One of the great things about safes is they have a knack for really sticking around through the ages. Some of them are made from some of the toughest stuff on earth and won’t really ‘wear out’ over time. For this reason, if you’re on a budget, there’s no reason not to look into buying a new safe.
It’s quite possible to find a used safe in good condition for a fraction of the price of buying it new. The body of the safe will usually have no problems but you may have to look a little closer at the condition of the locking mechanism and the smaller moving parts.
Simple used safe shopping tips
Since buying a safe can be a bit of an investment it’s best to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting when you buy. For this reason, you need to learn as much as you can about the safe before you buy it.
The age of the safe should be an important factor in making your decision
Depending on what you’re looking for it is possible that your desired level of security was not available at the time the safe was manufactured. This is mostly related to the locking mechanism installed and any auxiliary features you may want in your safe as well.
Find out when the safe was manufactured and if that will be an impediment to your desires for the safe. Luckily the basics of safes have remained the same for much of their existence so unless you’re looking for something state of the art you will probably be satisfied with the capabilities of an older used safe.
What condition should you look for?
As previously mentioned it’s not exactly easy to wear down a safe in theory. This, however, only applies to the body of a safe. While the main structure will likely be intact and as strong as ever it is possible that some of the more complex moving parts have experienced some decay over time.
The locking mechanism and any other moving parts are important to have inspected before you purchase a used safe.
Since it’s an investment and difficult to move it will always be in your best interest to get it right the first time and make sure everything is in working order and good condition.
Lastly, if possible, find out what you can about the previous owner and use of the safe you wish to purchase. If you safe is coming from a loving home it’s more likely to be in good condition. You also want to know, if possible, why the safe is being sold in the first place. Be sure to find out everything you can and be extra careful when purchasing a used safe.
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