A must own for knife nuts and gadget geeks

Steven Roos

Steven Roos

Joined
Jun 29, 2002
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I just picked up a fire safe from Costco for $200. It is 3 cubic feet with a combination lock. Not a bad price for the huge size! :eek:
 
Please keep in mind that these may be great for Fire Protection but, offer very little real security from a theif. They will defeat your children though if you have a pistol or knife you don't won't they to play with.
 
Originally posted by Sid Post
Please keep in mind that these may be great for Fire Protection but, offer very little real security from a theif. They will defeat your children though if you have a pistol or knife you don't won't they to play with.
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That is pretty much what I figure...the average joe sure won't be able to get in there though!
 
The way you open most fire safes after a house fire, is to beat it with an 8 pound sledge hammer. The concrete ones generally fail within a minute.

A fire safe will protect from flames, and keeps honest people honest, as the above poster said.
 
The main problem with the safe you bought is that it is somewhat portable. All they have to do is grab that one box and get most of the things worth stealing in your home, and then take it away to open at their leisure.

Even an inexpensive real safe like the Chinese made Sentry line can be bolted to the floor from the inside, preferably in a tight closet making it difficult to get to the sides (most vulnerable point). My Sentry has a 1/4 inch plate door with several 1" locking bolts that keep the door closed to all but the most determined crook. It's not a UL rated fire safe, but I figure it's more likely that I'll get broke into than have my house burn down.

The good news for you is, if you decide that you want something more secure than the fire safe, Costco will refund your money.

The Sentry has been a good thing for me and was only about $400.00 but as my collection of valuables grows, I've sort of outgrown it. It's rated to hold like 14 rifles, but I have a hard time beleiving that. I'm looking for a larger safe and Canon is at the top of the list so far. I can get a model that is a UL listed safe with a reasonable fire rating and a 3/4" chassis and door for around a grand.

For a good site with lots of info look at www.deansafe.com

jmx
 
Originally posted by jmxcpter
The main problem with the safe you bought is that it is somewhat portable. All they have to do is grab that one box and get most of the things worth stealing in your home, and then take it away to open at their leisure.
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The one he is referring to can probably be bolted to the ground, not to mention it's pretty heavy. The reason I say this is I have bought one for my parents that could be bolted.

Mike
 
I have known fire safes to be picked up to waist level and dropped on a hard surface fail sturcturally. If you are a theif and have time, it's a whole lot easier to break it right then and there and empty it out, taking just the valuable. As mentioned about, a sledge will take them apart pretty quick too.

As mentioned in several of the posts above, for pure fire protection a good deal. For keeping stuff out of your kids hands, pretty good. For real piece of mind and security against out right theft, don't waste your money.
 
This thing weights so much, I'd be amazed if someone just came in here and ran off with it! It was 235 pounds empty! :eek:

BTW, yes, the safe can be bolted to the floor.
 
I secured my safe (in my New York City Apartment!) by first screwing a bunch of 8" lag screws into the floor joists under the safe; left about 3" of the screws protruding above the floor. Then I built a wood frame around the base of the safe and poured concrete into it - about 2 cubic feet all together. The result is a solid block of concrete joined to both the safe and the floor.

-This is only suggested if you 1. intend to stay in the same place for a while and, 2. Intend to leave the safe behind for the next tenant!
 
So I didn't have to go to the lengths maury did. Just three or four 4000lb pull strength anchors straight into the concrete floor and that thing isn't going anywhere.....:).

jmx
 
If you got the $199.00 model, I'll concede that someone is not going to just run off with it. It's pretty darn heavy looking. It looks like it would secure most folks knife collections and a couple pistols at the same time. I still think a full sized safe is better, but for $200.00 that should give you more security than just leaving stuff in drawers or a locking file cabinet.

jmx
 
Originally posted by jmxcpter
If you got the $199.00 model, I'll concede that someone is not going to just run off with it. It's pretty darn heavy looking. It looks like it would secure most folks knife collections and a couple pistols at the same time. I still think a full sized safe is better, but for $200.00 that should give you more security than just leaving stuff in drawers or a locking file cabinet.
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It doesn't just look heavy! :eek:

At 235 lbs plus contents, its pretty solid. I figure if someone is desperate enough, they could open anything, but I doubt many people would go that far, let alone for the kind of stuff I've got.
 
The other problem with fire safes is they cause rust if you keep knives or guns in them. They have a material that holds water between the double walls. In a fire that water evaporates and keeps the contents of the safe cool, but the humidity inside a fire safe is always high.

I have a fire safe. I keep papers in it. I don't lock it; there's nothing of monetary value in it and locking it would only risk a burglar carrying it off to break into later.
 
Originally posted by Sidewinder
Also, remember that there is a difference between a firesafe rated for media vs. paper.
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I believe it claimed an internal temperature of up to 250* during a fire, and it said paper chars at 350*. I don't know what temperature will damage a CD/tape/etc...
 
Originally posted by Cougar Allen
The other problem with fire safes is they cause rust if you keep knives or guns in them. They have a material that holds water between the double walls. In a fire that water evaporates and keeps the contents of the safe cool, but the humidity inside a fire safe is always high.
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It came with a bag of silica gel. I left it in there to keep the humidity down.
 
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