Safe Identification Pictures
This page will help if you want work doing to a safe, or need to more about your safe. See categories below, it starts with basic types of safe then pictures showing different types of safe key and keyhole styles further down.
Important questions if you cannot send pictures of your actual safe.
Does your safe have a turn handle? Or just the lock?
The style and position of any handles really helps us to identify your safe.Can you see the hinges? Or are they concealed? The shape and any numbers/letters on the hinges really helps us to ID your safe.
Is it a key lock? A mechanical combination lock dial? An electronic combination lock keypad? Is the key lost? code unknown? or just stopped working?
Is there any name, numbers or logo on the door, on the hinges, on the backpan or the bolt ends?
What colour is the safe? Is the door a different colour to the body?
Freestanding safes
Chubb Freestanding Safe
As above, safes which stand on the floor. Can be to give security protection like the Chubb or fire protection like the Phoenix below. Data safes have more insulation but thinner steel. Any freestanding safe weighing less than 1 tonne should be bolted down.
If you tell us it is a freestanding safe, can you see the hinges as above picture? Hinges and handles help us to ID your safe. Some have the hinges inside or concealed, see examples lower down.
A Data Safe or Fire Safe
Phoenix Data Safe for Fire Protection
Freestanding safes with concealed hinges below
Freestanding safe with concealed hinges. Silver turn handle below keyhole
The Chatwood Milner safe above has a vertical double bitted keyhole as compared to the Chubb at the top which has a single bitted key.
Securikey safe with concealed hinges. No handle just the keyhole.
The Securikey safe above has a horizontal double bitted keyhole. More on keyhole shapes below.
Under Floor Safes
Securikey Safeguard round door under floor safe. Single bitted keyhole and lifting handle.
Mottura under floor safe with rectangular door, lifting handle no turn. Keyway is double bitted.
As shown above, Under Floor Safes or UFS are designed to be set into a concrete floor which helps to protect the safe. Unobtrusive and secure but inconvenient to use.
Round door or square or rectangular? Is there a turn knob or turn handle? Or just the lifting handle?
Securikey Rectangular Under floor safe with both lifting handle and the round turn handle. Double bitted pipe keys and the keyhole shape visible.
Securikey Rectangular safe door with only lifting handle, no turning operating handle
Churchill Round Safe Door, with small turn to operate bolts plus the D handle to lift the door out. Turn handles can be central or offset, metal or plastic. Single bitted keyhole.
Churchill Safe Round Door. No turn handle to move bolts, just the folding handle to rotate the lid and lift it out. Double bitted keyhole.
Wall Safes
Churchill Magpie wall safe, single bitted CHAPS lock
Designed to be bricked into a wall which then helps to protect the safe from attack and removal. Similar design to floor board safes which fit between joists of a wooden floor. Single layer of steel but extra strength from the brickwork around it.
Most just have the keyhole and no handle, position of the keyway and any handle can help us ID your safe but sending a picture is best.
Melsmetal Wall Safe. Sold by Securikey. This wall safe has a turn handle to retract bolts once unlocked. Combination lock opened.
Types of safe lock and safe keys
Single Bitted Safe Keys and Keyhole
single bitted, pin key and safe lock. Willenhall S2
Single bitted keyhole to suit lock as above.
Lips 7 lever safe lock. Single bitted pipe key
Double Bitted Safe Keys and Key Holes
Small Double Bitted Pipe key for safe. Stuv brand
The double bitted pipe key and keyway, they are not always even sided.
Double bitted keyholes in safes.
Solid double bitted key
Double bitted, double throw, solid pin style safe key
Other types of safe key
Fichet Safe Key
Fichet safe key, has splines around outside.
Mauer Varos Safe Key
Mauer Varos lock
Mauer Varos safe keys. If these start catching or being difficult to open get them changed as soon as possible.
La Gard 2200 Safe Key
La Gard 2200 Keys
Distinctive black plastic key bow for La Gard 2200 2270
La Gard 2200 series key tip. Be careful not to damage these as they are soft brass. Please keep the end clean as fluff builds up inside the lock.
Detachable safe key types
These are detachable keys where the end separates so you have less to carry
Mauer style, similar to Kromer system
Above is a Rosengren key stem. Distinctive shape bow with knurled wheel that unscrews the key bit. This fits RKL10 locks. The Rosengren ABN have the same bow but an angled wedge joint at the tip.
Slip bit style. Chubb, SLS, SMP, Tann, Ratner and some Milner locks use a small flat bit which fits through a slot in the key stem.
Chubb P pattern slip bit instructions
SLS or SMP slip bit in stem, the tip unscrews to release key piece
More pictures to follow
Gallery
See also the safe openings page for more examples of our work
Freestanding safe with tri spoke turn handle
Opening Dudley Euro Grade safe with lost combination numbers. No drilling or damage to the safe. New lock fitted and another customer impressed.
This cash machine had been unsuccessfully attacked by burglars. The damage wrought meant that our skills were needed to get it open again. ATM crime.
Freestanding SMP safe with round turn handle. Electronic time lock. Distinctive round hinges.
Converted from key locking to electronic lock with a time lock, time delay and multi-user audit features.
Brattonsound Gun Cabinet with Cawi lock picked open.
Churchill Underfloor Safe picked open. No drilling or damage. New lock fitted for another happy customer.
Another firm of locksmiths drilled a hole THIS big into this Churchill Underfloor safe. They still couldn't open it. We had to come and sort it out. However at no point did this safe need drilling. DO NOT let anyone drill your safe for lost keys or combination numbers. Ask if they are going to drill when they quote. We only drill when something inside has broken.
