I had a FT Knox that has had a touchy electronic lock since day 1.  It was getting worse, locked me out a few times even, refusing to open on correct code.  I almost always had to enter the code twice.  This was an Sargent and Greenleaf lockset- highly rated.  I know FT Knox would replace it, but I wanted something that was mechanical and electronic.  I don’t want to have to drill a safe someday when (not if) the electronic lock fails totally.  Well it turns out not to be that easy to find for a retro fit job.  However I found the Securam Extreme and thought I would try it.

For a FT Knox safe, you will also need a Reverser mechanism.  FT Knox uses a straight drop down bolt, S&G makes both, but the Securam Extreme only comes in the pivot style bolt, and it is not reversible due to the mechanical redundant lock, hence the need for the Reverser mechanism.  

The lock was not cheap- around $325, the reverser another $100 or so.  I did not know I needed a Reverser initially...  You can get a mechanical only or electronic only S&G for $100-150.  I flinched at the cost, then thought how much I would pay to have the safe drilled, and how much of a headache it would be, and paid it.  Then I ended up needing the Reverser and spent more money!  

Pulling off the interior panel was easy.  Pulling off the old lock was easy.  Once I got a look at the mechanism, you see how cheap a relocker device really is.  I had to remove the relocker plate and do some fabrication on it to make it work with the new lock and reverser, but that was fairly easy if you have any metal working skills at all.  Basically the relocker is a spring loaded rod that gets released if the lockset gets punched out, and it locks up the mechanism so it cannot be unlocked.  Super basic.  

Anyhow, it was at most a 2 hour job with the relocker plate work.  You install a cable for the electronic portion of the lock, and a square rod thru the pre-drilled hole.  All locks that are group 1 and 2 have the same bolt pattern so this lock is a universal fit on better safes (I don’t know about low end safes, but you can always open it up to see before ordering the lock).

Programming the electronic part was easy. Setting the mechanical combo was a pain.  I was tired, and the mechanical markings are very small and hard to see.  There is a couple shadow lines that look like a mark as well to throw you off.  I did two of these lock upgrades- one went fine.  On the second I screwed up the combo somehow by looking at the wrong line.  I could not figure out what the actual combo was, so I was unhappy as hell.  It was set to who knows what.  Luckily the safe was open, and the electronic lock was working fine, but I wanted it fixed NOW.  

To remedy this, I probably needed to send it back or have a locksmith reset it.  Instead, I voided the warranty, opened it up, and used Youtube to learn how to reset the dials/gears.  Once that was figured out, I was able to re-install it, and correctly reset the combo.

The moral of the story is that you want to pay attention, and triple check that you are using the correct line to set the number.

That is my major complaint:  the numbers are hard to read, the index mark is different from that combo reset mark, plus there is a shadow line or casting line that looks like a mark as well.  My son and I both had issue with the shadow line/casting line looking like a mark.  Some paint on the mark would help.  

The mechanical part of the lock is not intended to be used quickly- it is in case the electronic lock malfunctions.  So long as I can open it at all I am very happy.  You just have only one chance to set the combo correctly is all.

Once we got past the messed up reset situation, all was good.  

All in all, I feel the redundant lock is a good investment.  There is one other redundant lock out there but it looked much cheaper and had poorer button layout, plus it was not available at the time.  So I spent more, but I feel the peace of mind was worth it.  I wish S&G would make a redundant lock like this, but apparently they do not.  

It is an imported lock, which I was not pleased about, but that is life.  

Anyhow, if you have an electronic lock on your safe and want to make sure it will always be able to be opened on demand, you might consider this lockset.

I've got the factory "redundant lock" from Fort Knox but I recall its not really redundant. It is just a more convenient way to get into the mechanical lock. If the mech fails, I am still locked out.

I changed another mech safe (Old Cannon) to a ESL10 and no regrets. If SHTF and the lock was out I know how to fix it or break it in a short period of time ;)