Floor safe?

[aeronautica86]

I've run into a safe in my floor and was wondering if anyone can tell me how to get it out. Weird thing is, it looks like it is upside down because there is no lock visible. Should this thing just pull straight out if I were to attach a handle?

Someone has obviously tried getting into the safe before as there are some marks in the middle that look like a sledge hammer and numerous holes drilled into it as well. Interestingly, only one of the holes is drilled straight through into the body of the safe. I stuck a piece of wire down there and it sounds/feels like the safe is empty but as you can imagine curiosity has gotten the best of me and I'd like to get it out and see for myself. And it would be nice to be able to use the thing to store documents away from the threat of fire.

I tried using some pretty good size magnets to lift it out but the thing doesn't move more than 1/16th inch upwards. It does spin freely though. Next I'm thinking I'll drill a hole directly into the center, thread an eye bolt into it and try to lift it that way.

Any thoughts or ideas?

There is a serial #, but no model name/# or manufacturer name, so that's not much help.

[MBI]

Maybe try a bigger magnet?

[keysman]

Maybe try a bigger magnet?

Well maybe .. but you are trying to lift approx. 20 lbs(9.7 Kilos ). You are going to need a very strong magnet .
Assuming the safe is unlocked ( my money would be on NOT!!) you may want to try using a few of the holes to tap a bolt or two to form a handle and try to lift the door out.

How to tap a hole ?
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Tap


Good Luck .. be sure to let us know how it goes

[Squelchtone]

That photo makes me very sad. Some amateur thought they could get into the goodies of the mechanism by removing the dial and handle. Now an easy job has become nearly impossible, especially to someone like a do it yourselfer.

What you have is a Star safe, now owned by AMSEC.

Here's what it should look like:



In this particular sub forum This Old Safe we can give you tips and hints on dialing or resetting the combination, but destructive methods such as drilling and brute force are not discussed, because we don't want some Oxycotin fiend to find them later down the road and use them to get into someone's safe. So will will not be discussing drill points or anything else like that unless you have access to the Advanced safe areas on the forum.

In a nut shell, you have several inches of steel to get through, its probably time to call a locksmith if you really want in, but since the dial has been ripped off, and the spindle hole damaged badly, even a locksmith or safe technician will shake his head and probably tell you it will be $700 to open it.

The two outer holes.. may be from a locksmith.. but I dont know this model well enough, maybe someone else can provide general info on if this safe was already opened professionally after the dial damage was done
good luck man
Squelchtone

[Squelchtone]

Here's a post showing the underside of your door: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=56333

Here is a cutaway drawing of your door... lots and lots of steel in the way...



give or take here's a side view of what you're working with:
http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server5400/czp7p/products/80/images/196/star_door_%25282%2529__75893.1357858187.1280.1280.JPG

good luck,
Squelchtone

[MBI]

But... I like magnets.

[keymaster1053]

What you have there is someone's poor attempt to get into the safe head that was originally a key lock, most likely medeco. they ground
the face off, thinking they could then punch the lock in. (that won't work) it's not worth the effort for curiosity's sake, as that body is secured and not going anywhere. lol. you could put more holes in it, and try to unlock it, but that head is useless now.
keymaster.

[Squelchtone]

What you have there is someone's poor attempt to get into the safe head that was originally a key lock, most likely medeco. they ground
the face off, thinking they could then punch the lock in. (that won't work) it's not worth the effort for curiosity's sake, as that body is secured and not going anywhere. lol. you could put more holes in it, and try to unlock it, but that head is useless now.
keymaster.

I don't discount what you're saying since you know more about safes than I do, so it's also a shame they took the face off the key cylinder and butchered the door up. In looking up Star safe and Medeco, I came across this interesting photo of a Star safe door with a dial AND an auxiliary Medeco lock. very cool.



Thanks everyone,
Squelchtone

[taylorgdl]

I'd say combination lock like in Squelchtone's Star safe photo

2 holes top and bottom for the handle assembly
circular scratch marks roughly the size of the dial

Then the extra drill holes, which only look about 6mm at 1 o'clock position (not much use position or size wise) and a couple near the spindle (which probably did more harm than good)

All in all, someone has got an expensive job to get that open

[aeronautica86]

Wow, thanks for all the replies fellas, this has gotten more attention than I thought it would. Sounds to me like it'll be way more trouble than it is worth to open this up after it has been butchered. As I mentioned in the OP, putting a feeler down the one hole that does go all the way through the door reveals that the safe is indeed empty. Considering it can't be used in it's current condition I think I'll just cover it back up and forget about it.

Just one last question to clarify: The body of the safe is not designed to be removed from the blue sleeve correct? Now that I see the pictures of this type of safe intact I assume that to access the safe you dial the combination in and remove just the "lid", not the entire body of the safe.

[keymaster1053]

correct. that blue "sleeve" is actually the body of the safe. and yeah, once combo is in, or key turned, head would lift straight out.

A great idea as long as you're not in a flood zone!

[Altashot]

Well...From my professional point of view, This thing has been massacred and it wont be cheap to open.
The spindle is more than likely peened in there now and who knows if the back cover didn't pop off.
There is hard plate in there too and if I remember correctly, some even had ball bearing packs.
I'd charge at least $500.00 to open it and only if the re-lockers have not been fired. If they were fired and there was less
than $1000.00 in there, I would say forget it, cheaper for you to leave it in there than have me retrieve it.

M.

[mcsteve]

When I look at this floor safe as a handyman instead of as a locksport enthusiast, it actually looks fairly straightforward to remove; Hammer drill or sledgehammer to break up the concrete slab surrounding it, lift it outta there, and fill in the hole... not exactly "easy" but not too challenging either. Unless I'm missing something about the way that safe is anchored in place.

Of course if concrete work isn't your thing, then I agree it'd be much easier to put the cover back on, replace the carpet & pad over it, and leave it as a mystery for the next homeowner.

[cledry]

When I look at this floor safe as a handyman instead of as a locksport enthusiast, it actually looks fairly straightforward to remove; Hammer drill or sledgehammer to break up the concrete slab surrounding it, lift it outta there, and fill in the hole... not exactly "easy" but not too challenging either. Unless I'm missing something about the way that safe is anchored in place.

Of course if concrete work isn't your thing, then I agree it'd be much easier to put the cover back on, replace the carpet & pad over it, and leave it as a mystery for the next homeowner.

That's basically it. They often have a foot plate at the bottom to help anchor it. There will most likely be at least a bag of cement anchoring it. Not easy work but not impossible. We always try to undermine the existing slab by about 6 to 8 inches so the concrete holding the safe id more than what may be evident by looking at the slab.