Safes There are different type of safes intended for very different jobs. Fire safes are built for the sole purpose of protecting their contents from heat, smoke and water damage during a fire. They are not intended to withstand physical attacks.  Burglary safes are rated against physical attacks, but provide little if any protection from fire. They are intended for the storage of cash and other valuables. Composite safes provide protection against both fire and burglary. Opening   Whether you’ve forgotten your combination or your safe has malfunctioned, Bear Lock & Safe Service is equipped with the knowledge and tools to professionally open and repair your safe. Whenever possible, depending on the type of safe and/or nature of a malfunction it's quite possible that we can open your safe without ever reaching for a drill.  Sometimes though, that just isn't possible.  Unlike amateurs who will quote a "low-ball" price, then "learn as they go" - often destroying a customer's safe by turning it into "Swiss cheese"  -  if we do have to drill your safe, rest assured that it will be done in a professional manner, using the proper tools and knowledge acquired though years of experience, continuing education, and an extensive library of professional reference materials.  And unlike a botched amateur opening, once we drill your safe it will still be repairable!     Servicing   Safe servicing is something that is often overlooked by the end user. Day in and day out people will dial open their safe, never thinking about the precision mechanism inside the safe that allows the safe to be locked and unlocked. Sometimes a safe will give you warnings about the impending doom. Many times, however, there will be no warning whatsoever. Depending on the frequency of its use, a safe should be "serviced" every one or two years. Servicing includes the following: Completely disassemble the combination lock. Clean, adjust, and examine all parts. Lubricate only the parts that require lubrication. (This one may sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised…) Check any relockers. Adjust if necessary. Check boltwork for free movement. Repairs If you begin to have trouble opening your safe, you should have it checked out right away. Waiting until it won’t open before you call in a professional can be a costly mistake. Once you are faced with a lock-out it can often cost several hundred dollars just to get the safe open (often requiring drilling), before repairs can even be made. Plus… not only do you have to repair the original problem, now you may also need to repair the drilled opening. By putting off the repair until after you’re locked out a $120 problem can become a $500 (and up) problem, literally overnight. That’s more than some safes are even worth, but remember, your stuff’s locked in it! Combination Changes Some safes have mechanical combination locks that are user changeable (if you must).  Others are definitely best left to the professional!  While the actual procedures may differ from one manufacturer to another, the basic idea is the same. Key Change 1) Dial the combination to the special "change" index.  (This may be a line on the dial ring, approximately eight to ten numbers to the left of the "opening" index which is located at twelve o'clock  and is normally used to open the safe. On some models, the combination change index line is not visible and must be calculated according to the manufacturer's specifications.  And on some safes the change index is the same as the opening index.)   2) Insert a special "change key" tool into the back of the lock and turn 1/4 turn or 1/2 turn, depending on the manufacturer.    3) Dial the new combination to the change index. 4) Turn the change tool back and remove. 5  Try the new combination SEVERAL times with the door in the OPEN position.  DO NOT CLOSE THE DOOR until you are absolutely certain the the new combination is working correctly.  WARNING: Attempting to change a safe combination can be disastrous if you don't do it correctly. The cost of opening a safe after a botched combination change can run from $95 to hundreds of dollars (plus repairs).  If in doubt, call a professional! Hand Change Unless you are EXTREMELY mechanically inclined, hand change combination locks should definitely be left to a professional.  The changing of these combinations requires disassembly of the wheel pack.           Digital Locks                                                         Bear Lock & Safe Service can install digital combination locks on most modern safes. Some advantages of digital combination locks are: The ability to be easily changed at a moments notice by the end user The ability to give separate combinations to different employees The ability to automatically lock out certain users during pre-determined times. The ability to tell who opened the safe, and when they opened it through the use of audit trails Installations                                         Safes really don't provide much protection if someone can simply pick it up and carry it out the door. To prevent this, small to medium sized safes should be bolted down to the floor. (Make'em work for it!) Deliveries and Moves We have the proper training and equipment to move safes safely (pardon the pun) and without damage to the safe, your home or business, (or you).  We can currently handle safes up to 1500 lbs. A Note On Safe Moving Estimates: We're pretty good at estimating the cost to move your safe, providing that you give us reliable information regarding the details of the move.   What kind of safe is it?   ("It's big, black, and has wheels", doesn't help.)  Tell us any brand names and ratings (usually on a plate inside the door). How big is it?  Take measurements...   (Outside H"x W"x D" ) How much does it weigh?   If you don't know the weight of your safe, no problem, we can help you estimate it.  Give us the outside dimensions (not including wheels), thickness of the walls, and thickness of the door.   If possible, take two digital pictures - one of the front of safe and another with the door open at a 45 degree angle.  If there are any inner compartments, a picture of that would be nice too.   Email the pictures (preferably jpg format) to bearlock@verizon.net  Are there any steps involved?  How many?  What are they made of?  If the steps turn, how big is the landing?  (We have special equipment for climbing stairs) Any obstacles?  Ramps?  Tight turns?  Large furniture?  Unpaved surfaces?  Steep walkways or driveways? Any special consideration for flooring?  Marble?  White/light colored carpeting?  Parquet or hardwood floors?  And this is a biggie...  Are they structurally sound?  All these can be handled, but we have to know in advance so we can come prepared. Providing us with this information helps us to to give an accurate estimate.  It also helps us know exactly what kind of equipment to bring with us.    HOME   We Service The Following Areas For Safe Work Aberdeen, Abingdon, Annapolis. Baltimore, Bel Air, Beltsville, Bethesda, Bowleys Quarters, Bowie, Brooklyn, Capitol Heights, Canton, Catonsville, Centreville, Chase, Chevy Chase, Clarksville, Cockeysville, College Park, Columbia, Crofton, Crownsville, Davidsonville, Dundalk, Dunkirk , Eastpoint, Edgemere, Edgewater, Edgewood, Elkridge. Elkton, Ellicott  City , Fort Howard, Fort Meade , Essex , Federal Hill, Fells Point, Fort, Gaithersburg, Gibson Island, Glen Arm, Glen Burnie, Glenwood, Greenbelt, Gwynn Oak, Halethorpe, Hampstead, Hanover, Havre De Grace, Highlandtown, Hunt Valley, Hyattsville, Inner Harbor, Jarrettsville, Joppa, Lanham, Laurel, Linthicum, Lutherville, Marriottsville, Middle River, Millersville, Millers Island, North East, Northpoint, Nottingham, Odenton, Olney, Owings Mills, Parkton, Parkville, Pasadena, Perry Hall, Perryville, Phoenix, Pikesville, Randallstown, Reisterstown, Rockville, Rosedale, Savage, Severn, Severna Park, Silver Spring, Sykesville, Timonium, Towson, Westminster, and Whitemarsh   We Service The Following Safes and Safe Locks        A&B, Adesco, Allied-Gary, Alpine, Amsec (American Security Products),          Antique", AR-FE, Armor, Atlas, ATM, Bernadini, Bischoff, Brown, Cannon, Cary, Chatwood-Milner, Chubb, Collier, Corporate Security Systems (CSS), Cross, Diebold, Deposit Safe, Drop Safe, Eagle, Eclipse, Eurovault,  Executive, EXL, Fichet-Bauche, FireFyter, FireKing, Floor Safes, Fort Knox, Fujitsu, Gardall, Gary, Giant, GlobaLoks, GSA Safes ands File Cabinets, Gun Safes, Hamilton, Hayman, Hermann, Herring Hall Marvin, Ilco, Inkas, International, ISM, Johnson-Pacific, Kaba-Mas, Kaso, Knight, Kumahira, LaGard, Lefebure, Liberty, Lord, LP Locks, Major, Mancini, McGunn, Meilink, MGM, Miller, Montgomery Ward, Mosler, National, NCR, NKL, NL Locks, Rosengrens, Round Door, S&G, (Sargent & Greenleaf), Schwab, Sears, Securifort, Sentry, SLS, Star, Sun, Tann, Tranax, Triton, US Security, Vector, Victor, Wall Safe, Winchester, Wincor-Nixdorf, and many, many others.