AMSEC safe - electronic lock won't open

[230RN]

If you have one of these safes, I suggest you add terminals to allow a spare battery to be connected from the outside.

This may be AINBS (Apocryphal Inter Net BS), but about five years ago I read a supposedly credible thread that connecting a battery from the dial to the safe body proper (or something like that) would sometimes unlock them.

I mention this here to find out about the truth/untruth of that.

There seem to be a lot of threads about safes being too safe.

I'm kind of curious that such extreme security measures had to be taken for mere CDs.

Terry

[AJ Dual]

This would be an awesome excuse to tell the wife you need to buy a thermal lance.

Does harbor freight sell them?

[RevDisk]

I'm kind of curious that such extreme security measures had to be taken for mere CDs.

Actually, that's what I usually do for backup tapes, if it starts getting too big for safety deposit boxes. Just buy a gun safe. I make sure to put signs on it stating that the sole contents are encrypted backup tapes.

Also note, regular gun safes are not necessarily the best against fire. Always check out the firing rating. Max is like 90 minutes to get to 451F

[Ben]

Yup, critical file backups, photos of stuff for insurance, etc. are on DVD or flash drive and stored in the fire rated gun safe (among other places physical and cloud).

[Boomhauer]

This would be an awesome excuse to tell the wife you need to buy a thermal lance.

Does harbor freight sell them?

No HF does not sell thermal lances but I have access to one.

[KD5NRH]

No HF does not sell thermal lances but I have access to one.

This one is cooler: http://www.popsci.com/bacon

[RevDisk]

Locks only keep the honest folks out.

You haven't seen my Abloy PL 362 padlock. I admit the S&G 951C (one of the few locks kosher for securing nuclear weapons) has better liquid nitrogen protection, but I'd be willing to bet you'd break it after beating a couple dozen hippies to death with it. The Abloy padlock? You could beat every hippy ON THE PLANET to death with it, and it'd be fine after a thorough washing.

Yup, critical file backups, photos of stuff for insurance, etc. are on DVD or flash drive and stored in the fire rated gun safe (among other places physical and cloud).

One bad thing about fire safes is that their rating is for paper. Which is 'fine' up to around 300 degrees ish. Most media starts getting unhappy around 110-130 ish. Photos can be inbetween.

Naturally, for business purposes, I use these:  http://www.turtlecase.com/tape-cases

Wanna know an even better solution, however? Throw your flash drives in a thermos.

Specifically, I recommend the Zojirushi line for best budget r value.
Better? Used Dewar flask from a lab.
Best? Used cryogenic liquid nitrogen tanks. An empty one, folks. Think normal Dewar flask on steroids.

Your fridge will have roughly equal performance to most fire safes, but be inferior to a proper high end fire safe. Regardless of fire safe quality, if it's small, store it in a container for better temperature regulation.

[roo_ster]

You haven't seen my Abloy PL 362 padlock. I admit the S&G 951C (one of the few locks kosher for securing nuclear weapons) has better liquid nitrogen protection, but I'd be willing to bet you'd break it after beating a couple dozen hippies to death with it. The Abloy padlock? You could beat every hippy ON THE PLANET to death with it, and it'd be fine after a thorough washing.

Having used that S&G lock, I would can attest to its hella-stout-itude.  I found it a thing of mechanical simplicity and elegance and would periodically disassemble it to PM it with CLP.  I figured the hasp made of 1/2" hardened steel would fail before the lock did.

[Ben]

You haven't seen my Abloy PL 362 padlock. I admit the S&G 951C (one of the few locks kosher for securing nuclear weapons) has better liquid nitrogen protection, but I'd be willing to bet you'd break it after beating a couple dozen hippies to death with it. The Abloy padlock? You could beat every hippy ON THE PLANET to death with it, and it'd be fine after a thorough washing.


One bad thing about fire safes is that their rating is for paper. Which is 'fine' up to around 300 degrees ish. Most media starts getting unhappy around 110-130 ish. Photos can be inbetween.

Naturally, for business purposes, I use these:  http://www.turtlecase.com/tape-cases

Wanna know an even better solution, however? Throw your flash drives in a thermos.

Specifically, I recommend the Zojirushi line for best budget r value.
Better? Used Dewar flask from a lab.
Best? Used cryogenic liquid nitrogen tanks. An empty one, folks. Think normal Dewar flask on steroids.

Your fridge will have roughly equal performance to most fire safes, but be inferior to a proper high end fire safe. Regardless of fire safe quality, if it's small, store it in a container for better temperature regulation.

On your recommendation, an Abloy is what  I use on the Pelican case with the pistol in it that goes through TSA when I fly (somewhere that I can take a pistol).

Interesting on the thermos. I would not have thought of that. I'll need to get one for that purpose.

[Doggy Daddy]

So, a new profession: professor, engineer, armature photographer, father and now safe cracker.

happy holidays and good luck.

mks

This wouldn't be your work, would it?  I like the understated composition of the pic.



(Couldn't help myself!)

[stenstro]

You are wise. My Dad always told me that locks are for honest people.

mks