Squelchtone wrote:I don't think your lock is as much broken, as probably has old grease inside which is stopping the fence from rotating into position and trying the wheelpack. I have an old Mosler in this same predicament and some days I can feel a contact point at around 7, and some days I spin and spin and feel nothing. Only thing that seems to help is when you dont feel anything at around 7, wiggle the dial back and fourth quickly from 0-15 and that should loosen up any old grease or worn parts and while rotating Left around 7 you may feel something. There are some areas on a wheel pack where there will be high spots and low spots so you may not feel the contact point because the wheels are parked on an especially high spot, graphing the wheels from 0 to 99 and trying the contact area is probably the only way to get this done, and then do that wiggle from 0-15 thing in case your fence is sticking and doesn't want to rotate down into the drop in area.
Your only enemy is time. I say that because it sounds like the safe was not maintained for a long time and like someone greased it up thinking this was a good idea, when a lot of old timer 'smiths have told me that you do not lubricate brass safe lock parts, one guy actually said "they're self lubricating" I put my money on old vitrified grease inside your safe lock. The other reason you are having a hard time is because this is an older lock, made from 1930-1950, and the people who serviced them back then are starting to not be around any more so that's why a google search isnt coming up with a user manual or a service manual, or factory parts lists or diagrams. A lot of this information was passed from locksmith to apprentice over the years, it exists in limited doses in a few books that are most of the time not easy to get unless you are a locksmith or safeman. You could get the Yale safe lock on ebay now for $125, and learn on that, but it all depends how much time and money you want to dedicate to this project.
Squelchtone
Thanks again, I'll keep working at it and if it comes to drilling
then I'll get back to you because in a previous post you mentioned
you'd have some advise on drilling
As a side note, I've already contacted a locksmith to discuss drilling
and I've had 3 conversations on this with him. He's fairly close by
and works in my area (Northeast LA, El Sereno) from time to time.
So far his comments have been that he's pretty familiar with an OC5
and he'd probably try to manipulate it first before trying to drill.
He even gave me some pointers on manipulating it myself with changing
the numbers slightly from 1st number up one, second number
down one and third number up one. Then various ups an downs
on the various numbers from there with different numbers
beginning and ending the combination.
The more I think about when I use to open this safe with the
10 20 30 numbers, the more I remember that the last number
was a 10 and it was only on short trip (I've said this before) back
from the number before going to the 10 which would put the
second number somewhere between 20 and 0. At the 10 I
would have turned the dial left when it would open somewhere
between 90 and 0. The sequence may not have been turns of
4 3 2 1 but 3 2 1 turns to the 10.
The one thing the locksmith focused on was that on going to
the 10 for the last turn, the number used before it sometimes
wouldn't work unless I offset it one point on the dial less than
the second number was. This is why he gave me the up downs
to try on the various sequences of 10 20 30. I don't believe this
lock has a 4 wheel mark to hit but I'll try some of those too.
His further comments were that it would depend on just what he
felt in the manipulation and usually it takes about a half hour to
determine if further manipulation will make it possible to open it.
If it doesn't feel right to him then he would drill. This would take
about one half hour to manipulate and if it doesn't look promising
to continue manipulation beyond the half hour then he would drill.
The comments about drilling I liked because he stated that he'd only
make a hole (a small one, just enough to put a scope in to read the
combos on the wheels) and this (the hole) he currently ascertained
would be at the somewhere above the dial ring. Of course if this
is a bottom, a right or left configuration, I believe the position
of the hole would change. We didn't talk about this but he
stated that after drilling I'd still be able to use the same lock as
he would be able to get the combination from the hole without
damaging the lock in any way whatsoever--that's the part I really liked.
The hole he would reseal to practically where it would be fairly unnoticeable.
All of this is fine when talking about it but I do believe the drilling
could be quite different. I would have to firm this up before
bringing him in.
However, I'm not quite there yet and will continue to manipulate the
lock until I decide to give up on manipulation. I don't really want to
drill it but sometimes it can get to be too much and again I'm not
at that point yet. So I'll keep trying to manipulate it and will see
how far I'll be able to take it before quitting.
And again, thanks for all you have done to get me to this point.
This also applies to all who have replied to my posts.
It's been quite an odyssey. I'll probably continue after completing
the task on this lock to be a hobbyist in working/opening safe locks
and who knows maybe I'll get into all of the other types of locks too.
It is an interesting avocation.
Thanks again, all of you, zandan
