If you forgot your combination lock, you’re not alone. It happens to many people, leaving them inconveniently separated from their passports, cash and other valuable items.
It’s important not to panic. Don’t try the wrong combination a bunch of times in the hopes that it will work. You could permanently damage the safe. In this article, we’ll review how to open a combination lock if you forgot the code and hopefully extract your valuables without issue. We’ll also review the importance of calling in a professional locksmith.
Identify the Safe
If you want to open a combination safe without the combination, the first step that will help is identifying which type of safe you have. You can start by searching the exterior of your safe for a serial number or product number. If one is visible, you should be able to find it on the back panel or the side of the safe. For security reasons, some safes don’t display a serial number in plain sight, so your best bet might be to review the purchase order or receipt for the safe if you still have it in your possession. Finally, you could always take a picture with your phone and send it to one of the professionals at Rapid Locksmith, as we can usually identify most safes by taking a quick look.
Check if The Safe Has a Key Override
If you don’t know how to open a combination lock when you forgot the code, you should know that many companies have designed safes with a key override. If you still have the manual for the safe, this is how you’ll be able to confirm its existence and how to access it. A lot of people don’t even know that the safe they own has a key override because they didn’t take any time to read the instructions that came with it! Key overrides are very convenient to have when you must give emergency access to someone and you’re unable to give them the code.
Check if The Safe Has a Change Key
In many cases, safes won’t have a key override available but if you still don’t know how to open a combination safe that’s okay because you may be able to get your hands on something called a change key. Essentially, the change key lets you insert the key into the back of the safe, which then allows you to input a special combination that can reset the safe’s combination. Of course, the ability to use a change key or a key override is the best-case scenario and many people aren’t that lucky. That’s when you might need to call in a professional from Rapid Locksmith to help you out.
Find a Locksmith
It’s important to know when to call in the professionals. If you try and open the safe yourself, or try inputting the wrong combination too many times, you risk permanently damaging your safe and making it even more difficult for anybody with any level of experience to access the goods inside. Ensure that you choose a locksmith with a trusted track record and good references, like the experienced team at Rapid Locksmith. If you choose someone inexperienced at a discounted price, you could wind up paying for a broken safe that you still can’t access.
Provide Information About Your Safe
When you have your free consultation with the locksmith on the phone, you can give them as many details as possible before they arrive on the site. Like we talked about earlier, a serial number is best, but a general description, brand name or even a picture of the safe itself will go a long way to ensure that the locksmith can get the job done quickly. Also, be sure to tell your locksmith if the unit is an electronic lock or a traditional analog lock with a spin dial.
Once your locksmith arrives on the scene, here are a few methods they’ll try to open it:
Safe Manipulation
This is the safest way for a locksmith to open your safe without damaging any of the internal components. This method is used on classic combination dials, think of the guy in the spy movies wearing a stethoscope and listening for all the little intricate clicks inside the safe. It takes a lot of patience and experience to be able to open a safe in this manner.
Forced Entry
Most locksmiths will try to avoid using this method if at all possible. It’s only needed when the safe is damaged. In most cases, forced entry is done by drilling through the locking mechanism and disabling the lock. In some cases, they may drill a hole so they can insert a tiny camera inside to take a peek at the locking mechanism as they try to pick it. The downside of course being, once you drill into your safe it’s useless and you’ll have to buy a new one.
In conclusion, if you’ve forgotten your safe’s combination and don’t have a key override or key change available, it’s time to call in the professionals. The experienced locksmiths at Rapid Locksmith can quickly help you diagnose the problem and determine the best course of action to open your safe and regain your valuables. Call us today for a free consultation. You can always rely on our team’s complete discretion for all of your safe unlocking and maintenance needs.
