Hi, my name is Jess and if you need help locking or unlocking your safe, you've come to the right place. First, let me congratulate you on having purchased a Liberty safe–the best built safe on the planet.
Now, because this lock model has some unique features, let me explain how it works. This lock model provides two levels of security: you can lock your safe using the combination and you can lock the dial itself using the keys. Your combination is the primary means of keeping your safe protected because the combination is yours and yours alone. It's both unique and extremely secure.
Locking the dial on the other hand is quick and easy but it provides a rather low level of security. That's because there could be other keys out there like yours. You might be asking, “What good is it then?”
Well, for example, you might use your key to quickly unlock and then relock your dial while you're cleaning and returning each one of your guns to the safe. This way you can quickly get into your safe multiple times without having to dial in the combination every time. For this reason, I like to call your dial key a day lock. It's quick and convenient but it's not highly secure.
Consequently, your key is only intended to be used as a quick-lock convenience, not as the primary security for your safe. As you can see, each of these options offers different degrees of stand-alone protection; however, using them together can provide you with a little higher security. Use these options as best fits your situation.
Now, if you're ready, let me help you get your safe unlocked. To unlock your dial you need the keys. You'll find the keys inside the manila envelope attached to the front of your safe door. Now, let me show you how to unlock the dial on your safe.
How to Unlock the Dial on Your Liberty Safe
There are four steps to unlocking the dial.
- Insert Key
Let's take a look at step one. Begin by locating the key slot on your dial and making sure it's positioned with the slot at the bottom. Then with the jagged edge of the key pointed down, insert the key into the slot like this.
- Turn Key
In step two, you'll rotate the key 180 degrees to the right, or clockwise. Start by gripping the dial before rotating the key. This will keep the dial from turning while the key rotates. Once done, extract the key from the dial which leaves the jagged edge of the key facing up.
- Turn Dial
Now that you've turned the key, in step three, you'll rotate the dial to the right. As you approach the number 95, you'll notice some resistance. That's because the dial is lifting the locking bolt inside the safe. So, just keep rotating through the resistance until the dial stops, which will occur near the number 85.
If, however, the dial rotates past 80, then an error has occurred, and you'll need to start over beginning with step one.
- Open Door
The first three steps you just performed unlocked your dial, so all that's left is to open your safe door.
- First, locate the handle hub on the door. The spokes that screw into the hub were placed inside your safe at the factory, so this is your first time opening the safe, you'll need to open the door without having the spokes to help you.
- Next, place your hand on the door and push forward. This releases the pressure created by the protective foam that's located in the corners of the door and pushing makes it easier to turn the hub.
- Later once the foam is removed, you'll no longer need to push on the door to open it. Now, while continuing to push, grasp the hub with your other hand rotating it to the left or counterclockwise. Continue to rotate until the hub stops.
- At this point, you can stop pushing and, by pulling the hub towards you, the door will open.
That's all there is to it. If, however, you found that your hub would not turn, it probably means your safe is also locked with the combination.
Summary to Unlock Your Dial
Okay, let's summarize the steps to unlocking your dial. In unlocking the dial:
- Start by inserting the key into its slot with the teeth down.
- Then rotate the key 180 degrees to the right or clockwise.
- Next, rotate the dial to the right until it stops.
- And finally, push on the door, rotate the door hub to the left counterclockwise and pull out on the hub to open the door. It's simply that easy.
How to Lock the Dial for Your Liberty Safe
Now that you know how to unlock your dial, you'll also need to know how to lock it. I can show you how. Locking the dial is even easier than unlocking it.
- Close Door
Before closing your safe door, make sure the locking pins are retracted. If they're not, rotate the door handle to the left or counterclockwise. Then close the door.
- Engage Pins
Engage the pins by rotating the door handle right or clockwise until it stops. With the pins engaged, the dial is ready to be locked.
- Rotate Dial Left
You lock the dial by rotating it left or counterclockwise.
- Stop Before Zero
However, before the dial reaches zero, you need to stop because passing zero will lock the combination and at this point, we just want to lock the dial.
- Insert Key, Rotate Left
Next, you'll want to insert and rotate the key. Grasp the dial so it won't turn. Insert the key into its slot and rotate the key 180 degrees to the left or counterclockwise.
- Extract Key
Finally, pull the key out of its slot. That's all there is to it.
Unlocking Your Combination
In using your combination to open your safe, there are a couple things you need to know.
First, if you don't know the combination to your lock, you can find it in the use and care manual on page two. You'll want to keep this combination in a secure place, other than inside your safe.
Second, though the dial on your lock looks something like this, I'm going to use this graphic to help me illustrate how your lock operates. But don't worry, your lock works exactly the same way.
Third, I need you to take a look at the dial of your lock. You'll notice that just like this graphic, there are two marks near the top. This mark is called the opening index. To dial in any number of your combination, you'll need to turn the dial until the tick mark for that number aligns with the opening index. This mark on the left we use at the factory for setting your combination so you don't need to pay any attention to it.
My last tip for you is this, as you dial in each number of your combination, make sure you're looking at the dial from straight on, that way you will perfectly align each number in the combination with the opening index.
Now, what do you say I show you how to open your safe using the combination. You probably remember the lockers we had back in high school right? Well, this lock works a little differently than those did. Let me show you.
How to Unlock Your Liberty Safe Combination
There are five steps to unlocking your combination. Let's assume that your combination is 25-8-72.
- First Number
The beginning step in the process is to enter the first number of the combination: 25. And to enter the 25, we’ll take a total of four rotations of the dial to the left or counterclockwise.
Let's take a look. Before you start, make sure the zero on your dial is aligned with the opening index.
Next, taking note of the tick mark next to the 25, rotate the dial passing the 25 three times.
On the fourth turn, you'll want to slow down a little stopping on the 25 when it aligns with the opening index.
- Second Number
Now that we've dialed in the 25, we need to enter the second number in our combination which is 8. This time, instead of four rotations, it will take us a total of three rotations of the dial. And we'll do it by rotating the dial in the opposite direction from before; this time to the right, or clockwise. Here's how:
Looking on the dial, find the tick mark for the number 8. Then rotate the dial to the right, passing the eight two times. On the third rotation, slow down and stop once the eight is aligned with the opening index.
- Third Number
The third number in our combination is 72. To enter this number we’ll rotate the dial a total of two times while turning the dial to the left or counterclockwise.
On the dial find the tick mark for the 72. Then rotate the dial left until it passes the 72 once. On the second and final turn, slow down, stopping on the 72. Now we're almost done.
- Turn / Stop
You've now dialed in all the numbers of the combination so only two steps left. In step four, you'll be rotating the dial to the right, or clockwise, for less than one turn. Let's walk through it.
Begin by rotating the dial clockwise. As you near 95, the dial will get a little harder to turn. That's because the dial is lifting up the locking bolt inside the safe. So, continue rotating through the resistance until the dial stops, which will occur somewhere near 85. Your combination is now unlocked.
If, however, the dial rotates past 80, then an error has occurred, and you'll need to start from the beginning by re-entering the combination.
- Open Door
With the combination unlocked, all that's left to do is open the door. Begin by locating the hub of your door handle. The spokes that screw into the hub are inside your safe, so this first time you'll need to open the door by turning the hub only. Place your hand on the door and push in. While continuing to push, grasp the hub with your other hand and rotate the hub to the left, or counterclockwise. You'll find it will stop somewhere around a half turn. At this point, you can stop pushing and by pulling the hub towards you, the door will open. You've got it.
With the door open you can remove the Styrofoam protectors in the corners of your door and in the future, you won't need to push on the door in order to open it.
Summary of Steps to Open Your Combination
Now let's summarize by reviewing the steps to opening your combination. The lock combination in our example was 25-8-72.
- In step one, you made a total of four rotations of the dial to the left or counterclockwise. You started on 0 passing the 25 3 times and on the fourth turn you stopped on the 25.
- In step 2 you rotated the dial to the right or clockwise a total of 3 turns first passing the 8 2 times and then stopping on the 8 for the third turn.
- Step 3 had you rotating the dial to the left for a total of 2 turns. You passed the 72 once and you stopped at the 72 on the second turn.
- Having finished inputting the combination in step 4, you turned the dial right or clockwise until it stopped.
- And finally, for step 5, you took hold of the door hub rotating it left or counterclockwise for about a half turn until it stopped and at that point you pulled the door open. Notice the pattern of a decreasing number of dial turns with each step. Four turns, three turns, two turns, one turn and a half turn. And you also probably noticed that with each step you turned the dial in the opposite direction. Left, right, left, right, and left. As you memorize your lock combination, keeping these patterns in mind should help.
How to Lock Your Combination on Your Liberty Safe
Now that you know how to unlock your combination, let me show you how to lock it. If this is your first time locking your safe, you'll want to practice locking and unlocking the combination a number of times; however, make sure you practice with your safe door open until you feel comfortable. In addition, while practicing your door needs to be open at a 90-degree angle like this. Otherwise, when you turn the handle, the locking pins will hit your door jamb and possibly cause damage.
Now let me show you how to lock your safe using the combination.
- Close Door
Before closing your safe door, make sure the locking pins have been retracted. If they're extended like you see here, rotate the door handle to the left or counterclockwise until the handle stops. Then you can close the door.
- Engage Pins
With the door closed, engage the pins by rotating the handle to the right or clockwise until it stops.
- Rotate Dial Left
Finally, rotate the dial to the left or counterclockwise. This clears the combination thereby locking the door.
- Try Turning Handle
Nevertheless, I make it a habit of double-checking that my door is locked by trying to turn my door handle. If the handle will not turn, then I know my safe is locked and my valuables are secured. By the way, when rotating your dial, be careful not to spin it rapidly as this can cause damage to the lock.
That's all it takes to lock your combination. I hope I answered all of your questions.