Just got a diebold safe

[patq]

thanks ...the cover of the back of the lock slid down inside the door cover ..I will take off the door cover and get it ..I have to work 4 double shifts at work so I will disappear for 4 days and will return tuesday .I will try to get some info on a change key.thanks so much for your time .I will check back here before I go to work each day to see if there is any new info Pat

[wylk]

There's a fairly good chance that a "wrong" change key can be made to work. Most of them are rectangular but adapting one might mean filing/grinding off some of the extras which would make such a key risky in normal use but if you're careful it should get the job done.

Looking at the picture, it almost looks like the rectangular hole has one corner different than the other three, is this correct? You might need to file down one corner of an adapted key, this might have been their way to ensure their key was inserted in one orientation.

If you have a reasonable way to do it, can you measure the flat-to-flat distance of the change key hole?

[wylk]

I can't tell if the lock body is round or just the opening. But I did find an obscure reference regarding change keys. A 1981 Diebold document lists a "Diebold obsolete round iron case K & M combination lock" which takes a Diebold 03-000921-0-00-0 change key, or the more common SLC14.

The SLC14 seems to be more commonly used on certain safe deposit locks. It also looks like a rectangle with clipped edge which would match the change-key-hole in your safe lock. Keep in mind this may not be a best fit, just a good starting point. I noticed SLC14s on eBay for around $15.

Keep in mind that with such an old safe, without the proper change key and/or instructions, changing the combination does have its risks. I would be nervous about putting anything too valuable inside, or anything you might need quick access to in case of a lockout. If the current owner does not know the combination I'd be tempted to just figure out the existing combo and leave it alone!

[patq]

I have the combo from my friend but it has not opened it yet...I will try when I finish work on Tuesday to look in the lock and see if I can see which numbers are on the dial when a gate on a wheel is over the bar...I did put a small screw driver in the square hole and rotate the dial till the screwdriver went all the way in(which lined up all the gates in the wheels) ..then rotated all three wheels together to the gate bar and then the handle opened the lock...I love this mechanical stuff so at least this is fun ha ha

[patq]

yes it does look like there is a bevel on one side of the square hole

[patq]

there are a few slc14 keys on ebay and they say right hand ..do I need a left or a right?? the combo goes left ...right.....left...right...off to work talk soon and again thanks for your time and help

[wylk]

there are a few slc14 keys on ebay and they say right hand ..do I need a left or a right?? the combo goes left ...right.....left...right...off to work talk soon and again thanks for your time and help

I'm not sure why a change key would care about right-hand or left-hand but I'm not familiar with these older locks.

[patq]

will I need to get one of the keys on ebay ???

[patq]

the lock body is round as you mentioned ...

[wylk]

will I need to get one of the keys on ebay ???

That would probably be the easiest and least expensive source.