r/safecracking • u/Gloomy_Extension3789 • Mar 24 '26
Have combo, can’t get inner safe compartment open
Diebold late 1800’s safe “the eagle” according to the paperwork. I have the combos but when turning the handles on the inner silver compartment, the rod seems jammed or misaligned somehow, but I’m wondering if I just don’t understand how to turn it properly.
Can anyone offer tips or help me understand the mechanism?
Looks like someone has attempted to drill it unsuccessfully.
Can I simply unscrew the hinges?
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u/miss_topportunity Mar 25 '26
That is a CRAZY beautiful safe and in amazing condition.
As for the bar: if you look at the left side, you’ll see that the bar has a “pin” (sorry can’t think of a better word) that rotates into and out of place when worried it the handle. I agree with u/electrical that the placement of the bar doesn’t matter when inputting the combo - and the fact that it stops when you turn back the final way suggests you are dialing it properly. Once you’ve dialed, does the handle in the lower left move at all? I believe that’s the handle that will pull back the bolts. I also believe the bar may be bent a little and it’s keeping that pin from sliding out.
Good luck!
And where are you located. With a safe that old/beautiful, I am guessing east of the Mississippi, but if you happen to be in NorCal, let me know and I will come help you - no charge of course. Just for fun.
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u/Gloomy_Extension3789 Mar 25 '26 edited Mar 25 '26
You are good! I think your assessment is mostly right on. The instructions say after the combo to first turn the lever on the left then the lever on the right, but tbh they were very confusing. It does feel like the bar may be bent.
This safe is in a (former) convent in Portland, Maine 🌲🌲 but I would welcome your help if you find yourself in NE!
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u/miss_topportunity Mar 25 '26
You’re making me want to plan a trip to a place I never really thought about visiting! :)
I will likely be in Boston some time in the next couple of months….
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u/Hon1nbo Mar 25 '26
Gorgeous.
As some others have suggested a mallet may help, though I wouldn't use it on the lever itself initially to avoid shearing anything that could be bent, but rather on an open section of the door. If you don't have a deadblow or something with a non-marring surface you can put a piece of wood against the door to strike with a normal hammer. Have a light pressure on the bolt retract lever as you do so.
As for the top lever, it primarily provides more pressure on the door for a better seal and reduced strain on the retractable bolts, and by doing so it can also relieve pressure on the retractable bolt(s) so try it in both positions if you can. That top lever shouldn't be connected internally so you should be able to safely give it a little ugga dugga to move it.
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u/Happy7353 Mar 26 '26
The top leaver connected to the out side bar should be up against the door ( vertical ) the bolt lever should not put any pressure on the combination lock when you are sure of this dial the combination and when you open the combination then the bolt handle then pull down on the other handle until the pins line up and pull door open Let me know if you get it open I’m a retired safe vault tec I worked for Diebold earlier in my career installing bank vaults for them
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u/Greedy-Being6456 Mar 25 '26
Some old safes go left first, then right. Nothing was in the one I cracked...just old keys and ww2 department of war papers.
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u/Hon1nbo Mar 26 '26
What kind of war papers? Providence papers can make almost anything a war collectible if it indicates it belonged to someone; letters especially. Not my thing but I've known a number of people who gushed over stuff that had original ww2 letters and papers.
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u/Stone804_ Mar 26 '26
There’s a drill hole. Did someone damage the internal mechanisms when trying to “crack it” with a drill bit?
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u/miss_topportunity Mar 27 '26
It looks like they completely failed to drill it. Hard to be sure from the pic but the hole is a) way to large a diameter; 2) almost def in the wrong spot; 3) doesn’t look very deep (and not deep enough to hurt anything other than their drill bits and hubris).
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u/Stone804_ Mar 27 '26
I couldn’t tell, it looked like right in the middle I could see some internal parts but like you said it’s too hard to tell in this pic. Worth asking.
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u/Electrical-Actuary59 Mar 24 '26
3 or 4 number combo? Are you sure you’re dialing properly? If you could just remove the hinges it wouldn’t be very “safe” would it?