combination lock

[attila_8_7_8_7]

My parents got me this cabinet today at a yard sale with a combination lock on it with numbers 1-99 and I want to open it what is a good way to go about opening this lock and any tips for when attempt to open it. Thanks

[32768]

We don't generally discuss combination lock manipulation here, and it takes a lot of time and practice anyway. Can you post a picture? Maybe there's a way to go around the lock.

My best tip would be to go back to the house that was having the yard sale and ask for the combination. Though if it were my sale, the cabinet would be $5 and the combination $20.

[attila_8_7_8_7]

here is those pics you asked for the metal is the same thickness and the N008820 means nothing to me so if there is another pick that you would want tell me and i was hoping on trying to figure out the combo the cabinet is going in my room.
heres the link to the photos http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gabefairchild/my_photos

[TOWCH]

Your best bet would be to bypass the lock and once it's open read off the combination from the wheel pack. The trick will be getting it open without damaging the cabinet too badly. The hinges might be the best way to do that.

[32768]

Attacking the hinges might work if it doesn't have any locking bolts- most safes have bolts which go from the door into each side of the frame. Those usually require that you dial the combination and then turn a handle. That cabinet doesn't have a handle, so it may not have that kind of arrangement. I've seen similar locks in file cabinets. In that case, removing the hinges (or at least the hinge pins) somehow would do the trick.

As Towch points out, once you get the door open figuring out the combination is pretty easy. Is the back of the cabinet just sheet metal? The low tech way to open it would be to use a hole saw to cut a hole in the back big enough the reach through. From the inside, you can take the back cover off the lock and line up the wheels, which will allow you to retract the bolt and open the door. Then you could rivet on a patch. Personally though, I'd probably go with disassembling the hinges first. You can grind off the top or bottom of the pin and then use a hammer and small nail (or a pin punch if you want to get fancy) to drive out the pin. If you do it carefully you should be able to put the pin back in when you're done.

[attila_8_7_8_7]

when i get the hinges off if i do how do i go about getting the combination?

[HeadHunterCEO]

put a 3/8 hole on the latch side and see if it is spring loaded bolt

i guess is 3/4" from the face even with the centerline of the dial.

probe it and see if it is spring loaded

[attila_8_7_8_7]

this safe has a bolt on the side with the hinges i got the hinge bolts off the find this out so what is the next thing i sould try and out of curiosity can I crack the safe useing a stethescope?

[TOWCH]

If you can remove the back cover to the lock it's just a simple matter of rotating the dial until the one of the notches is under the fence, checking what number the dial is at, and then doing the same for all other wheels.

[attila_8_7_8_7]

I was unable to remove the door after removing the hinges. There appears to be a pin that extends out and does not allow the door to be removed. I looked at cutting a hole in the back of the cabinet and discovered a small hole about the diameter of a quarter. Using a flashlight I can now view directly to the backside of the lock. What I see when the lock is turned is 3 seperated disks i think 3 2 for shure that all turn at the same time. The disk closest to me has small holes at the end of the disk. I have been able to sometimes turn only one disk, but have yet to come up with a logical approach to attacking this problem. Thanks so far

[32768]

It might be helpful to take a look at this:
http://www.sglocks.com/pdf/book_mech_locks.pdf
On page 6, there's a procedure for lining up the wheels to change the combination. You'll want to do something like this. You need to get all three wheels lines up so that the notches in each wheel are directly under the hook on the lever. This will let the lever drop and you can turn the wheel to retract the bolt. If you can see the wheels moving, then you should be able to see the notches and get them in line. The pdf linked there explains some of how these locks work, and you might also take a look at the howstuffworks.com entry on safecracking.

As long as you're looking inside, look for someplace you could pry with a long screwdriver to pull back the bolts that hold on the door. Then you can figure out the combination working in a more comfortable position.

It's lucky for you that hole is there (and the cover's off the lock). I wonder if someone else had similar difficulties? Since you can see what's going on inside the lock, you're 90% of the way there.

[TOWCH]

Any chance you could post a picture?

[attila_8_7_8_7]

I think that the wheel is what I was viewing I already tried to get a pick but I couldn't get enough light into the safe so sorry about that but we can see the wheel i think its the wheel turn so can I use that to unlock the combo?

[attila_8_7_8_7]

there were these two screws in the safe that I could see I took them off and nothing really happened so what is the best approach for me to do now PLEASE HELP

[32768]

there were these two screws in the safe that I could see I took them off and nothing really happened so what is the best approach for me to do now PLEASE HELP

OK, first thing- take a deep breath.

I wonder if we're talking about the same thing. When you look in the back of the cabinet, does the lock look like this?


[to give credit where it's due, the image is from Carl Cloudy's safe page http://home.earthlink.net/~ccloudy1/]

That's roughly what your lock should look like if it has the back cover off. That's what you need to see to figure out the combination from the inside.

If that's NOT what you're seeing, then we'll need to figure something else out.