Discussion
Hi All,
Just after a bit of advice for a "hotel style" home safe.
Seen a few digital key pad types- I think Yale ones are around £40. Needs to be easy to use for the misses and myself.
Planning on bolting down to a cupboard floor.
If robbers can get it from there, then so be it. Doesnt to be fire proof.
Any advice?
Thanks.
HF
Just after a bit of advice for a "hotel style" home safe.
Seen a few digital key pad types- I think Yale ones are around £40. Needs to be easy to use for the misses and myself.
Planning on bolting down to a cupboard floor.
If robbers can get it from there, then so be it. Doesnt to be fire proof.
Any advice?
Thanks.
HF
Digital keypad is a good idea, that way you can store your keys in it and still have access if keys are lost etc. I believe all the electronic ones also come with a spare key incase the battery fails or the code is forgotten. Store the spare key with a relative, not inside the safe!!
Securing it to the bottom of a cupboard is largely a waste of time, you almost need not bother for the protection it gives. (A theif will see a safe, assume "valuable" and rip it away.) Safe's need to be properly secured into brick or concrete. You can get anchor bolts that go through the base or rear of the safe, through the bottom of the cupboard, through the plaster/floor and into the brick. They expand when tightened and provide pretty good protection. Better protection is something called a "ground safe" which as the name suggests is fitted into a dug-out recess in the floor and poured concrete secures it. Jack hammers would be required to remove it.
Why do you say it doesn't need to be fire proof? Electronic media (HDD, USB, DVD, CD) will be ruined by heat, as of course will paper. If you're only storing keys and other metallic items in there then it needs not be fire proof of course.
What is it you want to know exactly? If you've questions on safe's in general then fire away. If you want examples of specific buying advice, also just ask.
You'll get some good answers on this forum, but also don't discount finding your local locksmith in the yellow pages and buying a safe from him. You'll generally find him to be very very knowlegeable and the safe's he sell may be better suited (better value for money or more secure) than the plain old "stack 'em high" ones sold by the likes of B&Q or Homebase.
Securing it to the bottom of a cupboard is largely a waste of time, you almost need not bother for the protection it gives. (A theif will see a safe, assume "valuable" and rip it away.) Safe's need to be properly secured into brick or concrete. You can get anchor bolts that go through the base or rear of the safe, through the bottom of the cupboard, through the plaster/floor and into the brick. They expand when tightened and provide pretty good protection. Better protection is something called a "ground safe" which as the name suggests is fitted into a dug-out recess in the floor and poured concrete secures it. Jack hammers would be required to remove it.
Why do you say it doesn't need to be fire proof? Electronic media (HDD, USB, DVD, CD) will be ruined by heat, as of course will paper. If you're only storing keys and other metallic items in there then it needs not be fire proof of course.
What is it you want to know exactly? If you've questions on safe's in general then fire away. If you want examples of specific buying advice, also just ask.
You'll get some good answers on this forum, but also don't discount finding your local locksmith in the yellow pages and buying a safe from him. You'll generally find him to be very very knowlegeable and the safe's he sell may be better suited (better value for money or more secure) than the plain old "stack 'em high" ones sold by the likes of B&Q or Homebase.
Hi,
Much appreciated for the detailed reply. I live in a new build so I think the possibility of drilling into brick is unlikely unless I some how attach it to the side of walls in the bed room? The proper recess safe sounds excellent, but I doubt the cost will work for us. Other option is tucked away in the loft..
I was thinking the floor boards in the vain attempt of simply putting off robbers? A few pulls and it wont budge.
I will do some research into the fire proofing; I didn’t think of DVDs, USB sticks etc- plan was just for jewellery.
Had a quick look at the screw fix link- some decent ones. Is it worth sticking to the branded stuff like Yale etc?
Will do some more research! Any more tips advice welcome, I am completely new to the concept!
Thanks,
HF
Much appreciated for the detailed reply. I live in a new build so I think the possibility of drilling into brick is unlikely unless I some how attach it to the side of walls in the bed room? The proper recess safe sounds excellent, but I doubt the cost will work for us. Other option is tucked away in the loft..
I was thinking the floor boards in the vain attempt of simply putting off robbers? A few pulls and it wont budge.
I will do some research into the fire proofing; I didn’t think of DVDs, USB sticks etc- plan was just for jewellery.
Had a quick look at the screw fix link- some decent ones. Is it worth sticking to the branded stuff like Yale etc?
Will do some more research! Any more tips advice welcome, I am completely new to the concept!
Thanks,
HF
I keep car keys, passports etc in one of these key-pad/ Screwfix type safes. Made a hash of changing the batteries recently and managed to lock my car keys in the safe, obviously I had put the
"over-ride" key somewhere else in the house and therefore lost forever.
I'm not a professional safe cracker or even a casual opportunist thief but I was amazed how quickly
I could gain access. Don't think it would matter if the safe was screwed to a cupboard or bolted to
concrete, a thief wouldn't care, he'd be in and out in seconds anyway.
Obviously I won't post my technique here!
"over-ride" key somewhere else in the house and therefore lost forever.
I'm not a professional safe cracker or even a casual opportunist thief but I was amazed how quickly
I could gain access. Don't think it would matter if the safe was screwed to a cupboard or bolted to
concrete, a thief wouldn't care, he'd be in and out in seconds anyway.
Obviously I won't post my technique here!
Henry Fiddleton said:
I some how attach it to the side of walls in the bed room?
Put a wardrobe up against the wall, put the safe in the wardrobe and secure it to the brick behind by drilling through the back of the wardrobe and the plaster board.Make sure the wardrobe is in a location you like before commencing drilling.
Don't know if there is anywhere you can buy second hand 'old school' safes? Do people ever sell them or get rid of them?
I inherited one when my dad closed a business down 20 years ago. A good old fashioned 'big handle' and locked with a very long key.
When it was on his business premises, the building was targetted by theives regularly in the 80s before he moved premises... That safe has had all sorts of attacks... Spades, hammers, chilsels... You name it. It has all of the war wounds on it... but it has never once been opened without a key.
A burglar moving it isn't really a concern either... Unless they rock up as a large team (it took four big lads including me to shift it when my dad closed the business!
Downside is it's physical size.... Overkill for keeping paperwork/keys etc
I inherited one when my dad closed a business down 20 years ago. A good old fashioned 'big handle' and locked with a very long key.
When it was on his business premises, the building was targetted by theives regularly in the 80s before he moved premises... That safe has had all sorts of attacks... Spades, hammers, chilsels... You name it. It has all of the war wounds on it... but it has never once been opened without a key.
A burglar moving it isn't really a concern either... Unless they rock up as a large team (it took four big lads including me to shift it when my dad closed the business!
Downside is it's physical size.... Overkill for keeping paperwork/keys etc
Meeja said:
Don't know if there is anywhere you can buy second hand 'old school' safes? Do people ever sell them or get rid of them?
I inherited one when my dad closed a business down 20 years ago. A good old fashioned 'big handle' and locked with a very long key.
When it was on his business premises, the building was targetted by theives regularly in the 80s before he moved premises... That safe has had all sorts of attacks... Spades, hammers, chilsels... You name it. It has all of the war wounds on it... but it has never once been opened without a key.
A burglar moving it isn't really a concern either... Unless they rock up as a large team (it took four big lads including me to shift it when my dad closed the business!
Downside is it's physical size.... Overkill for keeping paperwork/keys etc
They are good safe's but they will be VERY VERY expensive to buy new. Very.I inherited one when my dad closed a business down 20 years ago. A good old fashioned 'big handle' and locked with a very long key.
When it was on his business premises, the building was targetted by theives regularly in the 80s before he moved premises... That safe has had all sorts of attacks... Spades, hammers, chilsels... You name it. It has all of the war wounds on it... but it has never once been opened without a key.
A burglar moving it isn't really a concern either... Unless they rock up as a large team (it took four big lads including me to shift it when my dad closed the business!
Downside is it's physical size.... Overkill for keeping paperwork/keys etc
To buy them 2nd hand, again I'd be looking at a locksmith who might recondition and resell them. But as you said, they are still good so I reckon they won't be mega cheap 2nd hand, unless you can get one from a house clearance where it would otherwise be thrown away.
Big, strong, expensive.
mrmr96 said:
RDM said:
...Screwfix type safes...I was amazed how quickly
I could gain access...
3 questions for you:I could gain access...
1. Did you get the safe from a DIY store or a locksmith? Screwfix
2. How much did the safe cost when you bought it? Cheapo, only about 40quid i think.
3. (purely for interest) Did you use force or a lock bypass technique? Light force
in the safe". To keep things safe you need a real safe.
There is a 2nd hand wood working machine repairer (think its called singletons but not sure) who used to have a lot of old safe in.
We got a massive chubb thing from him years ago complete with all keys etc, we keep all our power tools at work in them.
We fit a lot of laptop safes to our hotel bedroom furniture - yale are the better ones as are the corby ones.
Fitted a real cheapo one the other day that the customer had provided, it had loose pins in the hinges and was not deadbolted.
We normally attach to wardrobe base and drill through the base and coach bolt into place, then fit wardrobe kicker. Finally drill through into rear wall with whatever fixings required.
There are some nice safes you can cut into floorboards between the joists and then lay the carpet back over to hide. http://www.granitesafes.co.uk/floor-safes/floorboa...
We got a massive chubb thing from him years ago complete with all keys etc, we keep all our power tools at work in them.
We fit a lot of laptop safes to our hotel bedroom furniture - yale are the better ones as are the corby ones.
Fitted a real cheapo one the other day that the customer had provided, it had loose pins in the hinges and was not deadbolted.
We normally attach to wardrobe base and drill through the base and coach bolt into place, then fit wardrobe kicker. Finally drill through into rear wall with whatever fixings required.
There are some nice safes you can cut into floorboards between the joists and then lay the carpet back over to hide. http://www.granitesafes.co.uk/floor-safes/floorboa...
You might be better off with a 'plug socket safe'
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Imitation-Double-Plug-So...
These little safes that you bolt to the wall/floor are so easy to remove it's unreal. Plus, a thief will see the safe and want it. They're more likely to ignore a plug socket.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Imitation-Double-Plug-So...
These little safes that you bolt to the wall/floor are so easy to remove it's unreal. Plus, a thief will see the safe and want it. They're more likely to ignore a plug socket.
Ebay.
I got a small-ish one on there, pre-dates Chubb, and needs 4 to move with wheels. One long ley and 4 1.5" dead bolts either side of a 3" thick door.
I am happy it will keep things safe and sound and it cost £45 plus transport
These small keypad safes I have heard people have battery powered grinders with cutting disks with them now to simply slice through the door in seconds.
I got a small-ish one on there, pre-dates Chubb, and needs 4 to move with wheels. One long ley and 4 1.5" dead bolts either side of a 3" thick door.
I am happy it will keep things safe and sound and it cost £45 plus transport
These small keypad safes I have heard people have battery powered grinders with cutting disks with them now to simply slice through the door in seconds.
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