Have you ever been in a situation where you forgot the combination of your safe? And to make matters worse, you can’t even find the secondary keys to the safe.
If you are someone who owns a home safe, you might have found yourself caught up in this dreadful situation quite frequently.
Home safes keep all your valuable possessions safe from burglars and calamities. However, lose the keys, and everything inside the safe instantly becomes inaccessible. Forcing your way into the home safe is not an option. Because it will not only damage the safe’s exterior but will also sabotage its locking mechanism. And in the end, you will be stuck with a useless metal box.
So, is it possible to get inside the safe when you have neither the combination nor the keys? Don’t worry; we are here to help you out!
We have some clever tricks to unlock your safe even if you are not a professional locksmith.
What Type Of Safe Do You Have?
Before you pick up all the tools and stuff to unlock the safe, you need to determine the kind of safe you have.
When it comes to safes, you have an array of options available out there like Gun Safes and Regular Home Safes. Different safes feature a unique locking mechanism and serve other purposes.
For instance, fire-proof and burglar-proof safes are for individuals who want to keep their documents and valuables safe from all sorts of threats. These types of safes are solid and sturdy. They either have a dial or a digital keypad. But they also use keys as a secondary means of access.
Wall-mounted and floor-mounted safes are popular home safes, as you can conceal them behind a bookshelf or kitchen cabinet. They usually have digital keypads with an override key for added security.
Gun safes are mainly preferred by homeowners having an impressive collection of guns and ammo. Since these safe boxes will be used for keeping guns, they have a robust design. Its locking mechanism is bound to be tricky and will require several attempts before you finally achieve success.
You can learn more about the various types of home safes.
Most digital and combination safes these days come with an override key. The override key improved the security level of the safe. The thick, sturdy bolts won’t budge until the key is inserted into the keyhole. So, to unlock the safe, you need both the combination and the keys.
Understanding the locking mechanism of your home safe will help you determine the most effective way of dealing with the situation.
Ways Through Which You Can Open A Safe Without A Key
With all your possessions stashed inside your dial or digital safe, things might get annoying when you are locked out of it. How do you access your safe when you neither have the keys nor the combination?
Here are some ideas to try to unlock the safe on your own.
So, let’s get started.
1. Using A Bobby Pin
How can you open a home safe with a simple hairpin? It might look like an unbelievable proposition but using a bobby pin is the easiest way of unlocking a home safe.
Home safes usually have a tumbler mechanism. A tumbler lock has pins of varying lengths. The pins are arranged in a line and are housed in a cylindrical fitting. The springs inside the cylinder held down the pins.
When you insert a key into the lock, the pins are raised at a certain level and are separated from the shear line. Once the pins are separated, the locking mechanism rotates, and the safe door opens up.
When you lose the keys to your safe box, bobby pins are the quickest way of dealing with the situation. This method is adequate for gun safes. The primary benefit of the lock-picking approach is that it does not destroy the safe’s locking mechanism. It means you can continue using the safe once it is unlocked.
To get started, you need two bobby pins and a little patience. Next, you must follow our lead to open your safe’s lock.
- Take a bobby pin and remove the rubber tip of the straight end. Bend the pin at a 90-degree angle using the plier.
- Now, slightly bend the tip of the straight end. This pin will serve as the pick and help you disengage the tumbler pins inside the lock.
- Once your pick is ready, you must create a lever using another bobby pin. Place the closed end of the pin inside the lock and bend it to make a 90-degree angle. This pin will serve as the lever for your lock.
- Insert the bent end of the lever into the lock and turn it anti-clockwise to apply tension.
- Next, insert the bent end of the pick above the lever. A standard lock usually has five pins inside it. Among all these pins, two seized pins that need to be pushed harder than the rest. To unlock the safe, all the pins need to be raised at the same point.
- Push the lever into the lock and push each pin simultaneously. Insert the pick further into the lock until you find the Seized pin. Since these pins are harder to make, they will initially show slight resistance. But by constantly moving the pick up and down, you can successfully force them to line up with the barrel. You will hear an audible click announcing your success.
- Make sure you are continuously applying pressure with the lever and moving it in an anti-clockwise direction. Doing so will allow the lock to move slightly once all the seized pins are pushed up.
- Continue lifting the seized pins using the pick and rotating the lever. Once all the pins are raised, the door of the safe will unlock.
Note: Instead of bobby pins, you can also use a paperclip to unlock a safe. Flatten the paperclip and insert it into the keyhole. Use a second paper clip as a lever. Using the first paperclip, locate the seized pins and unlock the safe. However, paper clips are not very sturdy. They may break when you apply pressure to lift the seized pins.
The Picking method is particularly suitable for safes having a simple key and lock mechanism.
2. Using A Nail File
Besides bobby pins and paper clips, you can also use a nail filer to open the lock of a safe. Compared to bobby pins and paper clips, a nail file is much more sturdy and easy to handle. Besides, if you are not an expert at picking locks, using the pick and lever could be tricky.
To open the home safe with the help of a nail file, go through the following steps
- Insert the pointed end of the nail file into the keyhole.
- Wiggle the file into the lock and turn it in the direction the lock opens.
- Continue twisting the nail file until you hear the sound of a click.
3. Opening a Safe With A Rare Earth Magnet
If lock picking is not your cup of tea, we have another best solution for unlocking your safe. Try using a rare Earth magnet.
Many manufacturers use solenoids while designing a home safe. The solenoid is an electromagnet that regulates the locking mechanism of the safe. It prevents the bolts of the safe from moving.
Most gun safes having a digital keypad or a fingerprint lock use a solenoid coil as the primary locking mechanism. Punching the number on the electronic keypad triggers the solenoid and retracts the locking pin.
If you have been locked out of your gun safe, then a powerful rare Earth magnet can help you get inside without destroying the exterior. Neodymium is the most commonly used magnet for opening the latching mechanism of a home safe.
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Things To Remember
- The magnet should be circular.
- The magnet should have a strong pulling force. Usually, a magnet weighing 125 pounds will have enough pulling force to pull the trick.
- Be extremely cautious while using the Earth magnet. Hold the magnet from the sides and make sure your fingers do not get caught up between the metal and the magnet.
- Keep it away from electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and even credit cards.
- Keep the magnet away from someone who has a pacemaker.
Once you have bought the Earth magnet, get a spare sock, and start following the steps given below:
- Put the magnet inside the socks and place it on the surface of the safe.
- The solenoid is placed in the upper left corner of the safe. Drag the magnet to this area to trigger the electromagnet.
- Grasp and rotate the safe handle while moving the magnet in the upper region. After a few seconds, the magnet will trigger and retract the pin, and the safe will open up.
4. Bouncing And Slamming
You tried all the above methods but failed to open the safe door. But we have another trick that may sound weird but can help unlock the safe within seconds.
All you need to do is pick up the safe and slam it on the floor.
Yes, you read it right. According to safe owners slamming the safe from a certain secure distance will reset the lock, forcing the safe to open up.
However, before you angrily slam the safe on the floor, there are certain things that you need to take care of:
- Cover the surface where you will be dropping the safe.
- Position your left hand on the backside of the safe and your right hand on the front of the safe.
- Hold the safe approximately two feet above the ground.
- Drop the safe on the surface. Attempt the procedure multiple times till the door pops open.
Thing To Remember: Don’t drop the safe from a higher position, as it could destroy the exterior surface of the safe.
If the safe is installed on the floor or the wall, giving it a little bounce would be difficult. Moreover, if you own an extra-large safe carrying, it won’t be an easy task. In such cases, you can smash the solenoid with a hammer. Hitting with a hammer may cause the solenoid to release the safe door.
5. Drilling A Hole
After getting exhausted from trying out the picking and bouncing method, your last resort is drilling.
Drilling is the quickest way of bypassing a locked safe. It has a 100% chance of success since you will remove the entire lock to open the safe. Drilling will destroy the locking mechanism of your safe and will need replacement. At the same time, the safe box will remain intact.
To drill a hole in your safe, you need a straight drill bit with a size of ΒΌ “. Now, insert the drill into the keyhole. Stop drilling once you can locate the cylindrical locking mechanism.
After you are finished with drilling, use a flat-headed screwdriver to open the latch of the safe.
Can’t Get Inside The Safe ? Get A Locksmith
Lock boxes are designed to keep your cash, jewelry, guns, and documents safe from burglars and intruders, making them inaccessible without a combination or a key.
Picking, bouncing, and drilling are some of the most effective ways of unlocking your safe. However, when you have ruled out all these methods, asking for professional help is your last resort.
A qualified locksmith has all the tools required to unlock a home safe. They not only possess excellent technical skills but can also manage safes of varying models and sizes. A professional locksmith will unlock your safe without even harming its exterior.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions regarding opening a safe that we have answered.
Are safe keys universal keys?
The term universal refers to the keys that can unlock different locks. Locksmiths usually have a bunch of keys to open the safe before trying out other techniques. You can easily find universal keys at a locksmith store. And if you ever lost your safe key, the universal keys may help you regain access to it.
What happens when a safe electronic battery dies?
An electronic home safe features a digital keypad that runs on batteries. When the batteries of the digital keypad die, they won’t be able to power the locking mechanism. Certain high-end electronic safes have an electronic display. The LCD panel will give a warning sign indicating that the batteries need to be replaced.
How to open a yale safe without a key and combination?
There are multiple ways to open a yale safe including:
- Bang the front left side of the safe. It will unlock the bolts and you will be able to access the safe right away.
- Another technique is to use the lock-picking method. Use simple bobby pins or paper clips and get inside the safe.
- You can also bang the safe on the floor to force it open.
