How to Open an Old Safe

Co-authored by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: February 27, 2023 References

Getting an old safe can be exciting if you don’t know what’s inside, but they aren’t easy to open since they’re usually made of steel and concrete. If you want to find out what's stored in the safe and you know the combination, you can easily enter it by turning the dial in the correct sequence. If you aren’t worried about damaging the safe, you may try cutting through the walls with a cut-off saw to access the inside. However, it’s easiest to contact a locksmith if you don’t have the combination or key since they’ll be able to open them with minimal damage.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Entering a Known Combination

1
Rotate the dial at least 4 times to the left to reset it. Grab the dial on the safe door and turn it to the left so the arrow on top points to 0. Spin the dial so it goes around for 4 full revolutions and passes 0 again. Avoid spinning the dial to the right at all, or else you’ll need to start over from the beginning.^{[1]
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- If you don’t reset the dial before entering the combination, you will not be able to open the safe.
2
Stop on the first combination number. Slowly continue turning the dial to the left until the arrow on top lines up with the first number on the combination. Be careful not to go past the first number, or else the safe won’t register that you’re entering the combination.^{[2]
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- If you don’t know the combination, try looking for a brand and serial number printed on the rear bottom corner of the safe. You may be able to get the factory-issued combination by contacting the brand online with your serial number.
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3
Turn the dial to the right so it goes past the second number twice. Don’t rotate the dial any further to the left since you’ll reset the lock and need to start over. Spin the dial to the right so you make 2 full rotations through the numbers. Leave the dial alone so the arrow points to the first number of the combination.^{[3]
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- If you don’t rotate the dial past the second number, the tumbler won’t engage inside the lock and will prevent the safe from opening.
4
Stop on the second number on the third revolution. Turn the dial slowly to the right, making sure not to pass by the combination’s second number. Ensure the arrow at the top of the dial points directly at the second number to ensure the tumbler inside the safe is in the correct position.^{[4]
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- Some safes may still unlock if you’re 1 number off if they’re cheaper or less secure than other brands.
5
Spin the dial to the left so it goes past the last number once. Make 1 full revolution around the dial so you stop on the combination’s second number again. Avoid turning the dial to the right at all, or else it will cause the tumblers inside the lock to misalign and prevent the safe from opening.^{[5]
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- Spinning the dial around will engage the last tumbler in the safe so it rotates into position.
6
Finish turning the dial when you reach the final combination number. Keep rotating the dial to the left and slow down as you get closer to the last number. Ease the dial into position so the arrow points to the number to finish the combination.^{[6]
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- Avoid spinning the dial too far, or else you’ll cause the safe to lock again.
- Don’t try pulling on the handle yet since the bolt is still engaged inside the safe.
7
Rotate the dial to the right to release the bolt and open the safe. Continue spinning the dial until you hear a clicking noise or until the dial stops moving, which means the bolt disengaged inside the safe. Turn the handle and pull the door open to access the safe.^{[7]
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- When you want to close the safe again, shut the door and turn the dial 4 times to the left to re-engage the lock.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Cutting through the Safe

1
Screw a metal-cutting blade onto a cut-off saw. Unscrew the bolt on the front of the saw that holds the blade in place. Use a diamond blade that’s made for cutting through metal so you can penetrate through the safe’s body. Check that the arrow on the blade points in the same direction as the one printed on the saw, or else it won’t cut properly. Slide the blade onto the saw and tighten the bolt with a wrench so it’s secure.^{[8]
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- Cut-off saws allow you to cut through difficult material, such as steel or concrete, without damaging the machine. You can buy or rent cut-off saws from your local hardware store.
- Avoid using blades made for cutting through other materials since they could break and cause serious injury.
Tip: Contact a locksmith to open the safe for you if you can’t find the combination and don’t want to cause any damage. Manipulating the safe or trying to crack an unknown combination yourself requires a lot of time, practice, and knowledge on how locks work.
2
Put on earmuffs, work gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator. Position the earmuffs so they completely cover your ears so you don’t suffer from any hearing damage while you’re working. Since the cut-off saw will produce sparks as you cut through the metal, wear work gloves and safety glasses to protect yourself from thrown debris. There may also be concrete underneath the metal, so wear a respirator that covers your mouth and nose so you don’t inhale any dust.^{[9]
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- You can also wear coveralls to protect your clothing, but they are not required.
- Never operate a cut-off saw if you aren’t wearing safety equipment since you could seriously injure yourself.
3
Draw a rectangle around the edges of the back or side of the safe. Choose to cut through the sides or back of the safe since they’ll be easier to cut through than the door and bolts. Measure in about 3–4 inches (7.6–10.2 cm) from the side of the safe and draw a straight line parallel to the edge. Continue around each of the edges until you’ve drawn a rectangle.^{[10]
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- Avoid making the rectangle too small since you won’t be able to reach inside the safe and access the contents.
4
Keep the disc perpendicular to the safe to cut out the rectangular piece. Hold the saw blade 2 inches (5.1 cm) above the outline. Turn on the saw and slowly press it straight down into the metal. Apply light pressure in short up and down strokes as you cut around the outline. Guide the cut-off saw straight through the line on 1 side of the rectangle until you reach the end. As you finish cutting the first line, lift the blade completely out of the metal before setting it down to start the next one. Once you cut through all sides of the rectangle, the metal piece will lift out easily.^{[11]
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- Don’t try forcing the blade through the metal since you could break or damage the blade and cause serious injuries.
- Cut-off saws will create sparks when working with metal, so don’t work near any flammable materials.
- The cut edges of the metal can be extremely sharp, so avoid touching them so you don’t injure yourself.
Warning:Some older safes may contain asbestos to help make them fireproof. If you aren’t sure what’s inside of the safe, avoid cutting into it since you could expose yourself to dangerous chemicals.^{[12]
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5
Smash any concrete with a sledgehammer to expose the safe’s inner lining. Swing the sledgehammer over your head and bring it down in the center of the concrete so it shatters. Continue pounding the concrete with the sledgehammer until you expose a layer of metal underneath it. Clear out the debris and broken pieces as best as you can so you have a clean work surface to cut through.^{[13]
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- You may also be able to cut through the concrete using a masonry blade on the cut-off saw.
- There may or may not be concrete inside depending on the brand of safe. Some safes may have solid metal while others have thin layers of fireproofing boards.
6
Cut a rectangular hole through the inner liner with your cut-off saw. Position the saw’s blade against the inner liner and turn it on. Press the blade into the metal with light pressure so you don’t damage the saw. Make your cut straight along the edge of the liner so it follows the same outline as your initial hole. Continue cutting around the liner until you cut out a rectangular section.^{[14]
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- You may damage the contents of the safe if you press the saw blade completely through the liner, but it depends how thick the safe is.
7
Pry out the piece of liner with a crowbar. Feed the flat end of a crowbar underneath the piece of liner so the curved end hangs over the edge of the safe. Press the curved end down to lift the liner piece up and out of the safe. Carefully grab the liner piece and set it aside so you can reach in and access what’s inside the safe.^{[15]
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- The edges of the liner may be sharp, so wear work gloves while handling it.

Warnings

Avoid drilling into the safe since it requires precise hole placement depending on the brand you have and you cannot find the information online.

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Always use caution when using power tools so you don’t injure yourself.

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Cut-off saws can create sparks and a lot of dust, so make sure to wear a respirator, safety glasses, and work gloves.

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Some older fireproof safes may contain harmful material like asbestos that releases into the air if you try to cut into them. If you aren’t sure about the age or contents of the safe, avoid cutting it.^{[16]
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