If you forget your safe combination code, calling a professional locksmith can cost you a lot of money, while forcing it can damage the tools and the safe. Experimenting with combination codes yourself takes a lot of patience and effort, but your wallet will stay thick, the safe won't break, and you'll be satisfied. The highly detailed steps in this article can also provide fantastic detail for any fiction writer who wants to write a dramatic vault opening scene in their writing. Read on from step one to find out how to open a real safe with the owner's permission or fake it!
Step
Part 1 of 4: Learning the Combination Lock Function
Step 1. Start with the key combination
Circular combination lock surface, can be rotated. Numbers are written around a circle, usually starting with a 0 at the top and incrementing clockwise. Apart from physically breaking into the safe (which is very difficult to do), correctly entering a series of numbers into the combination keypad is the only way to open the safe.
Step 2. Know how the shaft works
It's a simple little cylinder attached to a combination dial. When you turn the number dial, the shaft also rotates.
The shaft and other parts will be invisible even when the safe door is open
Step 3. Know how the drive cam is connected to the shaft
Located at the end of the shaft (as opposed to the combination knob), this circular object is threaded onto the shaft and rotates with it.
A small drive pin extending from the drive cam serves to catch the wheel (see below) and set it to turn
Step 4. Understand the safe wheel
Also called tumblers, these circular objects surround the shaft but are not attached to it. This object must be caught by the drive pin in order to turn.
- Combination locks have one wheel for each number in the combination (usually 2-6). For example, a 3-number combination lock (eg 25-7-14) has three wheels.
- Knowing how many wheels are essential for opening a safe, but there are ways to find this number without knowing the combination (see next section).
- A small tab on the wheel called a wheel fly catches the opposing drive pin or the next wheel and makes it spin. These terms are not important to remember in this guide; just know that the drive cam that makes contact with the wheels to regulate them can turn.
Step 5. Visualize the Fence
The fence is a small rod that rests on the wheels. (This does not prevent them from turning.) The railing is connected to the lever mechanism responsible for keeping the safe closed. As long as the fence stays in place, the safe is locked.
Older texts might refer to this as ' lock drop', 'drop-pawl', or 'dog' (an old term for objects holding or holding each other)
Step 6. Understand how the wheel notch works
Each wheel has a 'notch or notch' (also called a 'gate') at one point along the circle. When the wheel is turned the notch will be on top, then the fence will fall or fall off the notch. The lever moved, and the door opened.
- You can see why there is one wheel for each number combination. When you press the first number, the first wheel rotates into position with its notch directly under the railing. You then reverse the direction of rotation to escape the wheel and then return to the correct position.
- Drive cams also have notches for different reasons. Its purpose is not important to know in this guide, but remember that this notch will "click" whenever it slips over the lever (the stationary part attached to the railing).
- (Additional information for the curious: once the railing falls and releases the locking mechanism, the drive cam notches catch the bolt physically blocking the door and pull it out.)
Step 7. Proceed to the appropriate section based on your knowledge
If you already know how many number combinations are, skip directly to the section titled "Number testing." If not, read on to find out how to find the number of combinations."
Part 2 of 4: Finding the Combination Length
Step 1. Turn the numeric dial several times fully clockwise
This will reset the lock and ensure all the wheels are removed.
Step 2. Place the stethoscope near the surface of the knob or knob
Believe it or not, this Hollywood scene is actually used by professional locksmiths. Placing the stethoscope in both ears and the tip of the bell on the wall of the safe will sharpen your hearing.
- The mechanism you're listening to is located directly behind the knob, but obviously you can't cover the knob because you have to turn it. Try moving the stethoscope between different places near the knob as you rotate the combination until you find the most audible location.
- The metal safe echoes the sound and makes it easier to hear. It is a good choice for a beginning hobbyist.
Step 3. Turn the numeric dial counterclockwise and listen carefully until two clicks are heard close together
Turn slowly and be prepared to note the position of the knob.
- One click will be slower than the other, because the notch that makes the sound tends to tilt to one side.
- You hear the sound the drive cam notch makes when it slides under the lever arm ((see and Learn How Combination Keys work). Each side of the notch “clicks” when the lever passes or shifts.
- The drive cam contact area is the name of the part on the knob surface between the two clicks.
Step 4. Reset or reset the lock and repeat
Turn the dial a few turns clockwise, then listen again as you slowly turn counterclockwise.
Clicks can be muted or obscured by other sounds. Repeat the process two or three times and confirm the closest two-click pattern in a consistent small area of the knob surface
Step 5. Rotate counterclockwise until the dial turns counterclockwise with two clicks
Once you have found the location of the two clicks (the 'contact area'), move the 180º dial opposite to the face of the knob's rotation.
This is referred to as park the wheel. You placed the wheel in this location and can now count it because you have "picked it up" by turning the knob.
Step 6. Turn clockwise and listen each time you pass the starting point
Turn slowly and watch each time you pass the "park the wheel" point.
- Remember to listen as you pass the "parked" position, 180º from the original contact area you found earlier.
- The first time you pass that position, you should hear a click as the wheels move and start turning with the drive cam.
- Next, you will hear a click only if there is an extra wheel to "pick up".
Step 7. Keep playing and counting the number of clicks you hear
Only counts the clicks heard in the "parked" area.
- If you hear a lot of clicks or clicks in the wrong position, you may have made a "parking" error. Try again from the beginning in this section and make sure you reset the knob rotation by adding a few extra rotations.
- If you are still facing the same problem, the safe you are using may have anti-crack or anti-theft technology. You may need to call a professional locksmith.
Step 8. Write down the number of clicks
After you roll past that point and hear no additional clicks, pay attention to the total number of clicks. This is the number of wheels in the combination lock.
Each wheel corresponds to one number in the combination, so you now know how many numbers you need to enter
Part 3 of 4: Finding Combination Numbers
Step 1. Create two line graphs
You have to log a lot of information to decode the safe. Line graphing is not only an easy way to do this, but the shape of the graph will also help you in finding the data you need.
Step 2. Label or name each chart
Each x-axis graph must cover a range from 0 to the highest number on the dial, spaced enough to allow graph points to be 3 digits apart or closer together. The y-axis only needs to cover a range of about 5 numbers, but you can leave it blank for a while.
- Name one graph the x-axis "start position" and the y-axis "left contact point".
- Name one graph the x-axis "initial position" and the y-axis "right contact point".
Step 3. Reset or reset the lock, then set it to zero
Turn the knob a few rotations clockwise to release the wheel, then set it to the zero position.
Step 4. Slowly turn counterclockwise and listen
You are trying to find the contact area where the cam drive is connected to the wheel (see Learn How Combination Locks work)
Step 5. When you hear two clicks close together, pay attention to the position of the knob on each click
Be sure to note the exact number when you hear each click. You need to separate the points, usually in several numbers from each other.
Step 6. Make a graph of this point
On the "left contact point" graph, make a point at x = 0 (the number at which the rotation of the knob begins). the value of y is the number on the knob where you hear the first click.
- Similarly, on the "right contact point" graph, mark the point at x = 0 and the y value where you hear the second click.
- You can now name your y-axis. Leave enough space on the graph for a 5-digit spread on both sides of the y-value you just recorded.
Step 7. Reset the key and set the remaining 3 numbers from zero
Turn it clockwise a few times and set 3 numbers clockwise from zero.
This new number is the next x-value that you will record
Step 8. Continue to record the two click location
Look for the new y-value on the first and second clicks when you start at this location. This should be close to where you heard it last.
When you have noted the second location, reset the key and set it with an additional 3 opposite numbers
Step 9. Keep trying until your line graph is complete
Once you've mapped the entire turn of the knob (in 3 increments) and it's back at the zero position, you can stop.
Step 10. Find the point on your graph where the two y values converge
At a given point on the x-axis, the difference between the values of the left and right contact points (y-axis) will be smaller.
- It's easier to see if you put two graphs one on top of the other and actually find the closest points on the two graphs.
- Each of these dots corresponds to the correct number in the combination.
- You must know how many numbers are in the combination, either because you have used this safe before or because you followed the instructions to find the length of the combination.
- If the number of convergent points on the graph does not match the number of numbers in the combination, create a new graph and see which points consistently narrow.
Step 11. Write down the value of x at this location
If the y values on the two graphs are closest when x = 3, 42, and 66, write down these numbers.
- If you managed to follow these steps, these numbers should be the one used in combination, or at least close enough to succeed.
- Note that we do not know which sequence of these numbers is correct. Read on for additional testing and other tips.
Part 4 of 4: Testing Results
Step 1. Try every possible sequence of numbers you have obtained
If you write 3, 42 and 66 at the end of the Combination Number search, test the combination (3, 42, 66); (3, 66, 42); (42, 3, 66); (42, 66, 3); (66, 42, 3); and (66, 3, 42). One of them should be able to open the safe.
- Remember to try to open the safe door after completing each combination! You don't want to be stupid and move on to the next combination before checking if it worked or not.
- Remember to reset the dial after each try by turning it a few times.
- If the dial has more than 2 or 3 wheels, you may need to write down each combination at the beginning and try each other out.
Step 2. Try a combination using adjacent numbers if the safe doesn't open
Most safes allow a margin of 1 or 2 number of errors on a call, which is why you should only test every 3rd number. Your safe may be more complicated, especially if it is more expensive.
- For example, if the numbers you wrote down were 3, 42, and 66, you should try every combination of [2, 3, or 4] + [41, 42, or 43] + [65, 66, or 67]. Don't get confused and start testing combinations like (41, 42, 65); each combination must contain exactly one number from each of the three numbers in brackets.
- This is only practical for combinations of 3 digits or less (requires a maximum of 162 tries). For a 4-digit combination, a maximum of 1,944 tries. This is still much faster than trying every possible combination, but it will be a waste of time if it turns out that you made a mistake in your attempt
Step 3. Try again from the beginning
Opening the safe takes a lot of patience and effort! Find the length of the combination, find the number of the combination, test your results again and again.
