If you are a homeowner or business owner in the city of Los Angeles, there’s a chance that you have come across a residential safe or a commercial safe at some point in time. In fact, there is a very good chance that you own one. 

Now, if you own a safe, especially a combination safe for that matter, there is always the possibility that you might one day lock yourself out of the safe. It just so happens that one of the easiest ways to lock yourself out of a combination safe is to forget the combination. 

When this happens to a business owner in Los Angeles or to a homeowner in Los Angeles, what is the best solution that you have at your disposal? How do you unlock your safe when you forgot the combination to your safe?

Preliminary Steps To Take If You Forgot The Combination To Your Safe

Before we dive into the steps you can follow to unlock your safe when you forgot the combination, you should first take the time to figure out which type of combination safe you have. 

The common thread between all combination safes is that they require the use of a combination code to be unlocked, but there are other minor differences that might set them apart.

It is important to first determine whether your combination safe is a mechanical combination safe, or a digital combination safe. In addition to this, you should also know the primary purpose of your safe, because that will give you some additional insight into the solutions you can explore when you forget the combination to your safe.

 Regardless of whether you have an electronic safe, a gun safe, or are locked out of a commercial safe that looks like a vault, make sure you are aware of what it is.

Unlocking Your Safe If You Forgot The Combination

1. Contact The Safe Manufacturer

In some cases, if you are locked out of your safe in Los Angeles, calling the safe manufacturer might help you get back into your safe. In this instance, taking the time to identify the type of safe you have, as was discussed above, will help you a great deal. Most manufacturers will be able to help you get back in if you forgot the combination to your safe. 

The only thing they will require from you is usually some proof of ownership, as well as the serial number of the safe itself. Some safes mark the serial number on the exterior portion of the safe, while others don’t. If your safe happens to be part of the latter, this solution might not be suited for your predicament.

2. Use A Key Override

Another simple way to unlock your combination safe when you forget the combination is to use a key override. Now, it should be noted that key overrides do not exist for every type of combination safe, so you will have to determine if your safe has one, to begin with. 

Key overrides work by giving you an alternate way to get back into your safe in lieu of using your combination. A key override can exist on both mechanical combination safes, as well as digital combination safes.

If you can’t tell whether or not your safe has a key override, there are a few ways to find this information. First, you can call the safe manufacturer and inquire about the key override to see what you can learn about it. 

In lieu of this, safe owners can consult the owner’s manual that accompanies their safe to learn more about a key override. It helps to keep track of the fact that not every safe comes equipped with a key override, so this will not be a viable solution for every combination safe. 

3. Try Bouncing The Safe

First of all, bouncing the safe does not mean that you should treat your combination safe like a basketball in order to successfully unlock it. Safe bouncing is a trick that only works on combination safes that feature a bolt in place as the locking mechanism. Bouncing a safe is a relatively simple trick, but it is not guaranteed to work on every combination safe that features a bolt. 

To bounce your safe, you will need to turn the handle of your safe while simultaneously striking the top of the safe itself, this allows the bolt to temporarily jump out of alignment and gives you access to the safe. It takes a bit of time to master this particular endeavor, so don’t be disheartened if it takes a few tries.

4. Call A Locksmith

Calling a locksmith if you forgot the combination to your safe, is the most professional solution at your disposal. It will also help you get back into your safe quickly, without risking any damage to your safe, as well as its contents. Any trusted local locksmith in Los Angeles will have the tools necessary to unlock your safe, and they will also save you a trip by coming to your location to carry out the job.

To carry out the job, a locksmith will take advantage of several different methods that might include safe manipulation or drilling. The method used to unlock your safe will depend on the nature of the safe itself. Keep in mind that not all combination safes are built the same. Any qualified locksmith will assess the safe before they begin the work.

Final Thoughts

If you are ever locked out of your combination safe in Los Angeles, the 4 solutions described above should help you find a way back in. If at any point you find yourself struggling with one of these solutions, do not hesitate to reach out to a safe locksmith in Los Angeles to help you unlock your combination safe.