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The history of safes and locks goes back centuries, but the evolution of locks has been incredible. Initially, safes were secured with handmade keylocks that were beautiful works of art, but the keys were large and cumbersome. As safes grew thicker to prevent burglaries, the need for a more convenient locking system arose, and thus the spin combination lock was born. This type of lock allowed multiple people to access the safe easily and its precision eliminated surreptitious entry, or manipulation, as it is known in the locksmith industry.
The spin combination lock was dominated by the American company, Sargent & Greenleaf, also known as S&G, which took mechanical combination locking to new heights over several decades. This type of lock remained in pretty much the same format until 1980.
However, in today’s fast-paced society, time is a precious commodity, and spin combinations require some skill and patience to use. So, it wasn’t long before someone developed a way to secure a safe and allow easy access using input data from a keypad. Thus, the digital safe lock was born, and it has become the standard for most safe manufacturers. Safes such as the Falcon TS1, Chubb Viper 50 and Guardall Security Safe GDF 060EH are all equipped with a digital lock.
| Combination Spin Safe Locks | Digital Safe Locks |
| More difficult to use and tricky to change combination | Easy to use and change codes |
| With 15 or so parts, regular cleaning & servicing needed | Minimal serving required |
| No batteries | Battery changes needed |
| No penalty at all | Time penalty for tampering |
| No time delay option | Time delay option |
| No record keeping | Audit trail showing who & when opened |
| Only one user option | Multiple different codes |
| 10 – 20 year life expectancy | 10 -20 year life expectancy |
Despite its popularity, there are still some misconceptions about digital safe locks. One of these is that if the battery runs out, the code or combination will be lost forever. This is not true, as some manufacturers, such as LaGard, have developed their locks to use minimal voltage, and they even have a low voltage warning that lets you know when to change the battery. If you ignore this warning, the lock may eventually stop working, but as soon as you change the battery, it opens normally.
Another common concern is whether digital safe locks are more or less secure than spin combination locks. The answer is simple – digital locks are much more secure. While it is theoretically possible for a skilled criminal to manipulate a spin combination and access the contents of the safe, it is extremely unlikely. It takes a thorough knowledge and much practice for a criminal to open a spin combination lock in a reasonable amount of time.
In contrast, digital safe locks have a penalty for incorrect attempts. Once triggered, opening the lock becomes difficult, as it only allows one attempt every 5 minutes or 12 attempts an hour. Some criminals may attempt to clean the keypad and use fingerprinting powder to reveal the numbers, but even with the correct numbers, they still have to be entered in the correct order. To prevent this issue, all you have to do is repeat a number.
Manufacturers such as LaGard and Sargent & Greenleaf have digital safe locks that offer several advanced features, such as multiple user access, time delay, audit trail, and even a duress option that alerts the police if the safe is being opened under threat. These are options that mechanical locks simply cannot offer.
Finally, while the servicing of safe locks has always been a source of income for locksmiths, digital locks do not require any servicing other than a battery check, which anyone can do. On the other hand, mechanical safe locks should be serviced at least once every five years, or annually if they are being used constantly.
In conclusion, if you’re looking to upgrade your safe’s security, consider switching from a spin combination lock to a digital safe lock. With their advanced features, convenience, and security, digital locks are the future of safe locking. If you’re interested in making the switch, reach out to us at Safeguard Safes for a quote by contacting us on 1300 764 971, and we’ll be happy to chat with you about it.
