Help with this Major Brand floor safe.....

[Hilltopper7]

I need help trying to open this safe. From what I can gather, the company is no longer in business so I've been unsuccessful trying to get the factory combos. Any ideas?? I am noob.

[Mikeh727]

Major is no longer in business but the brand now belongs to a company called AMSEC.

That looks like the older style dial, so I believe the lock on that safe is an S&G lock, probably a 6700 series, and can be manipulated by a qualified safe technician. Also, those safes shipped with a factory set combination that you may be able to get from the company with the information on the data plate. As long as it hasn't been changed, it might still work. I'm pretty sure you would have to go through a locksmith or safe technician to get the combo as they won't release it to anyone who is not a trade professional.

Here is a link to the relevant page on their website:

http://www.amsecusa.com/knowledge-base/ive-lost-my-combination-what-do-i-do/

Hope that helps.

-Mike

[Hilltopper7]

Thank you for the information. I, being tenacious, would much rather prefer to crack this myself and not rely on a locksmith to open it. I have plenty of time on my hands, now being retired and would like the journey of beating it under my belt. I realize that I may be in over my head but I'm prepared to swim. Coming to a site called "Lockingpicking101," do you expect me to want to come here for Locksmith referrals? No no no! Where do I start on the road to CRACKING this thing. Isn't that the point of this forum? Thank you guys. I look forward to being able to make this a lengthy, fun-filled and a great little diary of the events leading to an open, probably EMPTY safe. No drilling, just cracking. Thanks again.

[Mikeh727]

Well okay then!

If you've got the time, you can learn to manipulate safes. The James Bond method of putting your ear to the door and spinning the dial a few times to coax it open is a myth. The process, even for skilled manipulators, can be time consuming. Certainly some safe locks can be opened in just several minutes depending on a number of factors, but I think it would be safe to say (pun intended) that with experience you will find it takes somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes for most of todays locks.

So to get started, obviously having access to a safe lock is a first step. While you do have access, you don't have access to the internal workings of the lock, and it is essential that you understand how a safe lock works before you get too deep into things. You can learn the theory but really should have a working lock that you can study to see how things really work in practice. Buying a practice lock from eBay is where many people start. I'd buy a used one and mount it myself. You don't need one that is pre-mounted or a cutaway lock. They can be handy, but you'll spend more money for them.

Then there's the reading...

Here's a link to a great paper on safecracking.

http://www.crypto.com/papers/safelocks.pdf

It doesn't give you all of what you need, but it gives you a good start.

There are other resources available out there on the web, but I can't post them here, and in fact posting what I did might be close to crossing the line. This forum has a rule about what information can be posted here and what can't be posted here. Read item number 19 on the following post:

http://www.lockpicking101.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=715#p4275

That being said, the information you are looking for is available, just not here in the open. What is available here is a great deal of information that can help you learn, and members who are willing to help. While manipulation itself can't be discussed in any great detail, some of the technical questions that you might have can be.

Good luck!

-Mike

[bitbuster]

Bond....James Bond---A myth??

[Mikeh727]

Bond....James Bond---A myth??

LOL! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

-Mike

[bitbuster]

...and you probably think Alexander Mundy is a myth, too?

[Mikeh727]

Oh no. EVERYBODY knows he was real!

-M

[Squelchtone]

Thank you for the information. I, being tenacious, would much rather prefer to crack this myself and not rely on a locksmith to open it. I have plenty of time on my hands, now being retired and would like the journey of beating it under my belt. I realize that I may be in over my head but I'm prepared to swim. Coming to a site called "Lockingpicking101," do you expect me to want to come here for Locksmith referrals? No no no! Where do I start on the road to CRACKING this thing. Isn't that the point of this forum? Thank you guys. I look forward to being able to make this a lengthy, fun-filled and a great little diary of the events leading to an open, probably EMPTY safe. No drilling, just cracking. Thanks again.

Well, you're probably not going to like my answer either. I'm tenacious as well, but you're not going to spend a week or even a month here and then have that safe open, or be anywhere close to it, so let me put an end to such notion. You want to crack that safe lock? you'll pretty much be practicing every day for 2 to 8 months, and then *maybe* you'll get it open. It will help to start by buying a lock such as the one on that safe door, or an entire Major lift out safe door on ebay or craigslist, and using it as a practice lock to even wrap your head around how a safe lock works and what all the parts inside are doing as you turn the dial.

And yes, when a member of the public shows up and needs help with a safe, we usually refer them to a locksmith or the safe manufacturer, because that's the responsible thing to do. We aren't a cabal of criminals who hang out waiting to offer how-to instructions to everyone who stops by, to us this is puzzle solving hobby, not a well of illicit knowledge to pass down to others. Besides, lockpicking does not equal safe cracking, so no, that is not the point of this forum. The two hobbies are related, but the tools an methods are entirely different and mutually exclusive. We also have a social responsibility to protect the public trust, so as already mentioned by mikeh727, certain details about safe opening are not available in the general forums, and one has to be a trusted and vetted member in order to talk about certain topics in the Advanced forums.

If on the other hand, you knew the combination, but were not sure the correct dialing order, or your dial did not turn smoothly, we can offer general troubleshooting tips, but aside from such basics, we aren't offering safe cracking classes to the public, yet. I've thought about making it a topic to discuss openly, since it takes so much time to learn, no real criminal would want to hang around for months trying to learn it, but for every honest Joe such as yourself who we help in the public forum, some bad guy may find the thread down the road and use our help and knowledge to do something bad with it.

Calling Amsec is great advice, they are very helpful and if you can provide proof of ownership (it looks like you're in an office building maybe?) they may get you or a local locksmith who is an agent of theirs to give you the factory combination based on the serial number. Tell them you have an old C rate lift out round door Major with hand change S&G wheels, but they can tell that as well by the serial number.

best of luck,
Squelchtone

[Luctly]

If the company is no longer in business and you can't get the factory combinations, there are still a few options you can try:

Check for default combinations: Some safes have common default codes like "0000" or "1234." You can try searching online for your specific model to see if any default codes are mentioned.

Look for a reset option: Depending on the safe, there might be a way to reset the combination using a key or hidden button. Check the manual (if available) or search for instructions online.

Contact a locksmith: If you're unable to open it yourself, a professional locksmith can help. They often have experience with old or discontinued safes and may be able to crack it without damaging the safe.

Safe drilling (last resort): This should only be done by a professional, as it could permanently damage the safe. If the contents are important and no other options work, a locksmith can drill it open.

Good luck, and hopefully, one of these methods will help you get into your safe!

[nothumbs]

Ten year zombie resurrected. Wonder what the record is?