Monthly Archives: February 2014

Graffunder Gun Safes, part 3

Tight fitting doors and heavy steel construction of Graffunder gun safes were discussed in earlier posts.  There are many other features that make Graffunders the very best safes you can buy.  For example, the bolts are machined stainless steel rather than just chrome plated steel, making them more difficult to cut with standard tools or torches.  The boltworks are controlled by a heavy gear driven system, rather than by a simple cam system like most gun safes.  Locks are protected by being completely encased in thick hardened steel.  There are also hardened steel ball-bearing anti drill barriers in the door.  In addition, on Emperor and Fortress models the safe bodies also have ball bearing anti-drill barriers in critical places.

Graffunder Safe 009

Machined stainless steel bolts, 1″ thick solid plate steel door, 1 of two heat seals, Made in U.S.A.

Fire rated Graffunders are rated for 1 hour/1750 degrees.  The insulation is concrete based composite material, which is poured in between the heavy exterior steel plate and a 14 gauge inner steel liner.  More steel!  As tight as the doors fit there are still two smoke/fire seals between the doors and frames.  (I plan to write about the importance of having two seals in a future blog.)

Graffunder Safe 001Graffunder Safe 006

Once you have decided on the model and size you want, designing your customized safe can be fun.  You can choose from six textured paint colors for the exterior, three styles of handles, chrome or gold hardware, six interior fabrics, six interior shelf configurations and four different locks.  Really dress up your safe with a beautiful high gloss door insert in one of four colors.  Still can’t get exactly the look you want?  Just tell us what you want and the good people at Sage Safe will make it happen your way!

Visit our shop to see Graffunders on display.  We will help you to design your special one-of-a-kind high security gun safe.

Vault Doors for Secure Rooms

Recently we have been selling vault doors across the country, more than ever before.  This is a reflection of increasing home construction, and also an increase in the number of home owners who want the security of an in-house vault room.

VAULT DOORS 002VAULT DOORS 004

 

If you dream of having your own vault room, be really careful of what door you buy!  There are a number of companies producing low cost, poor quality products which might disappoint you.  Ask lots of questions and get good, knowledgeable answers.

  • How much steel are you really getting?  (Not how thick the edge of the door is.)
  •  Is the inside emergency release easy to use?  Would your children be able to work it?
  • How many seals does the door have?  (A single heat-expanding seal will allow lots of smoke to enter before the seal expands.)
  • Does the door come with a commercial grade lock or a low cost model?  (Even well-known lock manufacturers make locks that we won’t use.)
  • Can you lock yourself inside quickly if you need to?
  • Does the door have an inside trim flange or will you need to cobble up some kind of trim when the door is installed?
Hot and Cold Door Seals

Hot and Cold Door Seals

I had a recent example where the home owner bought a vault door specifically for emergency protection for his family, only to find later that you cannot lock yourself inside in an emergency.  Was the seller ignorant of this fact or just dishonest?  Some manufacturers (even well-known brands) are also making up numbers, claiming that their doors have 60 or 90 minute fire ratings, when they have never been tested.  All of the vault doors we sell have fire linings to be “fire resistant”, but only one brand has actually been tested and certified.

The point of this post is that if you are going to buy a walk-in vault door, do your homework!  Only buy from a reputable manufacturer and a dealer you trust.

We sell Fort Knox vault doors more than any other. We also sell American Security vault doors, Golden Spike and (when someone needs a certified fire tested door) Sentry/Schwab.