Hollon Safes

We have just started carrying the Hollon Safes on our site. I’ve known about them for a long time however, they have always been a little more expensive than similar brands like Cobalt Safe or Gardall Safes.  That is until recently.  In the spring both companies had a huge 30% increase in wholesale prices.  Well, that made the Hollon Safes a much better deal.

Quality of Hollon Safes has always been a little better than similar type safes made from other manufacturers.  They have a tendency to put in more bolts in their safes. Take for instance the Cobalt SB-02c it has 3 bolts on the door opening side and 3 fixed bolts on the hinge side. (Gardall model FB-2013 is the same as the SB-02c) However, when you open the Hollon Safe HS-685 you see three bolts on the door opening side, 1 bolt going into the top, and another going into the bottom. PLUS a 1 inch thick locking bar that goes from top to bottom.  That is the thickest hinge side locking bar in the industry that I am aware of.

Safes Lock: Notice that Hollon Safe is equiping ALL thier safes with a Group 1 Electronic lock.  They have moved away from lesser secure Group II dials that other manufacturers are using.  The CE Digital lock comes with “LockOut” technology that has a time delay feature and is activated if the wrong number is entered more than 3 times. The lock will reset after 10 minutes for correct code entry. Did I mention is was a High security Group I lock? This is much more secure than a dial as dial can have a “Safe Dialer” machine hooked to it and automactically dial open the safe within hours!  This keypad also has an 8-bit micro processor chip with NON-Volitale memory. It maintains customer code even without batteries. Your secret code can program with 4-16 digits. (more code options) Its also free to change the code on when ever you want. Unlike dials that require a locksmith to change the combination. Cost is around $75 each time you want to change the code.  Many people ask me if a dial will outlast a keypad in a fire.  Both the dial and the keypad is ruined after a fire.  Keypads are also not suseptable to “drifting” like a dial will. (Drifting is when a dials code gets changed through use. The code maybe 25-50-75 and then it shifts and becomes 26-50-75.  But the dial doesn’t tell it shifted. You just can’t get into the safe one day)

Popular brands of Dials are Sargent & Greenleaf or LaGard.  Both established themselves as leaders in the field and were considered long lasting and made in Kentucky.  However, both companies have since been sold and both companies now make thier locks in the “eastern part” of the USA known as China.  I have found these Chinese dials to not be up to the original manufacture quality.  These locks have a nasty reputation for drift and wearing out due assembly quality and parts.  However, if you speak with your local locksmith he may not be aware of the changes and he may state that “These dials will last forever”.  (Do you know of anything mechanical that lasts forever?  Me either.) 

To wrap things up Hollon Safes are really offering a superior quality safe and has done more to protect their customers than most competitive safes.  Check out their 2 Hour Fire & Burglary Safes.

 The SB-04c from Cobalt Safes. Fireproof Safe. Burglary Safe. Whats not to like? 

Cobalt Safes model SB-04c Fireproof Safe with Burglary Safe.  Has a lifetime fire warrenty and a 5 year warrenty against manufactures defects in labor and materials.  This is an extremely good warrenty in that most manufactures will cover similar but Cobalt Safes goes the extra mile and sends a locksmith to your location to repair.  Most manufactures are also only 1 year in coverage.

First take a look at the door, you will see that it is open. There are two major parts,  an outer door and then a bolt assembly behind it.  This gives it a solid 5 inch thick door on the  Cobalt Safe SB-04c.   Take into consideration that when  the average thief breaking into the average home.  He is coming into the house with empty hands and wants to leave with them full.  Chances of him bringing tools such as a  crowbar or sledge hammers are not the norm.  If he does find the safe he will most likely be too unprepared to even beat on it and will quickly move to everything else we leave available in our homes that is easy to pocket and easy to pawn.  Such as our laptops, tvs, dvrs and even my son’s Nintendo! (God forbid that gets taken)

Now for something hypathetical. Lets say you left the a crow bar and sledge hammer next to it and a small sticky note that says “beat me” on the safe.  The SB-04c fire safe is going to hold up.  The outer steel wall, which is an extreme thickness of about 1/8 inch steel is reinforced by a cement based fireproof wall with another steel wall on the interior.  This makes for excellant strength against common tools. 

The 5 inch thick door is also too thick to get a crow bar down deep enough to actually gain enough purchase to even begin to start using a crow bar on the door.  So in my opinion the SB-04c Fire Safe is one of the best buys on the market today.

Combine this with a 2 hour fireproof  and a center bolt down (so the safe can’t picked up and carried away) for a sturdy little fortress of protection. 

I also like the size.  Though it may be too large for most home situations it does offer good room to grow into.  The last thing most of want to do is purchase two safes.  I often advise to purchase 1 during your life.  But make it something you can grow into because this safe is designed to last a lifetime.  See more details at Cobalt Safes SB-04c

SB-04C

Outside Dimensions

Height: 33 1/2″ Width: 28″ Depth: 29″

Inside Dimensions

Height: 27 1/2″ Width: 22 1/4″ Depth: 24″

Weight

528 lbs.

2 hour fireproof Remote glass relocker Group II combination lock (2) adjustable shelves Wall thickness 2 1/2″ Door thickness 4 7/8″ (1) anchor bolt hole (3) 1 1/4″ massive chrome plated solid steel bolts (3) 1 1/4″ massive chrome plated stationary bolts Tri-spoke handle Ball bearing heavy duty hinges

Cobalt Safes model EM-020 fireproof home safe is favorite size of mine though not the most popular of this series.  It has a relatively convient weight in that it is easy to move for a home safe and yet large enough to hold the typical household paperwork.  Such as passport, wills, deeds, trusts, etc.  If you are a pack rat though you may wish to consider a larger model.  

1 hour fireproof safe protection.  Good protection from a “sticky finger” thief and pry bar resistant…… you know I just looked at the picture again and it looks like the Em-015 but know that this picture doesn’t seem to do it justice in regards to the size.  Its good one and you will not be sad you purcased the EM-o20 from Cobalt safes.  To see one or purchase one see the EM-020

 Cobalt Safes model EM-016 1 hour fireproof Safe.  Is designed the exact same as the SM-016 1 hour fireproof safe.  Except it has a keypad on it.  You will notice on the left is the turn handle to pull back the bolts.  On the right side of the keypad is the battery compartment.  It holds 4 AA size batteries.  Also has a non volatile memory.  Which means if you remove the batteries and then put them back in, you had better remember the combo because the keypad will!  Great theft deterant.

Excellant value for protection against theft and fire.  Be sure to bolt it down to your floor so it will not be carried away or leave the through bolt hole exposed.  Below is some good information on it or you can follow here to for more. EM-016

EM-016

Outside Dimensions

Height: 15 3/8″ Width: 11 5/8″ Depth: 12 5/8″

Inside Dimensions

Height: 12 1/4″ Width: 8 1/2″ Depth: 8 1/2″

Weight

54 lbs.

1 hour fireproof Pre-drilled anchor hole (2) 6 number digital lock (1) steel shelf 1 1/2″ wall thickness 2 1/2″door thickness (2) 5/8″ solid steel chrome plated bolts (1) stationary hinge side bolt (4) AA external batteries Non-volatile memory

I have been getting a lot of questions in regards to safes and quality of different brands.   So I am taking some time to address a well known brand. Sentry Safe. 

Many of Sentry Safes products are good to fair quality at a really great price.   Please keep in mind what they are advertised for and how they should be used is sometimes two different things.  What absolutely blows my bannanas is when a customer carrys their Sentry “burglar/fireproof” safe by the handle into the shop and say they need it open right away because they lost the keys. 

First notice they CARRIED it into the shop!  The only thing “buglar safe” on this is that the burglar will not hurt himself when he walks out with all your stuff in a neat and handy carry all container!

Second their jaw hits the floor when I am able to pick the lock by putting almost anything into the keyhole and jiggling it.  When the dial or keypad break it takes only a couple of seconds with a medium crow bar to open the safe. Customers are shocked when they watch me do this.

On a positive note they are fireproof but just read the fine print on duration of fireproofing.  I will often suggest using a Sentry fireproof safe inside a larger safe to act as a  “cooler” to keep data and media protected from fire.  Putting a small Sentry inside a 350 degree fire rated safe will add the extra protection to your media related material.  Cd’s, harddrives, and other computer related material like to stay at 125 degrees and will be lost or coorupted at higher temperatures.  

One last item in regards to quality.  I talked with a man that owned a nursery and kept the business books, some cash, and papers in a Sentry Safe.  He said he has been through 3 Sentry Safes in the last 10 years.  He liked them because of the price.  After discussing how much he paid for the 3 safes and how he uses them, we came to the conclusion that it would have been more affordable if he had only bought 1 good quality commercial safe.