Electronic or Mechanical Lock?

[XAVMECH]

Two safes, two different locks - for awhile...

My newer safe came with the touch-pad electronic lock. I prefer the old S&G dial-type combo lock that my old safe has. No problem buying the replacement kit from S&G on line. The install was easy - if fact, there was even an S&G video on YouTube. I'm an old-timer, so it's just a matter of comfort level (The electronic lock worked just fine).... Go with whatever you'd prefer to depend upon...

 

[flyrobb]

Wow.

Amazed at the number of key/manual combo votes.

Yes, I was surprised as well. I thought there would be way more electronic fans in this here electronic age.

 

[MrSurly]

You could always just go with the DUO which is a true redundant. you can use the keypad for all of your access and have the peace of mind that if the electronic were to fail, you've got a built-in mechanical bypass.

 

[dmar]

I suppose it's like anything, if you buy good quality, you should be in good shape. I would not own a cheap electronic lock on a safe. Personally, I trust mechanical more than electronic, so that's all I've owned. So far, no problems with my mechanical S&G combos.

 

[deadin]

I want to know more about this "warded key keyhole behind the electronic key pad". I've never heard of such an arrangement.

Here you go... I don't know the lock make but would guess Chinese of some sort as it is on a Stack-On.

Now, before you all give me grief for buying a Stack-On, let me tell how this came about.
I was being chased out of my large safe (mainly cameras and handguns) and needed to move the rifles elsewhere. All I wanted was some sort of a lockable cabinet and was ready to but a cheap, locker type security type for around $150 or so.
Bi-mart had one on rain-check for me but were having trouble getting one in stock. Anyway, I stopped at a garage/estate sale and here was a practically new Stack-On 14 gun safe (not cabinet) Fire-rated for 30 min. @ 1400 deg. It weighs in at 300 lbs. The asking price was $100. Seeing as how Midway wants around $850.00 for this model, I cancelled my Bi-Mart order and brought this one home. It's now bolted to the floor and a wall stud and is stuffed with rifles.

Here's a picture:

 

[Kanewpadle]

No Kanewpadle, I'm not ignoring your experience.
So, the key part of the lock doesn't have any pins in it? My point previously was that a lot of guys use the key to lock their safe, not the dial. If you leave it on the last number and then only use the key (yes to lock the dial), can't the key then be picked and the safe opened by turning to open the lock? That's how a bunch of guys here do it (not the picking part, just the opening part).

Just giving you a hard time.

 

[TX-Dennis]

At Sportsman's Warehouse I was looking at a Browning and noticed the same thing. I removed the E. lock and it appeared you could unplug the lock and replace it. The store guy didn't really know anything about it though. Did the "really big key" come with the safe?

Kanewpadle, is this correct that you can just unplug the old lock and plug in a replacement if it goes bad?

Yes, the backup key came with the safe.

 

[TX-Dennis]

In most cases no. The solenoid which is in the lock is the weakness. Every once in a while the circuit board will fail.

The problem is that they are made in China/Taiwan. Yes, S&G, Amsec, and others too.

Guess I won't order an extra keypad then. Wouldn't do any good if the solenoid is what usually fails.

 

[jj2am44]

Was in the same situation about a year ago-same concerns. Went with the Liberty safe with the S & G mechanical lock for fear something would happen to the electronic lock. To open a safe with a failed electronic lock, you are looking at $300 plus. Solved the problem by putting the safe down in the basement and installing a pistol safe with an electronic lock AND a key backup for my EDC. The guy at Gander Mountain said that S & G have a backup for their electronic locks, soI called them. They do not.

 

[model70hunter]

I'm an electrical engineer. I know the power of electricity and it's shortcomings.

I chose mechanical. Going on 10 years old. Fire safe and the other yada, yada stuff.My previous one was mechanical, I sold it to get a bigger one and it was 20 years old.

And for the person who said hope your memory don't fail on the mechanical, well on the electric one there is a correct series of numbers that also need to be written down.

 

[Kanewpadle]

To put this in perspective, I've replaced digital locks 10 to 1 over mechanical.

The oldest mechanical lock I worked on was 80 years old. Some wear here and there but still worked fine.

Come to think of it, I have never seen a digital lock on a bank vault door. Not saying they aren't used but all I ever see is mechanical with a time lock.

 

[Marine Corps Air]

A little "thread drift" here. This made the national news this morning. It seems that three young dudes in San Marcos, TX must have been reading these posts and thinking that digital locks are easy to defeat:

Thieves thwarted when safe doesn't fit in car

However, as most thieves are, they are all "mentally challenged" since they failed to realize that the huge Canon safe, with the digital lock, was too large to fit in to the back seat area of their car.

 

[jsfricks]

Mine is mechanical, and I can be in it with 3 digit left/right combo in about 6-7 seconds.

 

[iibgdi]

I've been working with safe locks for over twenty years. And I've replaced more electronic locks that I can remember.

The trend these days is electronic. And that industry is doing their customers a disservice.

Don't settle for an electronic lock because that's all they have in stock. Have them replace it or special order one.

Speed should not be a consideration when opening your safe. Reliability should be considered first. Gun safes are not meant for quick access.

Electronic locks are great for older folks that can't remember the dialing sequence of a mechanical lock. But other than that, they aren't worth it.

Thanks for your post. I am in the market for a safe and am considering the Steel Water safe. Here is a link where they discuss the difference between mechanical and digital and I even called the owner and talked with him and he recommends the digital over the mechanical. I was was shocked.

He (and the link) make a good argument I guess.Digital Locks vs. Combination Dial

 

[iibgdi]

A quality electronic lock will be fine. EMP? Are you guys serious? OK, I guess you could be, but understand that an EMP will only affect active electronics. So, you would have to be actuating the lock at the time the EMP went off for it to be a problem.

All the safes I've seen in the Air Force are electronic. I'm pretty sure they are more concerned with security than you are. Heck, we have filing cabinets that are more secure than the best gun safe I've ever seen.

Still, I understand the paranoia over electronic locks. As long as you have that fear in your mind, you'll never be satisfied with an electronic lock. You'll be constantly waiting for it to fail and that's just not worth it. So, get the mechanical lock. It will give you piece of mind. It will work and you won't worry about it.

Regardless of what you do, get a quality name brand safe. This is not one area where you should cut too many corners.

This is kind of what the owner of Steel Water safes told me and is posted on his site.

 

[gregintenn]

I have 2 gun safes, both with mechanical locks. My wife has a smaller safe for jewelry and whatnot. It has an electronic lock. So far neither has given any problem.

 

[Tradewind36]

I don't have a safe but if I had one it would be mechanical.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Thanks for your post. I am in the market for a safe and am considering the Steel Water safe. Here is a link where they discuss the difference between mechanical and digital and I even called the owner and talked with him and he recommends the digital over the mechanical. I was was shocked.

He (and the link) make a good argument I guess.Digital Locks vs. Combination Dial

The problem with this is, he's a salesman. No more, no less.

Yes there are cheap digital locks and more expensive. But they all rely on the same technology. That very technology is its weakness. Solenoids and motors don't last forever.

Digital locks are faster and cheaper to manufacture with a higher profit margin. So of course they push them.

As fas as digital locks that have a key override, if you were truly confident that your product will last a long time, why would you need a key?

Stick mechanical.

 

[Rastoff]

Solenoids and motors don't last forever.

Hmmm, so it's the mechanical parts of the electronic locks that makes them worse than mechanical locks. Hmmm...

 

[flyrobb]

Question. Can you program your own combo on either type of lock or are the set from the factory?