Safe and Vault technician here. I didn't watch the entire video, but in skimming through you really do have a good understanding safe locks. One thing to note however, you are never supposed to lubricate the wheel pack. The main issue is over time the lube will pick up dust and dirt, which will cause your combo to start drifting, eventually you could get locked out. Your best bet would be to find a replacement lock that has not been messed with.

Hi Gary - thanks to your video, today (after ~2 years of trying) I opened my Dad's old safe, which uses the same Diebold Eagle #161 lock that your safe has. Now I just need to find the key to the inner compartment (I will), but what a great day! Long story short, I confirmed that you and I were using the incorrect dialing sequence. The dialing method you showed adds an unnecessary "dial a 5th number" before reversing direction to retract the bolt. Yes, this 5-digit combination works, but the lock is designed for a 4-digit combination. Instead of starting dialing counter clockwise, all you need to do is dial "really far" clockwise to pick up all wheels and stop of the first number, then CCW (past the second number 3 times and stop on it the 4th time), then CW past the third number two times and stop it the third time, then CCW past the fourth number one time and stop on it the second time. NOW, reverse direction (go CW), and in one motion, the fence drops into the gaps and as you continue (one motion), the cam pulls the bolt open. To determine the correct combination, you'll need to remove the back of the lock and do your dialing and find out where all wheels are aligned before the fence drops into the gaps, and note the corresponding numbers on the dial. Once you do this, you'll have an entirely different combination, but one that was meant to be, just four digits then a fifth motion to retract the bolt. You and I (and my Dad) were adding an unnecessary step. It works, but it's not how it was meant to be. Many thanks. Your video was literally the only one on the Internet to demonstrate the workings of this Diebold lock and resulted in success. Thank you so much.

Your section on recovering the combination helped me tremendously. I am restoring a "The Hall's Safe Co." safe that came out of the "Planters Cotton Mill" near Waxahachie TX that burned down many years ago. The safe was locked open with the wheel pack removed so it couldn't be accidentally locked. It is a different lock design that doesn't allow a view of the wheels, but you helped me understand how combination locks work; I'm thinking you got me going down the path too figuring this out. Thank you,

Hi Gary Did you know that the square holes in all the wheels in the wheel pack are for changing the combination to what you want? there should be a round hole in the back cover plate that lines up with them and a piece of square shaft (you had one earlier in the video) bent at a 90 Degree angle, like an Allen key, will turn the locks on all four wheels, you can then dial the new combination, reinsert the square shaft and re lock the wheels and your new combination should be locked in! do this with the door open and test it several times before you close and lock the door. Also, you mentioned the drill marks on the outside edge of the wheels, those are not damage from the opening but are put there on purpose to make noise when the fence rides across them to confuse someone trying to open the safe by listening to it as the dial is turned. they are irregular to make an irregular sound, but are there on purpose. what a great safe!! Jim

Beautiful safe. Glad the widow contacted you so you could buy it back.

What a monster. Seen a few like it in my 40 years in the lock and safe biz👍🏻

The real treasure is those two girls, my daughter has been my most valued presence to my life. Hope they bring you as much joy and happiness. Nice safe too.

Nice job hope you film all the repairs

Man that safe could tell some stories, great video Gary, keep'um coming..

NO snooze here, great production/discussion/demonstration……just awesome!!!

Great video. It was very helpful the way you found that last number of the combination. Using the tape to mark the final position of that last the wheel worked for me. Then, in my case, the first and second numbers were not hard to dial in.

Great stuff!!! Enjoyed watching and learning. Thanks.

Man what a beast … very interesting how that lock mechanism works watch it to the end. Thanks for sharing Gary 👍

Glad to know it made it home safe.

This video is a huge help, I bought a very similar safe to this about a year ago. Mine is about 2 feet shorter, but its still a monster of a safe. Thanks for sharing, I'll review this when I need to re code it.

I was wondering about the shop build a couple hours ago, thanks for the update.

I’ll be interested in seeing the follow-up videos about the further repairs needed. Interesting restoration project.

The patent number on the dial is for the dial only, not necessarily also the safe. The safe looks like a Miller & Son safe made in Pittsburgh, PA from 1911 to about 1929. The inside of the lock side door, once you remove the screws on interior panel, there is a serial number stamped (usually vertically) into the main door frame, and you can research that number for the manufacture and the production date of the safe.

Hello Gary, A really interesting video... such a cool old safe... Take care. Paul,,

Thanks for taking the time to make the videos.

This was great I always wanted to see inside a safe and how they worked it took some very smart people back in those days with out electronic no how. They must have been your ancestors, thank you Gary for you video for this amazing look back in time.

WOW!!! That is so awesome!!! So intriguing and fascinating. Thanks for sharing Gary!!!!!

Very nice. Piece of Art right there! Thanks for sharing!👍👍

Hi Gary: This is fasinating! I have wondered for a long time on just how a combination lock works! THANKS!! Great video! The man that invented this lock must have lost a lot of sleep trying to figure it out! Looking forward to your next video! Gary

I truly enjoyed this video. Thanks for taking the time to explain the functions of a safe lock. Very informative.

Really interesting Gary. I learned two things today. One is how these old locks work, which I’ve always been interested in. And two, you can fix anything.

Fascinating content, thanks Gary.

Well that was different, what a wonderful safe!

Thanks Gary, fascinating.

You really had a Hit with this video, Gary ! I had to stop back and see what comments the people had . Apparently, word has gotten out that you have consistently good content on a variety of tasks and projects ! Well on the way to 5K subscribers ..... and I'm guessing that will increase exponentially . You got a little bit of "magic" in all your videos . ...... can't wait to see what ya got next !

I've only seen a few large safes in my lifetime and just about all of them, the door was closed, and nobody knew the combination, never to be opened again. We always fantasized that, Gold and Silver were in the safe never to be recovered, I wanted to see what you had in the safe when you opened it, even thou it was empty, it was still a little exciting. COOL video. Thank You Sir.

Gday Gary, great to see you got that safe back and I always wondered how the combination mechanism worked, amazing bit of gear, the safe was very well built, great job mate, cheers

Beautiful Safe, To bad it was empty could of had treasures. Nice work on the lock.

Fascinating. Crazy that it came back to you.

Very interesting. I have never seen the interior of a safe tumbler. Good luck in the repair. Would make a great gun safe. Probably more secure than most new safes. Thanks for sharing.

Just having the silence except for the wheels clinking is very therapeutic and relaxing hehe

That's a beautiful piece of artwork.

Thank you for a most interesting video. I'd used combination locks all my working life, but never knew how they worked. We had to change combinations on a regular basis to maintain security. It was done by opening the door, then inserting something like a cranked, square section Allen key into that small square hole in the wheel and then turning it 90 degrees. The lock was then scrambled by turning it five times clockwise and stopping on the first chosen number. As I remember, it was then turned three times anticlockwise stopping on the second chosen number, then twice clockwise stopping on the third number. The key in the back was then turned back and removed, which locked in the new combination.

What a challenge to behold! Thank you very much it was very enjoyable.

I love Safe art work

Excellent video An awesome piece of history Thanks for sharing Stay well Subscribed

Great video as always,thanks.

Beautiful old safe. And here I was thinking you were secretly getting all the digging done for the new shop and were going to suprise us with it all done.

Absolutely awesome Gary, that safes sure a great piece of work, and I'm glad that you managed get it back buddy 😀

Very interesting 🧐 hopefully you will do followup videos on the repairs! Thx. Jm

That's a real piece of history there.

The slide plate was remade in modern times. I see rotary milling cutting marks, not many end mill type mill in 1880’s. Really interesting video thank you

I restore antique safes as a hobby, mostly bankers safes. I have found on several safes that they were mis-handled or dropped when moved and the result is a severely bent wheel axle pin to the point it wouldn't take much to completely sheer one apart. If the wheel pin was a front one and that happened it would cause the safe to tilt forward when the door is opened causing a dangerous situation so check the front axle pins. I have a un-damaged Diebold lock housing like yours I will give you if you want it. Nice very large safe.

Thanks for letting us see how well the mechanics work on the safe. Very interesting and I would like to see the rest of the repair.

I used to work for Diebold. They are still (mostly) in business. I think that era build had the serial number impressed on the handle. Diebold may be able to give you more specific information about the safe.

I liked it Gary!!! Thanks

Thanks for sharing 👍

Great video on the safe.

Awesome video job!

It's probably to late now but to properly repair the safe they need to put ball bearings in the holes and use a metal plug made for safe repair. The lock should be safe but a newer model installed. FYI, my cousin is a licensed locksmith so that's how I've learned about safes and proper repairs. Excellent video, thanks again for sharing 🙏👌🙏🙏👌

That is the same company that built the vaults for Ft Knox. They were probably the best you could get.

Nice content Gary I enjoyed watching

Cant wait for the full restoration

Lovely safe! It’s a great shame you seem to have chosen the wrong guy to drill it! They may apparently have years of experience but drilled right out the back of the lock twice!? That’s just poor work. As for dealing the combo I’m afraid you have got that a bit backwards and that’s why at the end you are doing that little left right left thing to get the nose to drop in. First number should start in the clockwise direction and last number is anti clockwise resulting in a final single turn to the right to open the safe. I hope you manage to repair such a beautiful safe. Thanks for the video it was very cool to see.

My father worked security for Diebold back in the late 1970s.

I moved one that size from Chicago to Tampa. Did a wheely on my douly the whole way .

Very nice i couldn't stop, cool

Cool lock! 👍🏻

This is super cool content. Thanks for sharing.

That's a very interesting video. I had no idea how the lock of a safe works until now. It's quite simple really but it's precision. People were Much better at making things in the past. You can see how bad technology has got now looking at the workmanship put into this. Even with all the machinery of today the minds using them wouldn't be able to make something like that. Subscribed 👍💚💛❤️

Super cool safe.

Fascinating safe and work too figure out the combination. I was sent to a lock picking school by my employer, if that didn't work we had other ways to remove a door or wall.:)

Nice to see how the lock works.

60 years in drilling safes he should have learnt manipulation by now, I bet he's a lovely guy though with lots of great stories.

Nice sharp,clean video work. I also have a Diebold safe but only 5 feet high x 4 x 3 feet lucky that it was unlocked when I got it but no combination. May 23. 1871 on the tumbler.

Great video!

Nice looking old arbor press next to the safe.

Patented while in Cincinnati . Built Canton . Try emailing Debold about the 85798 lock works . They should have some info on it. Would guess the works where originally oil with whale oil . Watch oil would do the trick .

Can't wait to see how you make repairs to the door face and keep it looking unscathed. Can I just come hang out for a day? Cool content!

The video title says it all “Monster Safe”. That really is a big safe. I’m surprised it didn’t squash your tandem trailer. Cheers 🍻, Aaron

It's just four bolts and a pin away from replacing it with a whole new mechanism said one impatient locksmith. 😉

Interesting. I used to work with 2 tool makers that had worked at Diebold in Canton Ohio. The company still exists.

Great video Gary. I have a combo for a my safe with a similar lock but having a hard time finding the proper procedure for dialing it. I could almost determine it from your video but not quite. Can you provide the info on which direction L/R to start, how many turns past the number, stop on it the nth time, etc.? I think I could do it by ear/feel: - CCW lots to grab the discs, then stop on first number; - CW until hear 3 discs pick up then stop on second number; - CCW until hear 2 discs pick up then stop on third; - CW until hear one disc, stop on fourth number; - then it looks like CCW *slightly* until you hear the fence drop; - then CW to retract the bolt. Is this correct? Is there an easier method? Many thanks for such as no-nonsense detailed video.

The notches are called gates ✅

I mentioned that my safe was very similar looking on the outside. It had that same washed out look. It's far from perfect, but Permolac after cleaning with simple green worked very well to bring the image back and improve the saturation of the colors. Confident you will have a better method, looking forward to seeing what you do

Drilling and drilling in the wrong location, plus the damage strikes me as a safe guy who doesn't care.

It would be interesting to see how the internals of those cams work.

Really cool video.

Do you have an update on the safe what it looks like now love to see some pictures beautiful

Now THAT is old American Iron at it's finest.. Just think of the labor that went into building that back in the day !!!!!

What is the machine behind and to the left of the safe, it has large table (table saw) you have a older Lincoln AC/dc welder with crank adjustment brought back memories.

You can weld those 2 small holes up. Put a ball bearing or 2 and weld it. They probably drilled those 2 holes to put a boroscope in it to dial it open. Those 2 holes can be easily fixed. The 2 holes can easily be fixed and you'll never know they were even there.

I always wondered how those things worked. Still not sure what magic is happening inside the cam to allow those wheels to stop in the vertical position. Just last week we had two old boys working on our 1800{s safe at the dealership. I just saw one guy had a giant magnifying glass and the other had a stethoscope?? I enjoyed this very much!

That safe is way cool, thanks for sharing. How thick was the door where it was drilled? Thanks for the video.

Can the wheel pack stack order be rearranged to change the combination order or do the wheel-to-wheel mechanisms (pins & grooves?) limit where in the stack a wheel can be placed? Are there "old safe" junk yards for spare parts?

what a beauty

Thanks for the video, I wonder if any of the paint is applied transfers?

Safe Story , my, friend , former bank president, bank exameniar John [passed] told me about a friend, wealthy, bought a bunch of oil paintings from an estate .they were kept in a big 2 door vault or safe.all the paintings were his. when they were removing the paintings, someone noticed little drawers in the doors every drawer was full of 20 dollar gold pieces, He called the widow and told her what the found and she got really upset, say I just setteled the estate and paid all the taxes, I don't want any more problems, You can keep them. Like I said, wealthy people.

That was real interesting , you did a good job of explaining how it works . I'm wondering did you figure it out or did that guy Paul show you ? Again , great video Gary

Do you happen to know who or what the original owner was? i was thinking large department store or a medium sized bank, because that is a monster of a double door.

Looking more at your video - I'm confused why after landing on the 4th number, you need to turn CCW again to drop the nose into the cam before turning CW to retract the bolt. I can SEE why you do this, but I'm not sure you have to. If you turn CCW to land on the 4th number, then you'd just need to turn CW, which would cause the nose to fall in, and the bolt to retract, all in one turning motion. This seems to be a more standard way of dialing. However this means you'd need to start your dialing sequence in the CW direction, not CCW as you do here. Is it possible the intended sequence is CW-CCW-CW-CCW-CW(retract)? What do you think?

That's the biggest safe I've ever seen. It's a shame it was drilled. I'm surprised Paul, with 6 decades of experience , hasn't taught himself to crack a safe like this. It's a learnable skill.

usually they pull the dial, so when you drill it it doesn't show after the repair

Wish you'd shown the repair to take out slack. I wasn't real clear on that, otherwise more interesting than I thought it was going to be. Too bad it had to be damaged to get it open.

Interesting!