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

More News on Current banking. See article below.  

With economy in the tank, people are banking on safes

by Judy DeHaven/The Star-Ledger

Thursday October 16, 2008, 9:00 PM

At Cy Drake Locksmiths in Morristown, one of the most popular models of safes these days is the AMSEC combination fire-burglar-gun safe.

It’s not that Morristown residents are buying more guns, said the store’s owner, Henry Printz. They’re finding the larger model necessary, he said, for all the cash, jewelry and other valuables they want to keep, well, safe.

It’s all part of the new economic age, when every day brings another stream of turbulence from Wall Street and everyone is nervous that their bank is going to be the next to fail.

Jim Pathe/The Star-LedgerJeff Baldwin of Cy Drake Locksmiths in Morristown shows off one of the shop’s burglary- and fire-resistant models

“This time of year is usually a little slow,” Printz said. “But everybody’s scared. I’d say sales are up maybe 50 to 75 percent.”

While there are no formal statistics, safe manufacturers, online retailers and licensed locksmiths in New Jersey say sales of home safes have soared in recent weeks as people have grasped for some sense of security in these uncertain times.

“Nobody wants to admit it, but people are afraid the banks are going to crash,” said Dave C. Ribel, owner of Top Security Locksmiths in Point Pleasant, who has sold 15 safes in the last three weeks when his shop would typically sell three. “And they think people are going to turn to crime and break into their house and look for their stuff.”

The spike in retail sales has led to more orders for manufacturers. Sentry Safe, a manufacturer in Rochester, N.Y., said its sales have increased 20 percent to 50 percent over the last three to four weeks. And the Hayman Safe Co., another manufacturer from Ovido, Fla., said its sales are up 35 percent to 50 percent.

Zack Gilmore, an online retailer based in Corpus Christi, Texas, with two websites — www.valuesafes.com and www.vaultandsafe.com — said his internet sales are up 100 percent this year, and he is on track to see a 300 percent increase in the last month alone.

In addition, Gilmore said, some 200,000 people have Googled the word “safe,” in the last 30 days. That’s up from 136,000 for the same period last year.

“We’re getting a lot of folks here recently who are saying, ‘I’m pulling between $10,000 and $20,000 out of the bank,’” Gilmore said. “They’re not taking their life savings. But they’re taking an emergency fund.”

Earlier this week, Sovereign Bank, one of the nation’s largest thrifts, said customers pulled $4.2 billion, or almost 9 percent of deposits, in recent weeks, a trend seen by a number of other large banks since the start of the year.

Gilmore’s current best seller is a fireproof and burglary safe on sale for $539. Gilmore said that is a typical starter safe, which is 18 inches high and about 20 inches deep. But as people stop to think about what they can store in a safe, they often move up to the bigger models. Many are willing to spend several thousand dollars for a high-quality safe.

What about bank safety deposit boxes?

“People want the extra protection,” said Dick DiVittorio, vice president of the Hayman Safe Co. “They don’t know if a sticker is going to be on the door the next time they go to the bank.”

It is not unusual for safe sellers to see an increase in demand after catastrophic events or downturns in the economy. When forest fires ravage the west, sales of safes increase. Ditto for hurricanes in the south.

Likewise, safe sellers saw increases at the turn of the millennium with the Y2K scare and also after 9/11, said Sondra McFarlane, director of marketing and communications with Sentry Safe.

“Our products are the types of products people become aware of in times of peril and uncertainty,” McFarlane said.

While locksmiths and manufacturers said they have seen a surge in sales during the last three weeks, Gilmore, the safe retailer, has also seen more subtle trends.

He said his sales first increased back in January, when the price of gold hit historic highs.

“We started getting what I’d call the fringe of society,” Gilmore said. “I talked to this one guy who said, ‘I live on this island. And I want to keep all my gold bouillon on my island with me.’ We started getting those kinds of odd ones.”

Then, when Bear Stearns collapsed in the spring, Gilmore’s businesses experienced another increase from the “folks that remembered the Depression,” he said.

“Now,” he said, “it’s everybody.”

The last three weeks in particular have been a boon for safes, as huge swings in the stock market have become the norm and the government has struggled to implement a bailout plan and restore a sense of calm in the markets.

“Many people are frightened because of the economic situation at hand,” said McFarlane of Sentry Safe. “Unfortunately, it’s causing decisions to pull money out of financial institutions and put it in our safes.

“We are not condoning the practice of taking money out of financial institutions and putting them in our product,” she added. “But if people are going to take out their money, and they’re going to end up putting it in a mattress or the icebox or a drawer or someplace that’s not secure, then certainly our product is better.”

Lets take a look at floor safes model fs-b2.  Which is the big brother to the fs-b1.  Be sure to read my entry on that floor safes model because much of it will apply to this model as well.  I have included some features below but I want to take a moment and point out that pratical and the P.I.T.A. side (pain in the arse) of floor safes.

First, I love floor safes. I believe these are the MOST secure style of safe on the market for homeowners in this price range.  Think about it, starting price for b rated floor safes is under $400 and that includes shipping to you!  You get a safe that is concreted into the foundation of the home and then hidden by carpet or a rug.  Being hidden is a superior advantage in security.  Because if they can’t find it…they can’t get into it.  I have even had home owners that have lived in a house for years call me and say “We are changing out our carpeting in the master bedroom and we found a Floor Safe we didn’t know was there…can you tell me the combination?” (If its unlocked a locksmith can read the lock and find the combination).  If a homeowner doens’t know whats in their own home just think about a burglar that is only there for 3-8 minutes!

Now lets pretend the thief finds the floor safe. And we have to pretend because it happens so rarely. But lets pretend we left the carpet pulled back and we posted a neon sign that says “Floor Safe Here!” 

The thief says “Wow a floor safe, I’ll run to the garage and get a sledge hammer and bang in the door”.  This won’t work because the door is acually sitting on an interior lip that keeps it from being banged into the safe.

30 minutes of banging later the thief is exusted from swinging the sledge hammer and says to himself “I really need to start working out again” gets the idea to try something else besides banging on the door.  So back to the garage he goes and finds a crowbar and starts prying…which gets him now where except sweaty and tired. 

He then thinks to himself that he better break for lunch before he tries tunneling under the house or renting a jack hammer for the next 5 hours!  Now thats a great safe!

Check this model out on our Floor Safes page.

Safes: In general, Safes are going to offer a huge varity of quality and prices. When it comes to purchasing your Safe, take a moment to see how its made.  Ask if your Safe can be serviced.  I know that sounds crazy but I just got off the phone with a guy that had a Sentry Safe.  The electronic kepad went bad just after one year.  Sentry Safe told him to get a crowbar and pop the safe open.  Then throw away the safe and go buy another one! A year after he bought his Safe he has to buy another?  That should tell you about whats out there for sale in the Safe and security marketplace.

Questions to ask of your salesperson are, is the Safe made of steel?  Is the Safe fireproof?  How long is the safe fireproof rating?  What size are the bolts on the Safe? Can the Safe be bolted to the floor?  Is warrenty work on the Safe done at my place or do I have to ship it somewhere?  How long has the manufacturer of this Safe been in business in the USA? 

Some of the questions you need to ask yourself.  What am I putting in the safe?  How much fireproof protection do I want for my stuff?  What kind of theft protection do I need?  Do I want to mess with a dial or would I want the ease of a keypad?  Where am I going to put in the house and do I have enough room for what I need or want?  Do I live in a high crime area? (most cities over 700k population have double the crime rate compared to average crime rate stats).  Do I have good locks on the house? Do I have an alarm?

Think layers of protecti0n when you are focusing on security for your home or office.  Keep in mind that these are general questions to ask and to think about.  You will get more as you start shopping.  Please read through more of our blog on Safes to get a better idea of quality.  Over the next year I will be reviewing over 500 models!  My fat little fingers are tired just thinking about it.  There is another good blog called www.SafesBlog.com they review safes as well.?

 Below is a conversation I had via email regarding Safes in general. There are a bunch of used safes on the market of differing qualities. If you have one, great. If you looking to buy one. Consult a locksmith about the lock and quality of safe. Many safes have been imported from various countries made of materials,fireproofing mainly, that don’t last for more than 20 years. A good way to tell if the fireproof material is starting to disintigrate is looking for a chalk like dust inside the safe or around the door.

If you see some, don’t buy it. The safe interior wall is crumbling and will NOT protect your stuff from a fire like it should.

 TED: I have a double door General Fireproofing Company Safe.  It is
about 60″ talls, 45″ wide and 30″ deep.  It works and I know the
combination.  It is an All Steel Safe, Class B and the Serial # is 46583.
>THe inside is setup for office papers ; however it appears easy to gut for
other purposes.
>
>How can I find out what it’s value is?
>
Zack:I’m not familiar with the model or brand. Finding someone that wants that
size without fireproof will difficult. Its worth some money.  But I have two
collectors safes from the 1890’s and NOBODY wants them. Not even on Ebay! So
just having something doesn’t mean someone wants to buy it. Suggest retail?
I would be thrilled if I were you to get several hundred dollars. But the
hard part will be finding the customer.
Dan:I thought this may be the case - I would be better off cleaning it up and
stripping the insides out for storing of my best coffees and cigars.

Have a great weekend.

Sentry Gun Safe G6211.  Is a larger size Gun Safe. NON Fireproof Gun Safe.  Many folks are looking at the price of this gun safe and jumping on it.  But be aware it is not fire rated.  However, it is CDOJ certified.  Stonger steel and better locking bolt system than is its smaller version the Go135.  They have gotten away from the key and gone with a dial.  Which makes it feel more like a safe.  Good storage space and has good interior.  Sentry Safes are one of the few manufactures that are still making a non fireproof gun safe.  So there is not much else in the industry to use as a  comparison to this model. 

I would like to point out a few of the features.  The Sentry Gun Safe model G6211 is the first of its line up to use a real bolt work system on the safe.  It also has drill resistant hardplate in the lock. What is drill resistant hardplate you ask?  Ahh grasshopper let me explain.  Hardplate is placed over the interior portion of the lock to protect it from being drilled.  It is not uncommon for a thief to attack a safe by first taking a hammer to the dial and knocking it off.  But by doing this he is only making it much harder to break into it.  Because the hardplate is protecting the most important part of the lock.  At this point, the thief had better brought a blow torch.  You see the hardplate cannot be drilled but must be melted.  This super strong steel plate is what helps this safe be CDOJ (California Dept. of Justice) certified gun safe. 

Now I can anticipate your next question.  “How do I get in the safe if the thief breaks off the dial?”  Well, thats what our good friend the locksmith makes his living doing. 

To sum up this brief look at the Sentry Gun Safe model G6211. I would call one of the largest Non Fireproof Gun Safes on the market.  Quality is typical Sentry Safe…which is “affordable Chinese Import” (affordable…I think that was very tactful of me).  The pry resistant door is much better door than the small GO135.  But it can still be crowbared after about 5-10 minutes of wrestling with it. (I know this because I have done it just to test it.)  Which is a long time when you consider the average home break in lasts about 3-8 minutes.  Also, at this price range you may want to look at some of the smaller models with fireproof protection. Its not that much more in price but it offers more value.  And thats what we are about at www.ValueSafes.com so check out this model on our site under the heading marketed Safes Discount Gun Safes.

GS5936H from Diamond Back Gun Safes.  This is a new size model made to the specifications of the other “H” series models.  Excellant Gun Safe value.  We sell 5 brands of Gun Safes right now and will be adding a 6th. But Diamond Back has my vote for best quality for the price.  This model is made with 10 gage steel just like ALL Diamond Back Gun Safe models. 

Bolts are are a whopping 1 1/2 inches each.  Which is huge and next to impossible to crowbar when locking into a 10 gage steel wall.  I say next to impossible more for legal reasons.  I have never heard of anyone crowbaring open a Diamond Back Gun Safe.  Which says something of the quality and materials!  There is also drill resistant hardplate over the lock that must be melted and cannot be drilled into.  Pushing this model into the area of “Far Exceeds CDOJ Ratings”. 

Lock is one of the best made dial locks in the world.  S&G is made in Kentucky by the Stanley Corporation.  Great design and great quality.  Spring loaded relocker as well as spyproof dial.  You can also get a keypad on this unit.  Such as the Lagard basic.  Made by Lagard for commercial safes.  One of the best keypads in the industry, especially for the price.  I normally suggest going with an electronic keypad like the LaGard keypad for Gun Safes.  Because the last thing you want to be doing is dialing a dial, in a panic, while an intruder is busting down your door.  Keypads just offer the quickest access in the safe industry.  Even better than biometric locks that read your fingerprint. (Biometric locks have a tendency to get dirty or miss read your fingerprint. I have written more under biometric locks).

Fireproof for one hour and double predrilled holes in bottom of safe so that it can be secured to the foundation.  This keeps the fire out and “Bubba” from putting it on a hand truck to pull it out of the house.  (Gotta keep an eye on Bubba.) One hour is very good fire protection in any residential or commercial fire. 

Free shipping is also included in this model and for most of the US there is no tax.  This safe by Diamond Back Gun Safes gets my “Valuesafes seal of approval” for quality and price point.  Check us out at www.ValueSafes.com

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.

Welcome to the blog.  I am using this space to answer some of the many questions we get regarding safes.  All are welcome!  Feel free to read through the articles and make posts with your opinions.  Please feel free to call with your questions if they are not answered here.   We are always available during shop hours of M-Sat 8am-6pm CST and sometimes later than that.  If you get our answer machine its because we really are on the other line answering someone’s question regarding security and safes issues.  Please leave a message and we will call back within minutes.

We also have give free advice on cash management drop safes regarding employee theft.  You will a huge selection of safes on our website from home safes to jewelers vaults.  So thanks for checking us out.   Zack