Cannon American Eagle Safe Failed

[smo]

I have a Canno safe with a digital key pad… after severally years one day it wouldn’t open…
Swapped out the battery in the key pad… all is well.
I have a Liberty dial combination safe as well..

I’ve been well pleased with both.

 

[JamesA]

Your problem is exactly why I bought an "analog" (dial combination) safe. As wonderful as electronics can be, how many times have you had to simply turn off your phone, reboot your computer, etc., etc.? Fortunately, one of the safe dealers in the area is also the rep for servicing the safe we own, Liberty. We've had it for at least a decade and [knock, knock] so far, so good. Which reminds me, I need to replace the desiccant containers in there. Also, never had any rust unless I forgot to clean the firearm. It's a one hour fire rated safe six feet tall and Liberty claims it could hold 18 long guns. I have found that to be extremely optimistic. We keep a lot of important papers etc. in it too.

 

[JamesA]

Some electronic safes can be defeated by passing a large magnet around the perimeter of the keypad. If this works you will hear a click when the keypad tumbler trips. The handle should turn to release the bolts. This does not work on every safe but has been proven to work on some.

That would scare the he!! out of me. Way too easy to defeat the purpose of having the safe in the first place.

 

[Brokenbear]

Be sure to use a Duracell battery
My battery died and I replaced with an Eveready and still no joy
Called factory ..they said no Eveready ..Duracell only
They were correct

Bear

 

[user 48702]

YUP - I had a S&G lock fail on a cheap safe and locked me out could not get in no way no how. I ended up drilling out the lock then selling the box and buying a new Liberty safe which are guaranteed for life of the original owner.

I have a Liberty Safe I bought about 12 years ago and it came with a S&G (Sargent & Greenleaf) combo lock with the Liberty logo on the knob. S&G locks have always been good locks, most of our classified file safes in the USMC were equipped with them. They are still a govt contractor. All combo locks need to be serviced/lubed every few years or the tumblers get a little sticky. At one point in my life I was a Physical Security Inspector dealing with locks and secure facilities aboard military installations.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Yearly (on my birthday), I change out the batteries in my smoke detectors. As they use 9V batteries, I buy a couple extras, and change out the one in my Cannon safe. While changing the battery, take the time to use a few small drops of oil and lube the mechanism. Don't use WD-40, as it does dry and leaves a sticky residue. I use the same oil on the lock as the oil I use when stoning a flintlock plate or frizzen. Stays slick through the year, no problem.

 

[Travler]

When you do get it open....look up converting to a dial. I did my Winchester safe and it worked well.

 

[Eric Krewson]

We have a huge safe dealer locally that has sold thousands of safes over the years, they have a warehouse full of them, they can get into any safe easily and charge $200 to come to your house and correct the problem. When I bought my safe from them I ordered it with a standard dial combination lock, the company rep that sold it to me winked at me and said "good move", I guess he had seen plenty of digital failures.

 

[Jayhawkdan]

I have a Liberty Safe I bought about 12 years ago and it came with a S&G (Sargent & Greenleaf) combo lock with the Liberty logo on the knob. S&G locks have always been good locks, most of our classified file safes in the USMC were equipped with them. They are still a govt contractor. All combo locks need to be serviced/lubed every few years or the tumblers get a little sticky. At one point in my life I was a Physical Security Inspector dealing with locks and secure facilities aboard military installations.
View attachment 140304

ok, lm

I have a Liberty Safe I bought about 12 years ago and it came with a S&G (Sargent & Greenleaf) combo lock with the Liberty logo on the knob. S&G locks have always been good locks, most of our classified file safes in the USMC were equipped with them. They are still a govt contractor. All combo locks need to be serviced/lubed every few years or the tumblers get a little sticky. At one point in my life I was a Physical Security Inspector dealing with locks and secure facilities aboard military installations.
View attachment 140304

How do I lube a mechanical combo lock mechanism and a key lock mechanism?

 

[Jayhawkdan]

Yearly (on my birthday), I change out the batteries in my smoke detectors. As they use 9V batteries, I buy a couple extras, and change out the one in my Cannon safe. While changing the battery, take the time to use a few small drops of oil and lube the mechanism. Don't use WD-40, as it does dry and leaves a sticky residue. I use the same oil on the lock as the oil I use when stoning a flintlock plate or frizzen. Stays slick through the year, no problem.

Ok, how do I lube my dial combo lock safe and my key lock safe?

 

[SDSmlf]

ok, lm

How do I lube a mechanical combo lock mechanism and a key lock mechanism?

Do you have the instructions that came with your mechanical combo lock mechanism? Here is a bit from S&G as an example. If you are not sure what you are doing you may want to have your locksmith on standby.

 

[user 48702]

SDSmlf is correct, if you are not trained on tearing the locking mechanism down and reassembling, you need to have a locksmith that works on combination locks do it.

I remember as a detachment of MPs, back when we flew out from MCAS Cherry Point, NC, to 29 Palms, CA, for field exercises supporting the 2nd Marine Airwing, we were issued a Hamilton File Field Safe for use as a pistol/ammo locker. It was a Class 6 security box and weighed 115 lbs empty, but with 18 M1911s and ammo, it must have topped 170 lbs. It was equipped with several "D" rings for carrying, and at times an MP would be handcuffed to it, especially when we deplaned at the terminal of March AFB because of mechanical trouble with our aircraft. I always hoped that I was never cuffed to one while afloat or if there was a fire. They generally were outfitted with a S&G lock as is the one in the photo. The field safe is cube shaped, about 20"X20".

 

[McClura]

My best friend pass away two years back and when his wife tried to get into the safe, no go. She needed some of his military papers and insurance papers he had stashed in the safe. Her brother and nephew jacked with it for an hour. No go.
She called me and when she told me they had been jacking with it for most of the day, I told her, it will probably not open without locksmith. I helped my Digital/Electronic challenged friend set up the safe, set the combo and store the combo in a safe place. I think he had jacked with it before he passed, maybe changing the combo with out knowing. He screwed up several I-Phones, one I-Pad and several electronic devices in his home when I told him to not touch them again and I would get them right for him and invite my 8 year old nephew over to fix them. He didn't like that but that's the truth.
I know a guy, "You've heard that before", that worked for Bear Safe Co in Oklahoma City and was now a lock smith. He has an electronic code searcher/ Re-coder piece of equipment for unlocking digital equipment. He took the face from the lock, hook up three wires, and turned it on. It sat there and ran numbers for about 10 minutes, erasing everything in the lock and installed a new combination in the lock and then opened the safe. Before it was closed again, I made not of the combo for myself, the wife, and put it two places in the house so she could find them but asked her not to try and open unless Myself or here Brother in Law was there. It cost $250 for the locksmith to drive 200 miles round trip, unlock and set new combo. I was ready to cut the back of the safe out with a grinder for her when I found him.
Good luck with yours.

 

[Scota@4570]

Sturdy Safes in Fresno CA will use a traditional Greeley lock upon request. OR, two locks.

Don't know if the OP got this figured out. I have watched a locksmith apply 9VDC to the two wires that come out of the electronic lock. The safe opened instantly. I do not remember the brand. A locksmith worth his salt will know. Look at Utube videos on the subject.

 

[DuncNZ]

Here in New Zealand a gun safe or some sort of locking rack is required for firearms security before you can get a firearms owners licence . In my years in the firearms trade I sold hundreds and hundreds of safes , almost all used a key lock .
All safes come with 2 sets of keys . The better safes came with a serial number attached , Inevitably people lost their keys and had to use their spare set , Oops , the spare key set was locked in the safe so it wouldn't get lost , next thing I'd get a frantic phone call ," sorry no there isn't a master key available , if you give me the serial number I can contact the Chinese manufacturer, it will take about 3 weeks to get a new key , you scraped the serial number off the safe so no one could use it ? Call a locksmith" I ended up importing key blanks to sell as spare spares so the owner could get another key cut and have 3 sets of keys , leaving one at a family members or friend .
I have a hidden set of keys in another building and my nephew has another set at his place . There is no way I'd use an electronic lock that didn't have a key back up .

 

[Colonial Boy]

Here in Australia (NSW State) I have a heavy steel cabinet with three hasps and staples and three ordinary locks, keyed to the one key.
No electronics for me, the utility truck has door keys as well and no computer.