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MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 1:05 pm
by MartinHewitt
Today I opened my first safe in the wild. It was a rather small wall safe where the key had been lost. I had never seen this type of lock before. What I saw from the key hole was that there were six + one levers which had non-uniform bellies. The pick had to be made for this lock and after two hours I had the safe open. I don't know the maker or model of this safe, but for a non-tested safe I think it is rather sturdy. The front plate is thicker than what is sold now and bolts on three sides is also rather uncommon for such a small safe. The safe holder will service the safe and make a key himself.

Btw. the second photo is just after opening the safe. What you see is all that was inside.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 3:10 pm
by ratlock
Very well done. I wish it were stuffed with bullion. But I bet you felt good to get an open, and that kinda satisfaction and self confidence cant be bought.
Well done.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 3:24 pm
by MartinHewitt
Thanks ratlock. Stuffed with bullion would have improved the feeling, but the most satisfying was to get it open.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:02 pm
by mastersmith
Very nice "open" Martin. That does have a quite sturdy appearance. Do you have a pic were we can see the key hole? Anyway great victory!

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:40 pm
by jharveee
Congratulations! :smile:

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 13, 2017 11:32 pm
by MartinHewitt
mastersmith wrote:Very nice "open" Martin. That does have a quite sturdy appearance. Do you have a pic were we can see the key hole? Anyway great victory!

A good one only from the backside.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:10 pm
by lock-ed
Well done!
I also opened one just like that this week! :shock:
Can't seem to get pictures from my phone onto here, but might try later.
I plan to make a 2-1 pick for this one, as it should pick easily. Also, I agree on the" well made for a no-brand lock". But I suspect it is of Polish origin.
Mine was a drill-job too, pretty good hardplate...

Would be excellent if anyone could provide a name for my records...
Cheers,
Ed

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 4:28 pm
by MartinHewitt
Drill-job _too_?

My guess is that the lock is from cawi. The current cawi 1387 looks sooo similar.
http://www.carl-wittkopp.com/en/product ... -1387.html
The steel case has the same form, holes and embossed lines.

If I get more information about it, I will let you all know.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 7:30 pm
by lock-ed
[quote="MartinHewitt"]Drill-job _too_?

Yes!


Looking forward to a possible ID on this lock...
Thanks again,
Ed

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:37 am
by MartinHewitt
lock-ed wrote:
MartinHewitt wrote:Drill-job _too_?

Yes!

Why "too"? It implies something else was drilled also. Is this a reference to your other work?

Here are photos of the backsides of this lock and the cawi 1387.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:16 am
by lock-ed
Martin, not sure if I understood correctly:
I meant to reply "yes, it was a drill-job".
But for next time, I will have a pick ready :)

Thanks for your pictures!
Ed

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 8:47 pm
by Oldfast
Nice pickin'!!

:spinning: How EXCITING!! Lookin' forward to MORE! :spinning:

I haven't a clue when it comes to picking lever locks...
so all the more interesting for me to follow along.

So Martin, I'm curious what you'll run into there in Germany.

Are the majority of safes fitted with key locks rather than
mechanical spin dials then? If so, of the spin dials you do
see, what seems to be the most prevalent there?

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2017 1:14 am
by MartinHewitt
Thanks, Oldfast!

I think when the US started to be dominated with the combination locks Germany was dominated with key locks. So on the safes from around 1900 practically all have key locks and there can be quite different types. Some like cork screws, some to push, some with hidden bits, some Bramah and many normal lever locks. Until then the dominance of the key lock has been lost and there is a more even occurrence. A lot of the higher security safes - at least after WWII - came with key and mechanical combo. A lot of these key locks are Protector locks and I am not ready to open them. With combination locks I think the most common are La Gard and Kromer. At least that is what I saw so far without seeing to many real safes so far. I think safes are not as common in Germany as in the US.

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 2:29 pm
by Oldfast
Thanks for painting a picture for me of what's outside of the states here.

Again, looking forward to seeing what you'll be tackling next Martin.

Spin/Pick on my friend!!

Re: MartinHewitt's Safe Chronicles

PostPosted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 5:05 am
by MartinHewitt
Another thing which is different on old German safe is that there are secret mechanics on some/many(?) safes to unlock key hole covers. This is for some kind of added security, but on some also as a design improvement. I have seen one safe which had a rectangular decoration with wooden strips - nothing else. If one part of the wooden strip is moved another is moving to the side to uncover a key hole. When that lock is unlocked another strip is moving to uncover the second key hole.