Forgot how to dial the combination on that old safe? Think you got the right numbers but the handle is stuck? What safe should you buy? Ask your safe questions here!
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by zandan » 11 Feb 2014 12:51
Squelchtone wrote:zandan wrote:Ok, good suggestion about starting at 20 instead of at 0.
I'm already working in the 20 area on one mapping sequence. I'll finish that one for whatever/however I've done it with the mistakes.
The next mapping will start at 30 and I'll try your advice femerat(sp?)
Thanks for the heads up, all of you out there, your comments make me want to continue manipulation of this yale oc5 instead of giving up.
Till later, zandan, out
can you write up an example of graphing a wheel of your choice, just so we can see if we're all on the same page on the procedure? Are you using graph paper or just keeping a list of interesting numbers? Also, the point of graphing is to find changes in the contact area at the contact point, not to just "map"/write down/graph where you may hear things bumping or grinding along the wheels circumference. I think you know this, but I'm writing it out just to make sure, not trying to talk down to you or anything like that. Also, if you want to quote someone, just click the red Quote box (in the top right corner of the persons post, near their name and profile info), so it will auto quote and you wont have to copy and paste what you want to quote.  talk soon, Squelchtone
Yeah Squelchtone, I'll get to that with some sequences I'm using. With the time I'm spending on this I'll give you some sequences and maybe on graph on the graph paper I'm using. I'm pretty sure I'm doing it right but one never knows for sure. Thanks for the heads up on this and I'll do as you suggested as soon as I complete one of the graphs that I'm working on. thanks again for everything, it does help me zandan, out for now
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by femurat » 11 Feb 2014 14:58
zandan wrote:femurat wrote:zandan wrote:femerat(sp?)
I don't get what this means. I've tried googling it and a blonde pornstar came out... I'm not her if this is what you were asking Cheers 
Well femurat, I didn't mean to send you to a pornsite. The (sp?) means that I wasn't too sure of the spelling of your moniker here at Lockpicking 101 zandan
Well that was so obvious now that you mention it... I feel so dumb right now. Good luck with your manipulation 
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by zandan » 13 Feb 2014 9:57
Sorry for not getting back to all of you that are following this thread as I would be if I wanted to see how an old yale oc5 combo lock manipulates with everything that can happen which also might apply to some other safe combo lock that's being manipulated.
All of you have been a great help to me and it is appreciated. I've determined that one of the numbers is indeed a 40 and I believe it to be the third number before turning out to open at the 10.
Squelchtone, I'll have get back to you on the method I'm using but later because I have a family death back east to deal with right now.
Before signing off I will say that I've been in touch with another locksmith/vault/safe technician. His comment to me was, 'you know you might try some numbers closer together and by this I mean you're using numbers to go to which are about 10 dial points or more away from whatever trial numbers you're using. With all of the indications coming and going, supposed fence readings, etc. you might consider numbers being closer together with a very careful manipulating of them. I find that when a combo lock on a safe is hard to manipulate like yours seems to be, more often than not the numbers are set too close together and even the dialing of them, even if just one number is very close to the next---like going from a 20 to a 25, the fence doesn't have enough time to react even if you have more than one rotation to it on the dial.' Hope I'm explaining this correctly but essentially he's saying with any of the combo numbers too close together the lock won't open easily on manipulation.
Have to take a break to take care of things back east
zandan, will be back in action on this next week thanks everybody, till later
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by Squelchtone » 13 Feb 2014 10:04
Sorry about your loss, have a safe trip and the we'll be here when you are free to come back. When graphing, are you giong 1,2,3,4,5,6,..97,98,99 around the wheels or the speedier less accurate way of 1,2.5,5,7.5,10.. 95.97.5,99 ?
talk soon, Squelchtone
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by zandan » 22 Jun 2014 21:35
Sorry everyone, I'm still back east fighting this probate case with my sister. Just thought I'd check in so you know I haven't fallen off the grid.
My problems with the resolution of my case should resolve soon and I'll be back, hopefully in form to continue with the problem of opening the safe. One reply is real close to the truth where Christopher is correct. The 10 is the out, last stop number but 20, 30 and 40 will have to be sequenced properly by either trying these numbers or graphing them. I'm not to sure but I believe that one of the numbers is too close to another with less than 10 points separating one of the numbers from another and I might not have a 20 30 or 40 as one of the numbers but something less on just one of them. Especially with this Yale OC5 lock this condition makes is real hard to find the contact point for one of the numbers. Well that's for now. Sorry I haven't been in touch sooner but legal battles with attorneys and courts always chew up more time than should be.
Until later, I'll get back to all of you and Squelchtone thanks for all of your help in the past and this applies to others as well.
See ya, zandan
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by GWiens2001 » 13 Dec 2014 20:12
Squelchtone wrote: Hey GWiens2001, lookie what I bought today! =)
My very own Yale OC-5 http://www.ebay.com/itm/271698445461
Can't wait to clean it up and mount it. Should make for some good practice. I wonder if Zandan ever got his safe open..
Squelchtone
Don't know if he got it open, but it will be fun for you to work on manipulating that OC-5. Congratulations on the new addition to the family. Gordon
Just when you finally think you have learned it all, that is when you learn that you don't know anything yet.
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by dls » 14 Dec 2014 16:24
When picking starts to hurt take your finger out
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by Mikeh727 » 16 Dec 2014 14:54
Squelchtone wrote: Hey GWiens2001, lookie what I bought today! =)
My very own Yale OC-5 http://www.ebay.com/itm/271698445461
Can't wait to clean it up and mount it. Should make for some good practice. I wonder if Zandan ever got his safe open..
Squelchtone
Jealous! I never seem to be surfing eBay at the right time to find one of those. Great buy Squelch! -Mike
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by docjon » 8 Jan 2015 19:33
Could always call Jeff Sitar. World champion safe cracker.
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by hag3l3 » 8 Jan 2015 21:20
You got yourself one beautiful Yale there. Wish I was close by. I would open that for you for free. I just finished mounting one at the shop for display. Do you have access to an audio mic and ear phones?
The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.
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by rhovee » 12 May 2016 9:23
Sorry for my reply to such an old post. I found this on a google image search.
I inherited this identical safe from my late father. My mother and I think we have the combination. But when we turn it the last time once to zero it stops but then small knob to the left of the dial won't turn at all and of course the door won't open.
Is something jammed up inside maybe or do I need to turn the combo dial more (past zero). I don't want to force it.
The dial spins fairly smooth and doesn't make much noise and the door jiggles so it doesn't seem bound up.
Or is it possible that I have one or two of the numbers correct but not all three? Would that allow the dial to stop on the last turn (for example if I have the third number correct)?
Thanks guys.
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by Squelchtone » 12 May 2016 9:43
rhovee wrote:Sorry for my reply to such an old post. I found this on a google image search.
I inherited this identical safe from my late father. My mother and I think we have the combination. But when we turn it the last time once to zero it stops but then small knob to the left of the dial won't turn at all and of course the door won't open.
Is something jammed up inside maybe or do I need to turn the combo dial more (past zero). I don't want to force it.
The dial spins fairly smooth and doesn't make much noise and the door jiggles so it doesn't seem bound up.
Or is it possible that I have one or two of the numbers correct but not all three? Would that allow the dial to stop on the last turn (for example if I have the third number correct)?
Thanks guys.
Hi, Sorry about your loss. We can try to help you out. Have you read this entire thread? I think we changed the dialing sequence a couple times. And just to make sure, because a lot of old safes looked very similar, you have "The Safe-Cabinet Standard M.E. Type"with a Yale lock, correct? Have you read this one: Andy at all.experts wrote:The standard dialing sequence for most Yale locks (OC5 series) that I would expect to find on this safe, would be:
4 times Right to the first number, 3 times Left to the second number, 2 times Right to the third number, 1 time Left until the dial stops (around 10).
Note: Left is counter clockwise, Right is clockwise. DO NOT count the revolutions of the dial, count the INDIVIDUAL number as it arrives at the 12 o'clock index mark. For instance if your first number is 50, you will turn the dial clockwise (right), stopping the fourth time the number 50 ARRIVES at the index mark. There is NO STARTING POINT, simply start dialing right and count 50 once, 50 twice, 50 three times, stopping on 50 the fourth time.
Hopefully this helps you.
Keep turning the dial past 0 and see if it stop around 10. Squelchtone

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by rhovee » 12 May 2016 21:30
I can try turning past zero to 10. Didn't want to force it. I'm going 4R, 3L, 2R, 1L and when I don't do the right combo it spins freely past zero like expected. But when I do the combo it stops at 0.
Is it possible to stop at zero when only one or two numbers are correct? I watched the video on Feyhnberg doing the safe cracking with math and I think it mentions that he was able to rule out at least one of the numbers completely on these old safes. But maybe that was only when the door was open.
Doh- just looked and my safe looks similar but is a bit different. It's a S-cientist (how it's spelled) Safe Cabinet, Marietta OH, with Yale lock. Looks very similar to this one.
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by Squelchtone » 13 May 2016 2:43
rhovee wrote:I can try turning past zero to 10. Didn't want to force it. I'm going 4R, 3L, 2R, 1L and when I don't do the right combo it spins freely past zero like expected. But when I do the combo it stops at 0.
Is it possible to stop at zero when only one or two numbers are correct? I watched the video on Feyhnberg doing the safe cracking with math and I think it mentions that he was able to rule out at least one of the numbers completely on these old safes. But maybe that was only when the door was open.
Doh- just looked and my safe looks similar but is a bit different. It's a S-cientist (how it's spelled) Safe Cabinet, Marietta OH, with Yale lock. Looks very similar to this one.
To answer your question, no it is not typically possible to stop hard on 0 if you didnt get all 3 numbers of the combination correctly. Is 0 the 1L number? You can do two things, keep turning left past 0 so dial ends up at 10, or if you really think 0 is a dead stop (dont worry you wont break anything if you grip the dial hard with you hand and try to turn left some more) you can then leave the dial on 0 and try turning the knobby handle clockwise or counterclockwise in quick sharp motions to retract the door bolts. When's the last time you reckon this door was actually open? There might be some surface rust on the inner parts depending on the climate you are in. Feel free to share a picture of your safe cabinet, picture is worth a 1000 words. Good luck Squelchtone

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