SAFES
REPAIRING SAFES DAMAGED DURING OPENING
There are many safe related articles written about safe opening but not so many about how to repair if the safe has been damaged during the opening.
In this article, MARTIN NEWTON of Sussex-based Safe Ventures, passes on some invaluable expert guidance on the issue.
Let me start by saying that I am aware that there are certain criteria for repairs to safes that are in use for particular circumstances. I am also aware that the As- sociation of British Insur- ance Surveyors has certain criteria that they impose on certain risks. Te following information
does not conflict with any of the above - it is purely my take on how I think safes should be repaired. By design, the es- sence of any safe is the integ- rity of its security.
“By design, the essence of any
safe is the integrity of its security.”
As a professional safe open- er I always try to achieve my openings with out any de- structive damage whatsoever. However, when things fall out- side of that remit, usually due to mechanical or electronic failure, I am sometimes forced along the destructive route. My approach to this type of opening is to make it mini- mally evasive, my thinking is
that the minimum amount of damage requires the mini- mum amount of repair. Usually destructive safe
openings require the drilling of one or more holes: this is ei- ther necessary for the purpose of inserting scopes to see the problem or other implements that will solve the problem. Ei- ther way, I am left with one or more holes in either the body or the door of the safe. As I am the one who has
drilled the hole I know how tough (or not) it was to do it. In order to carry out what
I term a professional repair, I believe I am obligated to re- pair it to a standard, whereby it is as strong or stronger than it was previously. My second- ary concern is that the repair is aesthetically pleasing as possible, given the circum- stances of the repair situa- tion. In other words, the least I am going to do is fill, flatten and paint finish to something close to the original colour.
Back to basics Tere are a few basic prin-
ciples that I try to stick to that really makes life easier for the repairer. 1. Where possible drill in a
position where the repair will be hidden. So for example, if the choice is to drill a combi- nation safe through the front on a door with out glass as op- posed to through the side or
36 • NOV/DEC 2011 •
WWW.KEYZINE.CO.UK
Basic repair material, ball bear- ings, touch up paint, two pack
epoxy, carbide roller bearings, tool steel.
top, I will generally go for this option as the repair is truly hidden behind the replace- ment dial. Similarly, if I can remove fascia that can be re- placed and hide repairs I will choose this option. 2. If the decision is to drill
into the body of the safe, al- ways try to avoid the door. Scoping change keyholes is a part of the job that we do often, and if I can do this through a hole that exists in the back of the door, I would always choose this method rather than drilling into the door cavity - even if this means having to remove cov- ers blocking the change key access hole in the back pan. Te following series of pho-
tographs and their captions show the various steps and methods that I use to get the job done.
Te SMP Community 3
above was originally fitted with a LaGard electronic lock that had failed. It had to be drilled from both sides in or- der to be opened. Te hole in the side of the
door was welded with an arc welder.
Before plugging.
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