So you’ve lost the key to your safe and you desperately want to get in there huh? Well, that better be the only reason why you’re here. We don’t support any burglary, vandalism, thievery, and any other criminal activities. The following tips and tricks for cracking most home safes are not to be used unlawfully.
But if you forgot the combination, literally lost the keys (original and spare) to your safe or had the locking mechanism jam on you, then you’re definitely in the right place.
Like most of us, you probably keep your valuables and important documents in a home safe. So being unable to access it can be pretty frustrating. But don’t go pulling out the dynamite just yet!
We’ve compiled a few tricks that should help you learn how to open a home safe without a key, without employing a locksmith, and most importantly, without (totally) damaging your safe.
How to open a home safe without a key
Typically, most home safes that use keys are meant for homeowners wishing to secure weapons, minor valuables, papers, and documents. Most of these safes are lower end models that will not withstand concentrated efforts to open them. One of the following techniques should get your safe open.
i) Borrowed keys
You might not realise it, but most safe keys don’t differ greatly from other mass produced units. So while most people think their keys are unique, that’s usually not the case. If you can obtain another key from someone with a similar safe, you might be surprised to find that it works too.
ii) Lock picking
Again, the budget-friendly nature of most home safes makes them much easier to pick than more expensive models. In fact, studies show that cheap gun safes and some sentry safes can be opened with simple tools like paper clips, coat hangers, and even small knives. Try inserting these items in the keyhole and jiggle it a bit to pick the lock.
iii) Dropping from heights
Similar to a technique known as the bouncing method, dropping your safe could also force it to open. Just take the safe a few stories up and drop it a couple of times until it divulges its contents. For this hack, there’s a 50-50 percent chance of completely damaging your safe.
iv) Drilling
Most key safes are manufactured inexpensively; meaning that they lack the sophisticated ball bearings and steel alloys which would make drilling tough. If you know what you’re doing, you can drill between the lock cylinder and housing, but this will make your fire safe less effective.
How to crack a combination safe
Combination safes are hands down the most common type of safe in both residential and commercial settings. One of the reasons why they’re so common is because these safes do their job exceptionally well. However, there are also ways to work with, through, or around the combination lock to get the safe open.
i) Manipulation
While incredibly time-consuming, safe manipulation is by far the safest and most preferred method of opening combination safes. That’s because in addition to leaving behind zero trace of entry, there’s no damage to the safe whatsoever.
Manipulation involves uncovering the combination through touch or sound since most safe locks vibrate or make a sound when shifting. You can use a stethoscope to help catch the vibrations better, but it takes a lot of time and skill to pull off.
ii) Scoping
Scoping involves drilling a small hole into the safe and inserting a borescope to get a better idea of how to work the lock. Of course, this method assumes you have a borescope handy.
However, it is quite useful if your safe has added security measures such as burglar proof locks and glass re-lockers. Scoping is effective, leaves a little mess behind and is inexpensive to repair.
iii) Prying
This is one of the oldest safe cracking tricks in the book, but it’s also the most demanding and least effective. It consists of prying the door and bolt work out of the frame. Aside from taking a lot of time and energy, prying has the tendency to damage your safe beyond repair.
iv) Cutting
As a last resort, you can use an array of cutting tools to get your safe open. Cutting works for any type of safe but most people don’t recommend it. Since you are using power tools such as blow torches, it can get loud, messy, noisy and time-consuming. Not to mention permanent damage to your home safe.
How to open a digital home safe
If you own a digital home safe, then things can seem a bit complicated. I mean, with hundreds of thousands or millions of possible codes to contend with, there’s no way safe manipulation will work. But with the right tools and know how, even digital home safes can be cracked.
i) Bounce or smack method
Professionals have performed tests and found that the magnetic pin in digital or electric home safes can be opened by gently bouncing the safe. Apparently, the bounce technique is so easy that a kid could do it. All you have to do is gently drop the safe on a flat surface while working the opening mechanism. With the right timing, the safe lock will bounce open without causing damage to the safe.
ii) Hammer and chisel
If you can get a chisel with a flat, elongated tip, you can work around your digital safe. The target is the keypad section. Place the chisel at the top corner and hammer it to dislodge the panel. Under that, you will see a number of screws and knobs with a silver knob at the centre. Dislodge the knob with the chisel to reveal a hole with a button on the lower side. Insert a finger and press the button to open the safe instantly.
iii) Magnets
These days, there are some magnets known as neodymium that could help unlock your digital safe. However, these magnets are incredibly powerful and will wreck your electronic, hard drives, phones, and computers if taken near them. To hack a digital safe, put the neodymium magnet in a gym sock and attach it to the safe. Slide the magnet around until the locking mechanism opens. This method is very quiet and won’t leave any signs of an intrusion.
Parting shot
There you have it folks, all the tips and tricks you need to break into your own safe. With this knowledge, you can retrieve your valuables without having to call in a locksmith. However, it’s worth noting that cracking a safe takes time, patience, and a great deal of effort.
But in the end, you’ll be rewarded with a full purse, an undamaged safe, a sense of accomplishment and a new set of skills. So go ye out in the world and get cracking. And oh, don’t do be dumb and go doing something illegal. But if you do decide to be naughty, try not to get caught.
