If it twern't for bad luck, I'd have no luck atall.

[dorminWS]

Catastrophe struck Friday afternoon. I had some guys moving my gun safes to a more secure location while I was on an out-of-town errand. (I had taken the guns out beforehand) They called me about the time I got an hour away from home and told me they’d dropped my 36-gun Cannon safe (the biggest, best one I had, naturally) off the lift-gate on the back of a pickup truck while unloading it. So when I got home it was safe and sound in its new home but it wouldn’t open. I can’t tell that the case or the door is warped. The batteries are still in place and the electronic lock seems to accept input, but it just beeps once and sits there. Won’t drop the tumblers out – you don’t hear that little <snick> after you input the combination – just a single beep. Guess I’ll get on the phone with Cannon sometime today and see if anything’s to be done. But even if I get it open, my worry would be that if I put guns back in it, it will THEN fail to open; and THEN what? So I’m thinking I’ll just replace it unless some expert can tell me a better way. I’m also wondering, if I DO replace it, what the heck do you DO with an 800-pound 36-gun safe that won’t open? Any suggestions? Anybody need a new watch fob?

[OakRidgeStars]

Dang, I need to loan you my lucky wabbit's foot for a spell...

Sounds like the manufacturer will need to dispatch a tech to work their magic. Unless you can get a hold of one Wile E. Coyote and find out how he fixes all the safes that fall on him

[skeeterss0]

could keep it as a false safe, make it more visible than your actual safe. So if anyone does break in while you are out, they may waste time messing with that safe rather than your real safe.

[OakRidgeStars]

I forgot to ask this before, but are the safe movers insured? If so, then they will have to pony up the coin to get it fixed.

[dorminWS]

I forgot to ask this before, but are the safe movers insured? If so, then they will have to pony up the coin to get it fixed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Nope. My employees, I'm afraid. They're all sorry as hell - and tiptoeing around me like they're afraid I'm gonna bite off their heads and crap down their neck-holes (I thought about it, but was afraid I couldn't pass their skulls). One even took responsibiolity for it and offered to pay to fix it. But that ain't fair - My monkeyshow - my monkeysh!t, I guess.

[davasmith]

Damn dorm after that last statement I do believe you are a stand up guy, "my monkeyshow, my monkeyshit." At least no one got injured furthering the cluster ****. Hope you get it fixed.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Reverenddel]

You are a gentlemen and a fine fellow Dorm...

And the safe company should be able to assist. I'm wondering if it's loaded with "anti-theft" measure such as set pins. When you hammer the door,saw the hinges, etc. It doesn't set them off, but if you try something like pushing it off of a ledge, or something of that ilk, a set of pins fall into place, preventing it from opening.

At least the vault doors on some of the safes I've seen had them.

[ShotgunBlast]

Yeah man, you get some safe monkey out there to work on it and their bill will be half the cost of a new safe AND you'll still worry that it'll never open again. This project was definitely not the time to have an "oops" moment.

[Paliden]

Retired locksmith here. More than likely you have one of two problem or BOTH. Higherend safes have relockers in them. Relockers will range from spring loaded pins all the way to glass plate behind the lock. A drop like you had will fire them. There is also a relock on the lock itself, more than likely it has fired also. If it did indeed fall 3' hard both have fired. You will need to contact a GOOD SAFEMAN to have it drilled on. If your in Richmond area I can recommend a couple.
Sorry I could not give you any better news

[dorminWS]

Yeah man, you get some safe monkey out there to work on it and their bill will be half the cost of a new safe AND you'll still worry that it'll never open again. This project was definitely not the time to have an "oops" moment.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Y'all are giving me WAY too much credit. I said a LOT of stuff when I heard about that, but "oops" never crossed my lips.

[dorminWS]

Retired locksmith here. More than likely you have one of two problem or BOTH. Higherend safes have relockers in them. Relockers will range from spring loaded pins all the way to glass plate behind the lock. A drop like you had will fire them. There is also a relock on the lock itself, more than likely it has fired also. If it did indeed fall 3' hard both have fired. You will need to contact a GOOD SAFEMAN to have it drilled on. If your in Richmond area I can recommend a couple.
Sorry I could not give you any better news

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Cannon recommended a local guy, who's supposed to be here between 1:15 and 1:30. It's 360 miles from here to Richmond, so I reckon you can't help me; but thanks for the offer.

[jdonovan]

(I had taken the guns out beforehand) They called me about the time I got an hour away from home and told me they’d dropped my 36-gun Cannon safe

Naw, if you truly had bad luck, it would have been loaded... with black powder.

So I’m thinking I’ll just replace it unless some expert can tell me a better way. I’m also wondering, if I DO replace it, what the heck do you DO with an 800-pound 36-gun safe that won’t open?

I'm guessing you're going to have to pay quite a sum to have it drilled, and once opened, if it can be trued up enough to operate, then you'll have to get all the holes the locksmith made repaired, and then you will be left with the constant question of will it open each time you put your code in.

IMO its probably a loss. Call cannon and see if they have any good news, otherwise, I'd put it back on the truck and take it to the county landfill, pay by the $/lb to put it on the pile.

[dorminWS]

I figure it's a dead loss, too; but I have to check. I've got guys that can weld up a hole (and even paint it up and make it look purty). The thing that bugs me is, at what point, after I put a couple of dozen valuable firearms that I NEED in it, will the cotton-picking thing refuse to open again? Probably the morning I'm trying to leave on an expensive prepaid waterfowling trip (or something equally ridiculous).

You know, when George Carlin was doing his famous rant about "stuff", I believe he overlooked "KEEPING ALL YOUR STUFF WORKING RIGHT". This is a good example of that.

[jdonovan]

you might be able to salvage it into a 'non-locking fire resistant' container for those things like insurance policies, etc... that you would want fire-resisting, but really don't have to be locked up... and these tend to be things you don't need to produce on 10 minute notice.

[Paliden]

I figure it's a dead loss, too; but I have to check. I've got guys that can weld up a hole (and even paint it up and make it look purty). The thing that bugs me is, at what point, after I put a couple of dozen valuable firearms that I NEED in it, will the cotton-picking thing refuse to open again? Probably the morning I'm trying to leave on an expensive prepaid waterfowling trip (or something equally ridiculous).

You know, when George Carlin was doing his famous rant about "stuff", I believe he overlooked "KEEPING ALL YOUR STUFF WORKING RIGHT". This is a good example of that.

Your worring to much, someone who knows what they are doing can get into it, make the repairs and it will be just fine. We would have to break into vault doors in banks and after making repaired I never worried about it opening. One thing I always recomend to users is on any large safe or one hard to get into is to have a mech, combo lock installed and get rid of the elect. lock. The reason is an elect go dead instantly where a mech lock I can get in 99% of the time after it starts to go bad without drilling (just a thought) We had a guy that could get into any bank vault door, not leave a visable mark and in under 4 hours. So there is good people out there.
If you were not so far away I'd pick it up when you trash and rebuild it myself. I'm doing antique safe now in my home.

[dorminWS]

I figure it's a dead loss, too; but I have to check. I've got guys that can weld up a hole (and even paint it up and make it look purty). The thing that bugs me is, at what point, after I put a couple of dozen valuable firearms that I NEED in it, will the cotton-picking thing refuse to open again? Probably the morning I'm trying to leave on an expensive prepaid waterfowling trip (or something equally ridiculous).

You know, when George Carlin was doing his famous rant about "stuff", I believe he overlooked "KEEPING ALL YOUR STUFF WORKING RIGHT". This is a good example of that.

Your worring to much, someone who knows what they are doing can get into it, make the repairs and it will be just fine. We would have to break into vault doors in banks and after making repaired I never worried about it opening. One thing I always recomend to users is on any large safe or one hard to get into is to have a mech, combo lock installed and get rid of the elect. lock. The reason is an elect go dead instantly where a mech lock I can get in 99% of the time after it starts to go bad without drilling (just a thought) We had a guy that could get into any bank vault door, not leave a visable mark and in under 4 hours. So there is good people out there.
If you were not so far away I'd pick it up when you trash and rebuild it myself. I'm doing antique safe now in my home.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DANG! Just about the time I had myself convinced I had no choice but to buy a newer, bigger safe, here you go messin' it up! KILLJOY!

[Paliden]

As a added thought in any future safe moves whether you move it or someone else does. (open the door and lock the bolts open so it cannot lock) MUCH easier to fix!!!!! 75% of the bill will be drilling it open.

BTW if it makes you feel better buy a shiney new one and I'll take that one off your hands Who wants one thats been vilalated

[SHMIV]

One thing I always recommend to users is on any large safe or one hard to get into is to have a mech, combo lock installed and get rid of the elect. lock.

As a guy who fixes random stuff on a fairly regular basis, I'm going to second this recommendation.

It has been my observation that man-made stuff is all prone to failure, but anything that relies on a computer chip or electricity is even more prone to failure. My guess is that the silicone chip gets to breaking down over time (I could be wrong; they may not even use silicone chips anymore, for all I know). Regardless, I'd much rather have something completely mechanical; I'd have more faith that it would withstand the test of time.

[dorminWS]

Locksmith just left. He got it open, and it works like it was new - except for some skinned corners. The gypsum fireproofing board had jumped out of the inside of the door. but he got it all straightened out and working. No drilling necessary. Paliden was 100% right - it wasn't near as big a deal as I thought. He did say I was very lucky.

But when we got it open, all the partitions were piled up in the middle of the safe, and the "gun rack" (which is what the Cannon customer service folks call the piece of felt-wrapped particle board that has the slots in it to lean your gun barrels into) is busted all to flinders. Been on hold for 30 minutes trying to buy one from them. I could make one using the pieces of the broken one for a pattern, but I'd never get the felt to stick to it; so I'll buy one if I don't die of old age waiting on hold or get raped to death when they price it.

Bad news is that the locksmith didn't speak highly of Cannon safes. He had a higher opinion of my Liberty Centurions. But they aren't tall enough for some of my more authoritative ordinance.

[ShotgunBlast]

Awesome. Glad they got it open for ya. And when they asked what you were gonna put in there you told them BB guns right? Or a collection you were going to start in a couple years?