My $5 safe!

[phoneman85]

this is a safe I bought for $5 because the combo was lost. (fortunately the door was open when I got it!)
Note, please don't move this to advanced, as I'm not discussing bypassing/cracking or otherwise breaking into this safe!

Here's the overall:



Here's the mechanism and boltwork:


I'm getting a change key so I can set my own combo (already found the old combo). The whole mechanism needed cleaned and lubed with graphite, as the lube in it had dried to a mess.

I'm happy with it, especially considering the price!

[IndigoChild]

Wow Nice find. Looks like a pretty solid safe? did it have a plate on the backside of the door?

[2octops]

Uh, what exactly did you put graphite on?

I really hope you mean somewhere other than inside the lock case.

There is actually no good place anywhere on a safe to use graphite.

[ARF-GEF]

Maybe graphite-grey paint on the outside

[lunchb0x]

Uh, what exactly did you put graphite on?

I really hope you mean somewhere other than inside the lock case.

There is actually no good place anywhere on a safe to use graphite.

As a locksmith for 10+ years I believe that there is no good place for graphite in any lock:)

For cleaning the safe lock, fully disassemble it, spray WD- 40 onto a rag and wide down all the parts then use a dry part of a rag to wipe off the WD- 40. Lubricant should only be applied to the guides for the bolt and under the bolt on the ball bearing, also on the nylon bushing where the spindle goes though on the front of the safe. Don't use a grease that will harden, use a synthetic grease.

[IndigoChild]

I usually bathe my safe parts in solvent and then use white lithium grease in only one spot. the threads on the dial turner. at the front of the safe no where near any of the precious butterflys.

[ARF-GEF]

I too use a WD40 bath too for cleansing. It works really well for me.
IMO for pin tumblers graphite is still the best lubricant though. But not in combination locks. (Though I maintain that a graphite-grey outside paint-job looks really good:) )

Dear Phoneman85 if you are reading this try saving (cleaning) the lock asap ( if you put graphite into it)

BTW in the big hassle I think we all forgotten to congratulate you on the nice find:) 5 $ is a fantastic price for the safe, even the Lagard lock itself is worth more!

[LockDocWa]

ARF-GEF
Graphite has been around for a long time and has many reasonable uses, BUT there are now many better lubricants out there for locks.
Powdered Teflon for cylinders and Tri-Flow mechanisms.

Just sayin'
Graphite is messy, too much can muck up a lock, and it is an abrasive.

[2octops]

Powdered graphite also attracts moisture (humidity, rain, etc). Once it gets moist, it becomes sticky and hard causing pins to bind up in the bible and plug.

Of course, we love it when customers pack cylinders full of graphite.

[ARF-GEF]

Thanks Lockdocwa, good to know. I haven't had any experience with powdered Teflon before.

2 octops, I agree that too much graphite can/will cause problems, but I thin graphite is still a good lubricant. Please let me present my points for graphite:

It's cheap and readily accessible (what I do is to run a pencil on the key and then insert it and turn it). (I'm not sure how much Teflon costs, but a pencil is cheap.)
Another reason why I like this pencil method is because I'm not really a professional so I wouldn't use up too much of lubricants. But a pencil can also be used to write so there's no waste there. With this method it's also easily used, if you use real powdered graphite that's of course quite messy.
I also think it has some advantages against fluid based lubricants because solvents inevitably evaporate leaving behind a muck.
Because there is no evaporation graphite stays useful for a longer time too.
Grease based ones or actual oils turn into a real nightmare with time and dirt added.
((And if you consider most of the things laypeople would use are worse. Cooking oil, which I've seen used often, is a good way to make a functioning lock unusable.))

Of course you both were right on the downsides: too much can cause problems, it can do all the things you've said. You were also right about the messiness, if you use the professional powdered graphite.

I'm not sure about the abrasiveness. What kind of graphite did you have in mind? I don't think the softer graphites are too abrasive for locks.



Anyway I have to admit I have been wrong saying graphite is the best, there could be better options out there, and thank you for bringing it to my attention

So I have to correct myself: I think, all things considered (price, ease of use, accessibility, functionality of pencils) graphite is the best lubricant for the layperson for pin tumbler locks.

What's your opinion on that?

[phoneman85]

I'll clean the graphite out of it tonight. the lubricant on the discs and the spindle they turn on had hardened into a gooey mess and the dial was stubborn as hell.
I saw it had been graphite lubed before, so I used that.
I have some white lithium in a tube that I can put on there with a cotton swab. Do I not need to lube the discs or just the nylon washer on the dial?

And some of my padlocks say use ONLY graphite on them, I know if you mix graphite and oil it makes a sticky mess.

And as for the door, there is a cover over it normally, I just took it off for cleaning and pics.

[phoneman85]

And yes, the LaGard sells for like $150 new, so definitely a good deal!

[IndigoChild]

Seeing as this thread got turned over to lubricants in locks my shop uses graphite as our main lube, its a soft very fine powder than on an old cared for lock after clean up looks bran new when only graphite was used. But then again here in sovereign state of texas the air is dry and full of sand. wd-40 and other liquid lubricants are a nightmare to us. I would rather take bad graphite over other lubricants any day. But on a safe no lubricants should used anywhere except the spindle on the front to keep the dial turning. white lithium grease only. no dirt is getting in a safe dial anyway unless its a floor safe.

[phoneman85]

Thanks, Indigochild! I actually reassembled it dry and did in fact put lithium grease on the spindle and the ball bearing under the bolt.
I've never had a problem with graphite in locks, in fact I use it in my padlocks and door locks with no issues.

This safe is in fact very solidly built, it has 1/2" steel walls, and weighs 50-60 pounds! I'm quite happy wit my $5 safe!

[jeffmoss26]

I use LPS1 for general lubricating of locks, Engine Brite for degreasing cylinders and pins, PB Blaster and Kroil for removing stuck things and rust.