The mechanical lock on my safe has a hitch in its get along. As I'm turning the dial to the left, there's backwards resistance between about 95 and 0. When I turn the dial to the right that same backward resistance is between about 10 and 0. What I mean by backwards resistance is if I'm turn the dial in one of those directions and release the dial between those numbers, then the dial actually spins the opposite direction 5-15 numbers.

I don't remember it doing this, the safe is only a few years old and the lock has been used less than 50 times.

I should replace it, correct?

Our safe expert should be around and let you know. I'm no expert but still, I say replace it, if it fails it will be a lot more trouble. What brand is the lock?

S&G. I'm betting my youngest son treated it like a fidget spinner.

Do you have a key locking dial?

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
Do you have a key locking dial?

It does not. He's 15, puts things away and gets things out for us, and I'm sure he spins the dial when he does.

Generally when I see that it's because the dial is centered very well and the additional weight of the key plug wants to make the heavy end of the dial rotate towards the bottom. If it's not key locking, I suspect it may be uncentered or bent ever so slightly causing the same effect. You could watch the dial from the side as you rotate it to see if it's spinning off center. If it's otherwise opening as it
should, I wouldn't be overly concerned.

As far as using it goes, it's not so much the spinning as it is the slapping as each wheel picks up the others. Avoid that.

I believe a locksmith could replace an S&G Group II unit pretty easily.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:

As far as using it goes, it's not so much the spinning as it is the slapping as each wheel picks up the others. Avoid that.

I have a mechanical lock safe with a key. Can you explain more about what you mean to avoid? Are you saying don't spin it fast when you're locking it?

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by a1abdj:

Are you saying don't spin it fast when you're locking it?

I've been told by the locksmith not to spin the dial fast either way.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
Generally when I see that it's because the dial is centered very well and the additional weight of the key plug wants to make the heavy end of the dial rotate towards the bottom. If it's not key locking, I suspect it may be uncentered or bent ever so slightly causing the same effect. You could watch the dial from the side as you rotate it to see if it's spinning off center. If it's otherwise opening as it
should, I wouldn't be overly concerned.

As far as using it goes, it's not so much the spinning as it is the slapping as each wheel picks up the others. Avoid that.

Thank you, that'll be easy to avoid.

It feels like spring pressure when I turn the dial past those numbers rather than gravity or the dial scraping the spy proof ring.

Turning the dial left, it's completely smooth and easy until the dial gets to 95 and goes back to smooth and easy going past 0. Between 95 and 0 though, it's smooth, but there's a spring like resistance and the dial will spring the opposite direction if I let go.

Turning the dial to the right, the same thing happens, but the weird thing is it happens between 15 and 5.

In each direction, as long as I turn the dial past the points the spring like resistance is encountered I have no issue with dialing the combination and opening the safe.

quote:

Can you explain more about what you mean to avoid? Are you saying don't spin it fast when you're locking it?

Most of your gun safe locks have three wheels (each wheel represents a number), and a driver. These 4 pieces are what makes your combination a 4-3-2-1 sequence.

The driver and 2 of the 3 wheels have a pin that protrudes from the rear which makes contact with a piece called the fly on the face of the others. This is what engages the next wheel as part of the combination dialing process.

These pins and flies are small and subject to breaking, bending, or getting stuck if abused. Spinning the dial quickly will cause these parts to collide with force if everything isn't already engaged.

quote:

It feels like spring pressure when I turn the dial past those numbers rather than gravity or the dial scraping the spy proof ring.

That's why I suspect you may have something bent slightly or misaligned that's causing that pressure. There's nothing there that under normal circumstances would be causing rotational force on the dial.

quote:

Originally posted by AZSigs:

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by a1abdj:

Are you saying don't spin it fast when you're locking it?

I've been told by the locksmith not to spin the dial fast either way.

Thank you both for explaining. I didn't realize it's the equivalent of slamming a car door shut.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
That's why I suspect you may have something bent slightly or misaligned that's causing that pressure. There's nothing there that under normal circumstances would be causing rotational force on the dial.

I’ll look at it this weekend. The shaft between the dial and lock box is five or six inches long. I could see how a slight bend in that would hang up in the whole going through the door. Glad I can keep using the lock.