Q: What is the difference between a
safe engineer and a locksmith?
A: A safe engineer specializes in safe & vault products and rarely does general lock work. They possess and are trained to use sophisticated tools and equipment such as vacuum drill rigs, diamond-tipped and carbide drill bits, medical grade optical scopes and camera systems to open and repair safes with minimal damage.
Safe experts spend years acquiring skills like combination lock manipulation, advanced safe diagnostics and high security lock picking in order to provide customers with the best service possible and to do their job most efficiently. The highest industry designations one can achieve are "Certified Master Safecracker" (NSO) and "Certified Master Safe Technician" (SAVTA).
Locksmiths service a wider variety of locks but most do not work on safes as it is such a highly specialized field.
All too often inexperienced, under-equipped and/or UNCERTIFIED individuals will unnecessarily damage or destroy safes in attempting to open them.
Make sure whomever you call is
SAVTA or NSO certified before
scheduling an appointment.
Safes Destroyed By Uncertified Individuals
Opened & Repaired
by Armor Safe & Vault Service
Q: I'm locked out of my safe. What do I do?
A: Give us a call and be prepared to answer a few detailed questions about the safe and the problem you are having. Some safe manufacturers have hundreds of different models so e-mailing a photograph or two taken with a digital camera or mobile phone is a tremendous help in identifying your model. This minimizes our questions and expedites your resolution.
Q: How much will it cost to open my safe?
A: Cost is determined by the construction of the safe, it's location both geographically and physically within a structure, the cause of the lockout, i.e. a simple lost combination, an attempted burglary or a previous opening attempt by uncertified individuals, the rarity of the safe manufacturer, etc. As with any highly technical industry, the proper opening and repair of a safe or vault is not inexpensive. Contact us for a proper estimate.
Q: Does my safe need any maintenance?
A: Most safe, vault and safe lock manufacturers advise an annual service to keep their products running smoothly and prevent malfunctions. Your safe is like your automobile and needs regular care to ensure proper operation. Many vital components can work loose, grease dries up and locks malfunction if not looked after, all of which eventually lead to a lockout condition. With proper care and routine preventative maintenance your safe can remain trouble free for years to come.
Loose Screws Caused
These Safes to Lockout 
Q: Which is better? A mechanical dial or digital lock?
A: We recommend digital locks to the majority of our customers. Some benefits include ease of use, increased security compared to most mechanical locks and the elimination of combination change costs. Certain digital locks are capable of being incorporated into your alarm and surveillance systems or can provide a detailed audit trail of past usage. Also, an electronic lock's mechanism does not need to be serviced annually like a mechanical lock, saving time and money.
