Guides
Safe opening guides
Practical notes on getting into a safe whose combination is gone — written for locksmiths and safe technicians, not for a brochure.
- What a safe autodialer is, and how it actually worksNot the film version. A real autodialer is a patient machine that turns a dial for hours and watches for one specific mechanical event.
- Lost the combination to a safe? Your real optionsA locked safe with no working combination has four realistic ways out.
- Manipulation, drilling or an autodialer — what each one costs youThree ways into a safe with no combination. They differ less in whether they work and more in what they leave behind.
- How long does an autodialer take on a Group 2 lock?The honest answer has two halves: what it takes on average, and what it takes in the worst case.
Looking for a specific lock model instead? See lock guides, model by model.
Not sure whether it covers your lock?
Send a photo of the dial and the lock model. We'll tell you honestly whether the AutoDialer V4 handles it before you spend anything — and if it doesn't, we'll say so.