Round safe head, medeco plug out, but the crank will no longer open the head.

[Kent]

Round safe head, I'm able to get the Medeco plug out, but the crank no longer works to open the head. I have tried a new crank without success. It's about 14 years old. I have another head I can put in, if I can get this one out. I think it could be a D&S or Star. The head spins freely. The crank doesn't seem to engage.

 

[MEP001]

It's probably a D&S safe head, but call RA-Lock and see if they can help you get into it.

 

[Randy]

I know exactly what your problem is. The piece inside the coin vault head that you insert the Allen wrench into is striped out. It’s this piece https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-2380-round-safe-head-repair-kit.aspx that needs to be replaced. The hard part is getting the vault head out of the wall and it can be rather tricky sometimes. I’ve put electrical tape on the end of the Allen wrench to build it up little and have gotten it to work sometimes. For the real hard ones I’ve had to take a piece of flat bar that would fit into the Medeco lock hole and grind it down so it’s tapered at the end so that it will barely fit into the stripped slot, tap it in at the same time turning it counterclockwise, you’ve only got about 3/8” to ½” of clearance on the back side of the part that turns. All of the ones that I’ve replaced are made of steel. The replacement part that KR sells is made out of stainless.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I've used a large flat blade screwdriver. The head of a new one is slightly tapered so the tip is smaller and it widens out. The right size may wedge into the stripped opening allowing you to turn the mechanism.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Put pressure on the crank, angling it upward with slight pressure in the hole and turn the crank, see if it catches hold.
If it doesn't try angling it downward with slight pressure.
This has helped me open the lock in the safe head.

 

[Jeff_L]

Build up the end with some electrical tape. If you can get some WD-40 to the threads, it can help.

 

[cap732000]

Try a internal pipe wrench may be able to get it in and use a socket to break it loose

 

[cwguy.com]

Try a internal pipe wrench may be able to get it in and use a socket to break it loose

This seems like an interesting tool to have.... what version are you talking about? The easy out looking version LINK or this type LINK.

 

[Kevin James]

Try a internal pipe wrench may be able to get it in and use a socket to break it loose

This seems like an interesting tool to have.... what version are you talking about? The easy out looking version LINK or this type LINK.

I was kind of wondering the same thing. I've never heard of a internal pipe wrench.

 

[cap732000]

A lot of poeple haven't heard of them. I was thinking more of the easy out type for your application, however, the other set I have used before in instances where the pipe was to short to get pipe wrench on it or when it was broke off and trying to get out it is a handy tool
At times for sure.

 

[Kent]

Thank you for all of the suggestions. I ended up calling the locksmith. He tried for a long time to get it, he had some cool tools. What I learned:
1. I'll use the repair kit at first sign of trouble.
2. If it does jam again I will attempt in a less aggressive way, I apparently bent the disc that turns, in my attempt to get it to turn, after it jammed.
3. I will not use the incorrect information faxed to me by the safe head sales company, (instructions for the combo safehead and the key plug safehead are not interchangeable. ) I appreciate the people at the safehead for trying to help me.
4. If all else fails, I know what he used, it ruined the safe head, but won't need to pay a locksmith again for this situation.