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Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

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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You are posting this in This Old Safe, a public area of the forum.

Safe manipulation discussion is allowed, but safe drilling or other destructive entry is only allowed in the Advanced - Safes and Safe Locks area.

If you are a guest of the forum and have a safe you need to open, but you do not have the combination, we cannot tell you how or where to drill it.

Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 8 Oct 2023 11:04

Morning all,
Noob here, my very first safe.

Picked up this huge paperweight from a yardsale, approx 200lbs.
Will include pics.
Seller said he oppened it about 2yrs ago gave me a card with combo and instructions.

Reads "Turn Right untill 75 comes to mark 5 times
Turn Left untill 12 comes to mark "Stop" times.
Tried many times no luck, still locked.

Spinner on dial is very difficult to rotate.

Any help will be appreciated.

https://ibb.co/NWCvHDf
https://ibb.co/WG23T1z
https://ibb.co/bmZ2Z5z
https://ibb.co/FK1QpsW
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 8 Oct 2023 11:25

I turned your links into images so folks don't have to click all those links:

Code: Select all
[url=https://ibb.co/NWCvHDf][img]https://i.ibb.co/kqB7Wbz/20231007-114228.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ibb.co/WG23T1z][img]https://i.ibb.co/dj5chyp/20231008-084931.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ibb.co/bmZ2Z5z][img]https://i.ibb.co/dMqLq4G/20231007-112541.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ibb.co/FK1QpsW][img]https://i.ibb.co/1LNCcsn/20231008-085009.jpg[/img][/url]



Image

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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 8 Oct 2023 11:28

Walk us through what you think the dialing sequence is, we'll see if you're turning the dial the way we would turn it based on that piece of paper.

example: I turn the dial Right (clockwise) so many times all the way around until 75 is at the little line (opening index), then I turn the dial Left (counter clockwise) so many turns until 12 is under the little line (opening index)

Thank you,
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 8 Oct 2023 11:37

Turning dial 5 times clockwise to 75 then immediately left to 12.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 8 Oct 2023 12:06

Rob213509 wrote:Turning dial 5 times clockwise to 75 then immediately left to 12.



hmmm..

Does that match this:

Start turning dial Right (clockwise)
Pass 75 and keep turning Right
Pass 75 again and keep turning Right
pass 75 again and keep turning Right
pass 75 again and keep turning Right
stop exactly on 75.
start turning dial Left (counter clockwise) *slowly*
and see if you feel anything happening from around 0 to 12.
turn a little past 12 to 15 to see if the dial will stop turning.
if it allows you to turn past 15 to 20, turn back slowly to 0 and stop
turn the dial left and right between 0 and 12 quickly changing direction.
Sometimes you need to coax the wheel to engage the friction fence inside
The motion will be like turning your car's ignition on and off back and fourth a bunch of times, flicking your wrist left right, left right, left right between 0 and 12 in hopes that the mechanism engages and the dial stops letting you turn it at 12.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby MartinHewitt » 8 Oct 2023 12:09

Hi, The instructions sound like a Remington Rand 073 which incorporates a Yale B40. With this lock the dial jumps in steps of 2.

You can try using the opposite dialing direction. You can also try pulling the dial while turning it.

If you get it open and it is indeed a B40, then be careful. The code wheels are made from plastic and they can be very brittle. Trying to change the combo may break them.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 8 Oct 2023 12:18

Also, when I get to the 12 mark the dial seems to not want to turn left beyond the 14 mark. I feel quite a bit of resistance at that point wiggling between 10 and 14 but no unlock.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 8 Oct 2023 12:26

Rob213509 wrote:Also, when I get to the 12 mark the dial seems to not want to turn left beyond the 14 mark. I feel quite a bit of resistance at that point wiggling between 10 and 14 but no unlock.


oh.. it sounds like you have the lock in the unlocked state.

dial it up again and get the dial to stop at 12 to 14 where it wont let you turn it any more

Now try to turn the long aluminum handle and turn it left and right, you may have surface rust on the bolts and the may not want to retract the bolts from the door frame. do not give into temptation and hammer on the handle, if that breaks off, you're f'd.

If you can safely manage to lay safe on its back and spray that PB Blaster around the edge of the door, let it soak and try wiggling the handle left and right while the dial is stopped dead at 14.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 8 Oct 2023 12:39

I will give the pb blaster a shot and let it soak. I feel like I made some progress.

Thank you for your assistance so far.
Great to know there are still a bunch of knowledgeable people still out there.

Also, any particular areas of doors where locks may be located?
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 8 Oct 2023 12:55

try to press your palm firmly against the door and then try to turn the big aluminum handle, this may alleviate some pressure on the bolts.

Your door bolts should be at these 3 locations, so focus your PB Blaster there:

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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 8 Oct 2023 19:53

Still no luck.
Kept adding pb blaster along door seams.
Tapped door lightly with rubber mallet.
Kept dial on same setting between 10 and 14 and still feel resistance.

Lock handle only wiggles, feels like I'm missing a third number, but I don't know much about safes.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 8 Oct 2023 20:43

I would say turn the dial until it stops, not just keep it between 10 and 14 in a random spot.
That last turn to 12 wherever the dial stops is actually retracting a small bolt inside the safe which then allows you to move the handle in order to retract the door bolts. The dial stopping tells us the little bolt inside is retracted.

If the dial stops dead at a certain number, then I would say your safe lock is unlocked, but the safe door bolts are still locked/extended which the big handle
Normally retracts after the combination is dialed..

If you want to share a video of you dialing it until the dial stops letting you turn any farther I would like to see that so I can make sure I understand your correctly.

Email it or a link to it to squelchtone at lockpicking101.com and I will review it private if you do not wish to have it posted here.

You got this, you're almost there!
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 8 Oct 2023 21:04

Sounds good Mr. Squelchtone.
I'll give that a shot tomorrow.
I appreciate you walking me thru this.
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Rob213509 » 10 Oct 2023 13:23

The dial is still difficult to manipulate, so I have to use pliers.

https://youtu.be/GS1ZQgjrkkY
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Re: Can't open Victor safe with Yale Lock have Combo

Postby Squelchtone » 10 Oct 2023 17:18

Thank you for taking the time to make and share that video, it is very helpful.

I did not realize that the dial was *that* hard to turn. the handle looks a bit floppy as well.

I would dial it like you did and turn to 14, until the dial stops dead, and refrain from dialing it any more than you need to.

I may send you some alternative instructions that involve drilling a 1/4 inch hole which is repairable.

Give me a couple hours to research something.

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