Recently I was asked to open a safe when the customer had all the keys and instructions for use at their disposal. The safe did not only open with keys however, there were custom made tools which had to used in a specific order before the keys would work. The safe was built around the late 1700’s, about 100 years before Linus Yale Jr. invented the pin tumbler lock. Security devices were not only based on having the correct key, but also having the knowledge of how to work the key.

The safe was made in Italy and the hand written instructions for opening the safe were in Italian. The instructions were translated word-for-word, but what exactly the words were describing was another challenge.

My first attempt to unlock the safe was unsuccessful. To me it appeared something was jammed. The key would rotate clock-wise and counter clock-wise and never come to a dead stop. I fabricated my own tool for grabbing the bolt and pulling it into the door. But the bolt was solid, no wiggle room, no tolerance or play, something had to be wrong.

I posted photos of the safe with keys and tools on a technicians website and explained I was planning on drilling on my next visit. The experience and insights of safe technicians from all over the world told me I had everything I needed to open the safe, I just needed to know where and how to use the tools and in the proper sequence. I was told quite sternly it would be criminal to drill such an antique work of engineering marvel. I agreed, I did not really want to drill this beautiful piece of craftsmanship.

On the second trip I worked with the translator to figure out what the writer of the instructions intended to mean when he said, ”enter the tool through the slit,” when there was no slit to be found. After 90 minutes we had figured out the secrets and the door was unlocked.

This was probably a once in a life time job for me. But this is why I love being a locksmith. Everyday there is something new to learn or a new challenge to figure out. Enjoy the photos!