Tom Ziemer on Safes, Locks and Security

New U.L. Security Rating for Gun Safes

Posted on April 16, 2018

Something new has come to the safe industry which is especially important in relation to gun safes. Underwriters Laboratories has come out with a new security rating.

Many years ago U.L. created a rating system, primarily for commercial insurance purposes. Initially, ratings started out with TL-15, “TL” being short for “tool”. To get TL-15 rating a manufacturer’s safe had to keep two of U.L.’s expert safe crackers from breaking in for at least fifteen minutes. That 15 minutes means “time when a tool is in contact with the safe”, so actual elapsed time of the test is much longer, maybe several hours. The testers have access to an extensive array of manual and power tools.

The ratings then go up in time to TL-30 and TL-60. “TRTL” ratings mean the testers also can use torches. An “X6” designation means that the safe cannot be penetrated in any of the six sides. So “TRTL30X6” means that U.L. could not break into the safe with torches and tools, through any part of the safe within 30 minutes. TRTL30X6 vaults are large and extremely heavy.

Some years ago a Residential Security Container (RSC) rating was introduced. The test is significantly less vigorous – it is a five minute test by only one person, who has access to a smaller array of tools.

Some RSC rated gun safes are actually quite easy for two people to forcibly open, while some are very difficult. Because of the huge jump in security level from RSC to TL-15, U.L. has just introduced the RSCII rating to fill this gap. The test for RSCII is a 10 minute test where two men can use all the tools available in the TL test. Basically it is a “TL-10”, however that is not what they call it.

To my knowledge, the only manufacturer that makes RSCII rated gun safes is American Security (Amsec). To make this higher rating they had to add more steel to their BF safe and put in a different boltworks. The price of a new Amsec “BFII” is about half way between their standard BF and their least expensive TL-30 gun safe.

No doubt most Graffunder Safes and some Fort Knox vaults would also pass the new test. A few “non-gun” fire/burglary safes would also probably pass. The problem is that U.L. testing is very expensive, which will keep many companies from ever offering RSCII rated gun safes.

If you deal with a knowledgeable safe dealer you can learn enough to determine what level of security is right for you, and how to get the most security for your money. In Michigan you would come to Hoogerhyde Safe.

Gun Safe Accessories — Added Security

Posted on April 3, 2018

If you share a large safe or gun safe with family members, especially children, you might need a separate little compartment inside it for sensitive items. Maintain a little privacy and security – a place to hide your fun money, or the jewelry you bought your spouse for Christmas. There are many options for this sort of thing, from a light duty security safe (Amsec’s EST916 on left) to a heavy duty Fort Knox Handgun safe (right).

Putting a small high-security money chest in the bottom of your safe might be a good idea, especially if your big unit is light on burglary deterrence. The added weight makes it more difficult for someone to move your safe. Even if your big safe is forcibly opened it is extremely unlikely that the money chest could be compromised. This arrangement was very common in businesses when everyone still dealt with cash rather than credit cards. While the round door money chest pictured is only 10”H X 12.5”W X 20”D, it weighs a whopping 290# because the steel is over an inch thick. Perfect for silver, gold or cash. In retirement planning you hear about 401K’s and IRA’s; money chests are good for URA’s – Unreported Retirement Accounts.

Alarming your gun safe is another option for increased security. Some alarms just make noise to hopefully scare off a burglar. Others can notify your cell phone or a monitoring company. Door contact systems are the most common; the alarm is activated if the door is opened.

Having “a safe within a safe” makes sense for many people, and in West Michigan Hoogerhyde Safe is where you come for expert help.

Gun Safe Accessories, Interior Lights

Posted on March 21, 2018

It can be hard to find what you want from inside your gun safe if it’s dark in there. Most gun safes have dark interior colors like charcoal gray or faux leather. Lights can make a huge difference when it comes to seeing inside.

Lighting up your gun safe can be relatively inexpensive. For instance, a small lamp with magnetic base and a flexible goose neck can be mounted on top of the safe, then pointed inside. Another cheap option would be a battery operated switch light, for less than $10 (photo on left). The ones we sell stick with either magnets or Velcro-type patches. These work great on smaller safes too.

Better light systems are more expensive but still reasonably priced. LED lights in long strips can brighten the whole inside, not just part of it. Most systems have two long light strips (photo on right), one for either side inside the door. I prefer those that also have a strip across the top, and those that can be mounted with hook & loop patches. Motion sensors or door contact activators are nice because you don’t need to flip a switch to turn on the lights.

Light systems make a great gift for the person that has a gun safe. Lighting up the interior of your gun safe makes it easier to admire your collection or find whatever it is you’re looking for.

Gun Safe Accessories 3; Controlling Humidity

Posted on March 6, 2018

Humidity can cause guns to rust, and damage other items locked inside a gun safe. This applies to fire safes and burglary safes, too. Usually humidity issues are just a result of the ambient air being damp. Air can be really damp in a Mid-west basement, in places like Gulf Coast, or just about anywhere after a rainy stretch. There are several good ways to control humidity inside gun safes.

We sell Dri-Rod brand heat bars. These heat bars are put in the bottom of the gun safe with an electric cord running out the back into a wall outlet. They run all the time, heating to about 120 degrees, lowering relative humidity. Convection from the warmer air rising creates air movement. I advise against using heat bars in a safe which holds photos, stamps, historic papers, leather items, etc., because I believe the warmer air will artificially age these things.
I prefer Peet brand safe dryers. Many folks have Peet brand boot dryers to dry out damp boots after a day of hunting. Their safe dryers are very similar. They take up less space in the bottom of your safe than heat bars. The “stack affect” seems to create more air movement in the safe that heat bars. Note that the first time you use them they give off a burning smell, so “break it in” outside the safe or with the door open. Same warning as above about things that may age with heat.
Desiccant is hygroscopic – it actually absorbs moisture from air inside a safe, without changing the temperature. Desiccant is what they put with electronics, medicines, etc., to keep moisture from affecting products during shipping and storage. It comes in one-pound bags, boxes and cans for use in gun safes. Desiccant needs to be dried out after it gets saturated. Drying them out normally takes many hours in an oven at about 200 degrees – not very convenient.
Eva Dry brand desiccant products are what I usually recommend for humidity control. They are plastic containers (two sizes) full of beads, with a color indicator that tells you when the unit needs to be dried out. The good thing is that rather than using your oven, Eva Dry has a small internal heat unit. There is a built-in electric plug that you just stick into an electrical outlet, and In 10 to 12 hours the unit is ready to go to work again. They usually last three to five months in your safe before needing to be dried out, depending on how often the safe is opened. They are guaranteed for five years.

Gun safes protect guns and other items from external threats. Humidity is an internal threat that you control with proper gun safe accessories. Controlling humidity is an inexpensive form of insurance to keep your things in top condition.

Gun Safe Accessories, Part 2

Posted on February 22, 2018

When a customer says their gun safe doesn’t hold all their pistols, we have quite a few options to use existing space more efficiently.

Once again, a different interior configuration may help, especially if the customer owns only a few long guns. From Fort Knox Security you can get an interior shelf system with as few as 3 or 8 spaces for long guns leaving all kinds of shelf space for the hand guns.

Door organizer systems are probably the most popular gun safe accessory. They allow you to hang handguns on the inside panel of the gun safe door. That way you can make use those few inches between the inside door panel and the front edge of the shelves. These organizers also accommodate knives, extra magazines/clips, tools and papers. On many new gun safes these organizers come standard, but they are also sold as after-market add-ons. Although they are functional, the after-market ones are not quite as nice. It is worth noting that the fabric which lines the inside door panel and the inside walls of Fort Knox gun safes is Velcro-compatible. The same is true with their walk-in vault doors. That provides lots of vertical surface space on which you can hang hand guns.

Velcro pistol pockets are the holsters made so you can mount pistols onto Velcro-type fabric. Hook & loop fabric on the back of these holsters makes a strong connection on door organizers or on the fabric with which Fort Knox lines the insides of their gun vaults. They also attach securely to the long-fiber fabric that lines many inexpensive gun safes.

Bar-type hand gun racks that mount onto inside door panels are available from Fort Knox, and can be found by other manufacturers in a number of stores. Hand guns are held by vinyl covered hooks that are attached to the bar.

Hand gun racks from Versatile Rack Company are favorites of mine. They are vinyl coated steel holders that store guns vertically to save shelf space. Made with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 10 spaces they also make a nice display to show off your favorite weapons.

Gun Storage Solutions company offers many creative ways to use gun safe space efficiently. Some of their vinyl coated steel holders stand on top of a shelf, but most grab onto the edges of shelves. The gun barrel is slipped over a vinyl coated steel rod so your pistols can hang in a vertical position below the shelf or above it. Great space savers! Gun Storage Solutions makes versions for use with slat wall systems too. You have probably seen their products displaying pistols at your favorite gun store