Open safe but no combination

[wolfaj55]

It is a 4 wheel. I will send some pics later today. Thank you.

[wolfaj55]

For some reason I am not able to attach pictures to this thread. Either my pics are to large or some thing.
Alexander.Wolf@tdsb.on.ca is my email. If you feel comfortable email me and then I could send you the pictures.

[wylk]

Try this thread on uploading images, it might help:

http://www.antique-locks.com/showthr...-to-your-posts

I know that when the uploader gets upset, messages do not stand out in an attention-grabbing manner.

[wolfaj55]

Here are some pics. I hope this helps. Thanks for all the help.

[wylk]

Wolfaj55, did you get this problem resolved? The lock is a very ordinary one. Once you determine the combination visually you should then put the back plate back on and dial the combination from the front but using the "change index" on the dial ring (I suggest putting a piece of tape over the normal index for this). The change key should then go into hole in the back of the lock.

What, specifically, went wrong when you tried to change the combination?

[wolfaj55]

Thank you for a reply. No i have not resolved the issue. I have the change key and instructions. I put the 4 wheels after some fiddleing all in line ,put the cover back on, inserted the change key but the dial would not turn to set a new combination. That is where i am at. When the 4 dials were lined up the door handle was able to be moved from lock to unlock, until the dial was touched and then went back to locked only. I am stumped.

[wylk]

I put the 4 wheels after some fiddleing all in line ,put the cover back on, inserted the change key but the dial would not turn to set a new combination.

Did you rotate the change key 90 degrees?

Here are the S&G instructions for what I believe is your lock:

630-653.5_6731_etc_op.pdf

[wylk]

Just another thought, in the image you posted showing the wheels, is that how you lined them up before putting the back cover on? If so, they are not aligned correctly. The change-key hole in the back cover needs to line up with the middle hole in the wheels, the one with the brass insert with the square hole. So, the wheels need to be clockwise a bit more.

[Huw Eastwood]

Just another thought, in the image you posted showing the wheels, is that how you lined them up before putting the back cover on? If so, they are not aligned correctly. The change-key hole in the back cover needs to line up with the middle hole in the wheels, the one with the brass insert with the square hole. So, the wheels need to be clockwise a bit more.

Yes that would also explain the dial locking up when you then tried to turn it. Worth trying it all again making sure the square change key holes are the ones aligned with the change key hole in the cover like wylk says.

wolfja If the dial still locks up after that, then it means one of two things-

1- there is a gating mis-aligned instead of all the square change key holes- very common when someone inexperienced tries resetting with the back cover off- easy enough tho, just re-align all the wheels making sure all the square change key holes are aligned and all moving together- and watch them all carefully as you turn them around to the correct position to align with the change key hole on the cover.

or, less likely but still a possibility-

2- one of the setting wheels (the tiny ones with the square holes the key goes through) within the main wheels has been turned 90 degrees out of phase in relation to the others- this is also a common one when people try and reset themselves with the back off, and are not experienced with setting the locks. happens even more on the 4 wheels. Not so easy to cure unless you really know what you're doing, as without a purpose made 'wasted' change key and knowing what to look for it's difficult, as you need it to get down to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th wheels to find which one and correct it- and the only alternative is removal of the lock from the safe to make access easier. Also, unless you know the locks well there's the potential for getting into more difficulty, so hopefully this isn't the problem and you'll be able to sort it by the other methods- it's most likely to be the alignment of the correct holes with the back cover like wylk pointed out- good luck

[wylk]

Yet another thought, would it also cause this sort of problem if he's trying to change a 4-wheel lock with a three-wheel change key? Perhaps a picture of the change key sitting on a ruler would help us determine if the right change key is being used.