How to break this safe?

SunTzu

Hello,

I need help on breaking this safe (no, no it’s nothing illegal, but its been with my family for probably 100 years and nobody knows how to open it!). All I can say is that it is probably French, old, heavy, and ugly. I really don’t want to have to get a locksmith, since this is such an old safe it can’t be unbreakable, right? Here are photos:

Also, I cannot see a keyhole either so what kind of lock mechanism is this?

Dean Nickel

First off welcome aboard. That is a cool safe.

I am sorry to say that we can’t discuss how to break into that container…. I am not sure we would be much help in that regard as I know I have no information on that container anyway, but I am not in that part of the world. That is not to say there isn’t a member here that could open it. This site is for lock collecting and not safe entry. Some of the methods used to open a safe are used on a several of like makes. Better to not cover it here. I would suggest contacting a Locksmith/Safe Tech to see what it would cost for the entry. Then you would know what it would cost at that point. Even with pictures we might not know what hidden methods are contained inside to prevent someone from getting into the safe. Safe makers have come up with some really neat things over the last 200 years to keep someone breaking in out. Safe Techs know more about this type of thing being they talk to one another about safes they see.

If I was to guess those star holes are the place a dial or tool is inserted to “Dial” the safe open.

Alan Morgan

Yes, typical of some old French or Belgian safes. Often they had a key and a code sequence, cannot say from the pictures if yours would.
If you post the area you are in we may be able to recommend a suitable locksmith with the skills, knowledge and equipment to open this with no damage or minor repairable drilling.

Doug MacQueen

Strange safe but those keyholes? look very similar to Fichet Monopole keylocks. But why so many??? It looks like it probably has some collectible value to someone and as such it would be a shame to attack it nilly willy. As to how hard it is to break into you cannot judge a safe by its cover. And older definitely does not necessarily mean easier. Looking closer it looks like they are 4 separate clicker locks with just a funny odd shaped drive key