MartinHewitt wrote:.....Maybe they somebody should tell Oldfast, that his dialing is not healthy for a lock?
My first plan of attack always, is to spin the livin' shit out of it in hopes that the lock will melt off
and the safe can be opened. If I see molten lava spewing out the base of the door within a few
minutes, I know I'm getting close. Sometimes this doesn't work... then I'll attempt to manipulate.
Of the used locks I've purchased, some came with additional washers, some were missing washers, and others had the correct number of washers but were in the wrong places. I've also found washers placed at the base of the dial. Why or what the reasons were at the time is a guessing game. Some locksmiths are quite apt with safe work. Others have limited knowledge, but they responsibly work within their limits. Then, unfortunately, there are those that really know very little about safes but cannot bring themselves to turn down the job/money. Someone may have simply added washers when servicing the lock, thinking it was missing some. Or, they may have been attempting to correct a problem. In your case, removing the additional washer created no symptoms, and in fact, seemed to make for a smoother running lock. I'd say you're good to go. Save the washer - maybe your next lock will be
missing one. lol
Wheel pack tension; as mentioned, some locks have a torque adjuster operated by an allen wrench. Others will have a
tension washer at the base of the wheel post - pressure on the wheel pack can be varied by bending or flattening this washer. Too much torque coupled with a missing or very thinly worn washer between wheels could create 'drag'. Enough friction exists between them that one wheel will drag the previously set wheel with it for a brief time.
e.g. You position w2 at its' gate. But moving w3
drags w2 ever so slightly out of alignment. To the other extreme - too much slop and the wheels may not always pick each other up. A drive pin will actually bounce right over the fly of the adjacent wheel. '
Overrun' can be another result - wheels continue moving after the dial has stopped. Just as Tumbl3r said, it's good to get accustom to both. Some spin seamlessly with one finger. Others will force ya into damn near ham-fistin' the son-of-bitch. lol
Some companies have surprisingly high torque recommendations for their locks. I dunno for sure, but I believe it's for a
number of reasons. I think one of the
main reasons though is what DIY Dave eluded to. Users
do tend to spin/whirl the dial. Even in such a small space an enormous amount of force can be generated. When drive pins and flies collide at these rates, premature wear and deformation
will occur. '
Wheel slippage' is another issue from high impact. Normally w3 is affected since it catches most of the abuse. Basically, the relationship between the outer ring and inner hub is changed slightly when it's slammed into motion, resulting in number shift. Older wheel designs are prone to this. But modern wheel construction now locks the two portions of the wheel together more securely & reliably. At any rate, the added turning resistance certainly helps to at least dampen the impact from overly-excited users.
Proper torque settings can also aid in diagnosing/overcoming some lockouts. A botched combo change, for example, that leaves one or more wheels unlocked. If you haven't read it, S&G has a great pdf online; "
Sargent and Greenleaf Mechanical Combination Lock Guide". There are a couple mistakes (
I believe) within it that can be confusing. But the section on troubleshooting/dialing diagnostics is a fantastic read. No other company that I'm aware of has such an extensive piece of writing about their locks available for the common user.