A friend has bought a house that had this safe in it and all house contents transferred with the sale.  The lady had died and the neighbors say the safe hadn’t been openned in 20-30 years.  It’s a mosler and serial number is 238064 on the handle.   It appears that would’ve been made in late 1911.

He wants to open the safe.   If I remember correctly, a safe technician can open the safe and then repair it so they could be utilized by him afterwards? Does anyone know ballpark what it would cost for a safe technician to perform this type of service?  He is located in the Houston area if that helps with pricing or if anyone has any recommendations.

Attached File

Day 1
Sorry not GD.
but let us know what your friend finds.

I'm in for the safe thread, but my guess would be $87.

Around here a $75 service call, and about $300 to open it, patch it up, and either decipher or set a working combination.  This is assuming that it's only a missing combination and not other issues that may be preventing it from opening.

There are a lot of scammers that will do it for less, and as a result destroy the safe in the process.  Also curious as to how the neighbors know when the safe was last opened.  I generally don't notify my neighbors when I'm in or out of mine.

That will be a BEAUTIFUL specimen once cleaned up.

Can't help you with pricing. You'll want an ALOA certified safe and vault tech. It's kind of a niche market, so no telling what they will charge, you know?

There are two ways in, destructive and non-destructive (that is, assuming the relockers if present, haven't fired, and the dial pack is intact and functional). I don't know what the value of that safe in unmolested condition is, so that's a figure I'd want to have before negotiating.

Once you know that, you'll know if the non-destructive route (which generally is more expensive) is right for you.

Edit: Upon reflection, consider looking up your state's TOOOL group, and see if they have any safe whisperers. Might be a 0 cost way in...

safe cracking alot of how to vids

My WAG is maybe she didn’t know the combination and it hadn’t been open since her husband died, which might’ve been 20 to 30 years ago

If destructive, then going in the back, and hope the lock is not blocked with dividers, then the lock could be dismantled and a new combination set.
Then the back rebuilt.

No idea what's in it now, but when that safe left the factory it would have had dividers.  It may have had a second key locking door, and it may also have a solid rear door cover.  10% chance you have unobstructed access to the lock from the rear.

This guy knows what he's talking about!  Great service as well. He installed my safe a few years back and opened my brother's old safe for him a few weeks ago, and you can't tell anything was ever done to it. Great dude!