This morning I went to that office and was allowed to stay there a couple hours. I wanted to manipulate the combo lock first and then, if succeed, ask them to look for the key again.
I started by counting the wheels and confirmed they were three. Checked contact points around 50 and they were at 5 and at 13 and a half.
I choose the all wheels left every two increments approach.
Needless to say I was a bit nervous and, as you can see from the first part of the first graph, I wrote the numbers wrong: I wrote from zero to five instead of from zero to ten. The reading were right, in fact after a dozen readings I was at 24 and decided I already had my interesting area and it was better to check that. Best scenario I could have found one number. Worst scenario I had to start again, but it was a win anyway because I like clear graphs and this one was already screwed up.
I started again with all wheels left, from zero to ten, checking both contact points at every increment.
I confirmed there was a very interesting area, a gate, at 6.5 - 7 Left.
I dialed the test combos to find which wheel it was on and was a bit confused. The test with a higher number suggested the gate may be on wheel #2 or #3. The test with a lower number suggested the gate may be on wheel #2. I was a bit confused by this result, but the gate was there for sure.
I choose to park wheel #2 at this gate, and to park wheel #1 there too. This way I could have found quickly the gate on wheel #3. Then it was just a matter of brute forcing wheel #1.
The gate I found was on wheel #2, so before starting to map wheel #3, I did a quick test to be sure to find the center of the gate while dialing Right. I checked just the left contact point, with all wheels right, between 10 and 4. I found the gate center was 5.5-6 Right.
I've been there for less than 40 minutes and I already had one number. I was very happy.
I started graph #2 with wheels 1 and 2 at 5.5-6 right and mapped wheel #3 around left, starting at 6.
Something strange was happening while I was moving away from 6: the contact points were widening. By the time I was at 20 I was thinking about starting over again. I decided to continue to map wheel #3 anyway. It was a quick process and I could have found its gate Sure it could have been just a waste of time, but it was little time.
After a few minutes I was at 36 and found a strange click while passing the contact point at 5... I went on and the dial was stuck. I couldn't believe it, I had already opened it!
I tried to force the dial a little to be sure it was not just resisting, and it was stuck at 95. I slowly went back to 10 and went again at 95 and the dial was stuck again.
I felt very very happy and couldn't believe it. I was worried to move the dial, in case I screw up something, but I had to try.
Dialed the first two wheels at Right 6 and then moved the third at Left 36. Back to zero and it opened again!
It took less than one hour, including a quick phone call I received while I was starting.
So I left the dial stuck at 95 and put a piece of tape on it and wrote "Don't touch". I asked for the key and they confirmed they don't have it.
I'll probably be allowed to go there again to pick the lever lock. Now they think I can open the safe so they can get their papers and documents back. Then they may give me the safe... if I manage to move it away without damaging the floor or the stairs. I'll think about this later, now I'd like to open it.
The problem is I have limited experience with lever locks. Here are a couple of pictures of the keyhole, I wrote the approximate dimensions in millimeters in red. It's quite deep, like 8-10 cm (4 inches).
Does anybody have an idea about what lock could be there? What are my options?
Thanks for any suggestion
my mistake.