Anyone here with locksmith/engineering experience, or just someone who has had a mechanical lock safe ever had issues with the lock slowly 'going bad' on you?
When I land on the last digit or my combination, I would typically feel what I presume to be the pins falling into place (in the tumbler?). Because if I rotate the dial after I feel this, then you actually rotate the locking mechanism, thereby disengaging the locking bars.
What has been happening lately is when I land on the list digit, I don't feel anything and the dial just continues rotating freely. If I turn the dial back and forth across that last digit, I can feel something 'catching' lightly, but not enough to allow me to rotate the locking mechanism. If I continue to rotate the dial back and forth across that last digit, it eventually drops into place and I can unlock the safe.
I have studied this pretty extensively and have ruled out me just sucking at using the dial. This is in fact a mechanical issue.
So since I lack familiarity with the workings of safe locking mechanisms, what the heck is going on here, and can it be repaired or do I need to start hunting for a new safe?
Thanks.
When I land on the last digit or my combination, I would typically feel what I presume to be the pins falling into place (in the tumbler?). Because if I rotate the dial after I feel this, then you actually rotate the locking mechanism, thereby disengaging the locking bars.
What has been happening lately is when I land on the list digit, I don't feel anything and the dial just continues rotating freely. If I turn the dial back and forth across that last digit, I can feel something 'catching' lightly, but not enough to allow me to rotate the locking mechanism. If I continue to rotate the dial back and forth across that last digit, it eventually drops into place and I can unlock the safe.
I have studied this pretty extensively and have ruled out me just sucking at using the dial. This is in fact a mechanical issue.
So since I lack familiarity with the workings of safe locking mechanisms, what the heck is going on here, and can it be repaired or do I need to start hunting for a new safe?
Thanks.