could certainly cut the safe open but I would hate to destroy it.

Thanks for any ideas.

[Squelchtone]

Hello and welcome to the forum,

A few questions.. How long has it been since the lock was opened successfully? when you dial is it Left Right Left, and Right to OP-> or Left Right Right Right, and Right to OP-> ?

What color is your dial and is the dial knob little or big? or better yet could you post a photo of the safe lock so we give you the correct info?


The X-07 will show E1 under certain conditions

and the X-08 will show E1 under different conditions.


Have you seen or read these documents?

http://www.heightskey.com/uploads/FileLinks/caa11c3028bb47e5adbeea61ebd7394c/MASH_X_07_TEXT_10_21_14.pdf

https://www.navfac.navy.mil/content/dam/navfac/Specialty%20Centers/Engineering%20and%20Expeditionary%20Warfare%20Center/DoD_Lock_Program/PDFs/TDS-2093-SHR.pdf

[GWiens2001]

Do you have the sticker that comes on the lock back? It is white has a printed number in black on it.

Also, you ask about the dial of another lock being swapped - do you mean swap out the entire lock for a mechanical lock?

Gordon

[FSX07]

Hello and welcome to the forum,

A few questions.. How long has it been since the lock was opened successfully? when you dial is it Left Right Left, and Right to OP-> or Left Right Right Right, and Right to OP-> ?

What color is your dial and is the dial knob little or big? or better yet could you post a photo of the safe lock so we give you the correct info?


The X-07 will show E1 under certain conditions

and the X-08 will show E1 under different conditions.


Have you seen or read these documents?

http://www.heightskey.com/uploads/FileLinks/caa11c3028bb47e5adbeea61ebd7394c/MASH_X_07_TEXT_10_21_14.pdf

https://www.navfac.navy.mil/content/dam/navfac/Specialty%20Centers/Engineering%20and%20Expeditionary%20Warfare%20Center/DoD_Lock_Program/PDFs/TDS-2093-SHR.pdf

Thanks for the prompt reply and the docs. I will review them.
My lock is Left Right Left, and Right to OP. It looks like the first pic on the left with the narrower dial and the logo on the front.

ETA: It's been about 6 months since I was able to open it.

[GWiens2001]

Do you have the sticker that comes on the lock back? It is white has a printed number in black on it.

The lightning bolt usually means you need to turn the dial fairly briskly for a bit to charge the capacitor enough to operate the lock. Have also seen it come on when a ribbon cable has come loose or become damaged.

Also, you ask about the dial of another lock being swapped - do you mean swap out the entire lock for a mechanical lock?

Gordon

[FSX07]

Do you have the sticker that comes on the lock back? It is white has a printed number in black on it.

Also, you ask about the dial of another lock being swapped - do you mean swap out the entire lock for a mechanical lock?

Gordon

There may be a label on back of the lock but I can't open the container. I do have the serial number from the invoice when I bought it. I recall reading the SN can be used to reset the combo but you have to be able to access the back of the lock inside the safe.

I was hoping another lock dial could be swapped in to be able to open the lock, but that seems much too easy to be considered a high security lock.
Once I do get this open, assuming I don't have to destroy the safe, I would like to swap in a mechanical lock.

[GWiens2001]

That label that I was inquiring about was the serial number sticker.

One thing NOT to do is do NOT bang on the door with a dead blow mallet like you would with other locks. The X-07 has a relocker built into the bolt that triggers when the lock receives enough jarring.

Have you tried rapidly turning the dial for a few minutes to try to build up the charge in the capacitors?

If not, you are down to destructive entry, which is best attempted by someone who is a GSA safe tech.

As for swapping dials/dial rings, if you need to do that, send me a PM.

Gordon

[FSX07]

^^ The LCD does work and displays the numbers and lightning bolt when I enter an incorrect combination. It seems to work perfectly well except it no longer accepts my combination.

[Squelchtone]

I have read these locks can fail due to "bit shift". I have tried making a list of the possible bit shifted combinations and entering them but it still won't open. One number of the combination bit shifted left would be > 99 so that number could not be dialed since 99 is the maximum number on the LCD.

Ok, so if your LCD is powering on and it seems to otherwise be functioning other than not opening to the known combination, when you tried to generaate the list of bit shifted combinations, did you use this Excel spreadsheet to make that list of bit shifted combinations? https://mbausa.com/content/downloadfile ... ev2018.xls

Thank you,
Squelchtone

[FSX07]

I have read these locks can fail due to "bit shift". I have tried making a list of the possible bit shifted combinations and entering them but it still won't open. One number of the combination bit shifted left would be > 99 so that number could not be dialed since 99 is the maximum number on the LCD.

Ok, so if your LCD is powering on and it seems to otherwise be functioning other than not opening to the known combination, when you tried to generaate the list of bit shifted combinations, did you use this Excel spreadsheet to make that list of bit shifted combinations? https://mbausa.com/content/downloadfile ... ev2018.xls

Thank you,
Squelchtone

Thanks for the Excel file. I was searching for something like that.
This discusses "bit drop" which seems different than "bit shift"? From my searching, bit shift of a number, 15 for example, would be halved or doubled. So 7.5 or 30. Since 7.5 is not a number on the dial, 7.5 would become 7. But this bit drop Excel file treats the 1 and 5 in 15 as separate numbers so new possible bit dropped numbers for 15 are 05, 35, 55, 95, 11, 14, 17. So this give me a lot of new possible combinations to try.
I will report back after testing these new combinations.

[Squelchtone]

You sure you don't mean Bit Flip ?

Here is some wording from the DoD Lock Program website:

..."X-07 BIT-FLIP
Symptom: You properly enter the correct
combination, but the result is a lightning bolt. The
reason is that the combination has changed within
the lock in a binary fashion. (A “bit” has “flipped”
from a zero to a one, or vice versa.) This yields a
different decimal combination from the original.
If a lock has had a bit-flip, its combination cannot be
changed using its serial number. To open such a lock,
you will need the correct recorded combination,
entered into a “bit-flip” program to generate all
possible combinations. Call the DoD Lock Program
Hotline for assistance with this process. Dial each of
the possible combinations. If the lock opens, remove
it and replace it immediately. However, it may not
open because some of the binary changes result in
undialable combinations..."

[sign216]

Sadly, I think you are down to destructive entry. The X-07 tech line at Mas-Hamilton is very helpful in repairing an open safe, but they are there for govt purchasers, so they won't be helpful for a surreptitious entry.

With the older X-07 locks, as soon the read-out starts to get quirky, you've got to replace the lock quickly.

If you are successful w the bit flip, I'd like to hear about it.

[FSX07]

I have tried all the possible combinations from the bit drop Excel file posted earlier.
I see some X-07 locks on eBay. Might be worth a shot.

[Squelchtone]

I have tried all the possible combinations from the bit drop Excel file posted earlier.
I see some X-07 locks on eBay. Might be worth a shot.

I don't think swapping out external parts will fix this as the brain of the lock is inside the lock case which is mounted to the inside of the door head. the XO locks on ebay aren't exactly cheap either, may be better to spend that ebay money on a GSA container certified technician and have them drill the lock using an X07 template (I can't post it publicly here, but I'll Private Message you how that works) and then you can install a Sargent & Greenleaf 6730 mechanical safe lock.

Squelchtone

[sign216]

I prophylactically replaced my X-07 with a mechanical S&G 6730. It's easy, as the hole mounts for both are the same. However, my X-07 was working, so I could open the safe.

As Squelch is saying, you may need to destructively enter, and then change the lock. I've seen it done several times, PM me for details.

Joe