Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like these
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...te-van-storage

They've 12 nasty sub-calculator buttons, 0-9 and "A" and "B". These
aren't the same as the slightly better ones with moulded plastic
buttons and a simple "Start" button.

Assuming I've now opened it, found at least one working code for it,
and welded the rear panel back onto it, how should I set it? The
instructions are long gone. What's the magic key sequence to tell it a
new code? What's the official button sequence to open it? Does it
take more than one unlock code, or just the one?

Thanks,

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like these
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...te-van-storage

They've 12 nasty sub-calculator buttons, 0-9 and "A" and "B". These
aren't the same as the slightly better ones with moulded plastic
buttons and a simple "Start" button.

Assuming I've now opened it, found at least one working code for it,
and welded the rear panel back onto it, how should I set it? The
instructions are long gone. What's the magic key sequence to tell it a
new code? What's the official button sequence to open it? Does it
take more than one unlock code, or just the one?


Don't know why you bothered, at best they are a visual deterrant, very
easily opened.

Scabbydug wrote:
"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like these
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...te-van-storage

They've 12 nasty sub-calculator buttons, 0-9 and "A" and "B". These
aren't the same as the slightly better ones with moulded plastic
buttons and a simple "Start" button.

Assuming I've now opened it, found at least one working code for it,
and welded the rear panel back onto it, how should I set it? The
instructions are long gone. What's the magic key sequence to tell it a
new code? What's the official button sequence to open it? Does it
take more than one unlock code, or just the one?


Don't know why you bothered, at best they are a visual deterrant, very
easily opened.



That's interesting, I often use them in hotels. Once when I screwed-up
the code it needed "the man" with a "special" key to arrive so I assumed
they were reasonably secure. What's the problem with them?

Dave

"NoSpam" wrote in message
...
Scabbydug wrote:
"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like these
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...te-van-storage

They've 12 nasty sub-calculator buttons, 0-9 and "A" and "B". These
aren't the same as the slightly better ones with moulded plastic
buttons and a simple "Start" button.

Assuming I've now opened it, found at least one working code for it,
and welded the rear panel back onto it, how should I set it? The
instructions are long gone. What's the magic key sequence to tell it a
new code? What's the official button sequence to open it? Does it
take more than one unlock code, or just the one?


Don't know why you bothered, at best they are a visual deterrant, very
easily opened.

That's interesting, I often use them in hotels. Once when I screwed-up the
code it needed "the man" with a "special" key to arrive so I assumed they
were reasonably secure. What's the problem with them?

The same problem as with any safe. IMO it needs to be either very good or
not present at all. Having a safe suggests you've got valuables, and
something that small is likely to just be carried off to be opened at
leisure. A bigger safe is likely to cause people to tell someone with some
knowhow or organisation who'll come back and have a go at it another time.
The best thing you could have would be a well hidden floor safe, but most
people aren't willing to go to that amount of bother.

On 2 Jan, 14:03, Andy Dingley wrote:
Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like thesehttp://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cs250d-digital-elec...

They've 12 nasty sub-calculator buttons, 0-9 and "A" and "B". *These
aren't the same as the slightly better ones with moulded plastic
buttons and a simple "Start" button.

Assuming I've now opened it, found at least one working code for it,
and welded the rear panel back onto it, how should I set it? The
instructions are long gone. What's the magic key sequence to tell it a
new code? What's the official button sequence to open it? *Does it
take more than one unlock code, or just the one?

Thanks,

The usual opening sequence for these types of safe are to key in the
number and then press either A or B (i.e. either usually suffices).

To set the code there is usually a reset switch on the inside of the
safe - press that, followed by your code, then either A or B.

As mentioned elsewhere the security of these is questionable, however
they are intended to be bolted down from the inside which should help
somewhat, if only perhaps to keep it securely located in such a
position/location where the ability of physical attack is limited.

Mathew

On 2 Jan, 16:54, Mathew Newton wrote:
On 2 Jan, 14:03, Andy Dingley wrote:

Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like thesehttp://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cs250d-digital-elec...

Forgot to mention; their is usually a manual key-override behind the
removable portion of the front panel and, in answer to one of your
questions, there is usually just the one code (of variable length - 4
to 8 digits or something).

Mathew

On 2 Jan, 15:42, NoSpam wrote:
Scabbydug wrote:
"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like these
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/pr...d-digital-elec...

They've 12 nasty sub-calculator buttons, 0-9 and "A" and "B". *These
aren't the same as the slightly better ones with moulded plastic
buttons and a simple "Start" button.

Assuming I've now opened it, found at least one working code for it,
and welded the rear panel back onto it, how should I set it? The
instructions are long gone. What's the magic key sequence to tell it a
new code? What's the official button sequence to open it? *Does it
take more than one unlock code, or just the one?

Don't know why you bothered, at best they are a visual deterrant, very
easily opened.

That's interesting, I often use them in hotels.

Further, any valuables will almost certainly not be insured if they
are in a safe in your hotel room.

You are supposed to give your valuables to reception.


Once when I screwed-up
the code it needed "the man" with a "special" key to arrive so I assumed
they were reasonably secure. What's the problem with them?

Dave- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On 2 Jan, 16:54, Mathew Newton wrote:

To set the code [...]

Thanks for that. I knew about the keyhole, but finding the key is
quite another matter. I'd probably have picked it thorugh the keyhole,
but by the time I was asked to get involved, the owner had already
started chain drilling and chiselling through the back panel...
Social-engineering later retrieved a workable code number.

Incidentally, if you're going to open such a safe, please use an angle
grinder and a grinding disk to break through the edges on the corner
welds at a 45° angle. This throws the crud outside the safe, not all
over the silverware and jewellery inside, and it also leaves the back
panel in an easier state to re-weld back on again. Don't drill the
thing or use a cutting disk.


As to "why", then this is still uk.d-i-y isn't it? It's because it's
_there_. The question of why such a useless thing was purchased in
the first place is quite another matter...

As the house now has 3 safes in it (one's even secure, but the elderly
inhabitant can't reach down to it any more), this one will probably be
relegated to use for poisons in the garage, or somesuch. It'll Come In
Handy Some Day.


As to the hotel safes, then they're quite different IMHE; usually much
better made and usually with a new code-setting required each time you
close the door. Although the ones in South Africa this summer were all
prominently marked "not suitable for storing handguns". I don't know
if this was lack of security, or explosion risk during a fire.

"Mathew Newton" wrote in message
...
On 2 Jan, 16:54, Mathew Newton wrote:
On 2 Jan, 14:03, Andy Dingley wrote:

Press button B?

Consider the generic low-end digital safe, like
thesehttp://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cs250d-digital-elec...

Forgot to mention; their is usually a manual key-override behind the
removable portion of the front panel

That's the weak point, very easily picked.

Personally I would be very wary of submitting information that would help
anybody opening a safe. Suggest you use an accredited lock-smith.

Don

On Thu, 3 Jan 2008 10:14:35 -0000, Donwill wrote:
Personally I would be very wary of submitting information that would help
anybody opening a safe. Suggest you use an accredited lock-smith.

Yawn.

You can be damn sure anyone who has attended one of H.M.Training centres
for the criminally inclined knows far more about the subject than any of us.

(Actually I though the question was how to USE the safe, not how to
break into it...)

--
Bye bye

On 2 Jan, 19:45, Owain wrote:
wrote:
That's interesting, I often use them in hotels.
Further, any valuables will almost certainly not be insured if they
are in a safe in your hotel room.

They should be covered by the hotel's insurance.

I wouldn't think so, especially if there was no evidence it was
forced. Most hotels I know have a disclaimer for such things.

You are supposed to give your valuables to reception.

The point of in-room safes is that one cannot trust the low-paid and
casual staff who work in the hotel. It's not supposed to provide *real*
security - just stop the maid stuffing your laptop into the laundry bag.

Don't think my laptop would fit in most hotel safes.

The point of giving valuables to reception is (I guess) you get some
sort of proof that such an item existed.

Not so long ago when it was (alleged) a member of the International
Olympic Committe was bribed he was told to say that he had $10,000 in
his hotel room which was stolen and the $10,000 he was been given was
merely a goodwill gesture from the host to replace what he had lost.

Which sounds completely legitimate.

On 3 Jan, 10:14, "Donwill" popple @diddle .dot wrote:
Personally I would be very wary of submitting information that would help
anybody opening a safe. Suggest you use an accredited lock-smith.

I thought an accredited lock-smith would in any case use brute force
and heavy cutting gear (rather than a stethoscope...) And that would
be expensive.

So there is not much of a 'secret' to be revealed.

Don