Oh please! These safes come in by the thousands to a port in CA and then are shipped by a variety of distributors (most of whom don't stock them) straight from the warehouse.
Mine will probably never leave the original pallet or cardboard or whatever it came packaged in. It will go straight from the first warehouse it entered after it came off the boat onto a truck.
So, you're right, I didn't do a background check on the seller, I didn't fingerprint him, and I don't care if he has a license in any state. I checked his feedback, talked with him several times on the phone, saw that he's been selling safes for several years, and just took an incredible, amazing risk and bought a mid-level safe from him for 25% less than you sell the same product for.
So, if any big risk-takers would like to buy the same product that Mr. Zykan sells for 25% less, take a look at PrivateSecurityProducts.com. The service was excellent in every way (and no condescension either!)
Oh please! I got a great deal on the same safe you sell and I have no fear that my serial number and combination and address is going to get into anyone's hot little hands.
He's not just any guy on the street who's looking to sell combinations and address.
Do you use fear and condescension with all of your clients as well to justify an extra $250 profit?
Since you've maligned the reputation of your former vendor, I'm going to send this thread to him.
Maybe Dan can respond better than I can - I'm just a guy who got a great deal on a safe.
You know, if I had written that I paid $1400 for this safe from some other drop-shipper, you would have written, simply, "Oh, I could have done you better than that. Wish you had contacted me first." Yes, I'm freely assuming that...
Frank, you are so here to sell safes - you educate (and often condescend), and then sell. AYou parachute into every single thread about safes and very often offer your services. I have no problem with that.
And yes, I have requested a quote from you, some time ago. You are competitive, knowledgeable, but you were not the lowest on this particular safe
Again, had I paid more, I expect you would have not brought up this issue, but perhaps suggested that you could have given me a better deal.
As for Danny at Cobalt, I highly doubt he'll bring a lawsuit against you, but he should have a chance to publicly defend himself against your accusations that buying from him or his dealers is risky.
Oh, and thanks for calling me "ignorant" for brushing off the alarmist, fear-mongering of someone who, quite simply, was undersold by someone he doesn't know at all, but makes all sorts of assumptions about. Cheers.
One thing that I and all of my friends have done is to immediately have the combonation changed on any new safe. One of the guys in the gun club will do it for us. Even he does not know the new combination because he stands behind the door and has the owner turn the dial and then he turns the key and the owner checks the new combination while the door is still open. Jim
Until then, be afraid, be very very afraid...
I recently recieved my new "sturdy safe" and I'm pretty happy with it. I did quite a bit of research before buying and IMO in the mid-priced category sturdy and the amsec BF series offer the best value and quality for the money, and by quite a wide margin I may add. If money was no object I'd look at a true "safe" (which nothing mentioned thus far is) from graffunder or brown safes.
I highly recommend a dial lock over digital. Digital keypads are much more convenient when they work, but they are infinitely less reliable. A dial lock will last as forever. A digital lock won't seem so "convenient" the day you have to call a locksmith to come get you in to your own safe.
Now that I see that you are in the $500 range. I did quite a bit of research recently and found that unless spending at least 700-800 and more likely over $1000, a safe is not worth spending that much money for the improvement over a gun cabinet. What I found was that a sub $1000 safe could be gotten into by a persistent theif and nothing under $1000 provided fire protection that I was comfortable with.
For me, keeping the guns from children and visitors was the highest priority and then fire protection (for more than just my guns). A gun cabinet does the #1 priority and anything under $1000 was not going to accomplish the fire protection to my satisfaction.
PS - Thank you **Edited To Remove Name** & for your recent safe purchase & input!!
As much I would enjoy expressing myself here, I do not feel this is the proper forum for this type of discussion. Please if anyone needs to contact me regarding a safe or vault door, please do so, my door is always open to my customers.
I apologize if my "contribution to the forum seems inappropriate, My intention was only to let people know who I am, since I was obviously the topic of your discussions. It was not meant really to be an advertisement. But, my apologies to the people involved.
FYI - I did remove my customers name - Please remove his name as well from your post - Thank you - Chris
Also, since it was so unprofessional to thank you by name - Why did Mr Zykan obviously repeat your name knowing it may not be right to do something so No, No - HUMMM?
I guess he is looking for reasons to mess with me - his problem, not mine..
I am legit & i am honorable
FYI- I sell safes & vault doors cheaper because i can - end of story!
Yes - You are buying the service, ethics, trust, and common sense of the person you're buying it from - that is me.
I don't fully understand the attraction for having thick steel plate in the door. What purpose does it serve when the main body is sheet metal? Knowing what I now know about safes, and if I was of the criminal persuasion, I wouldn't even mess with the door. Instead, I would work my magic on the weaker sides of the safe. I suppose the steel plating in the door is for extra security when the safe is bolted down, and access to the sides is not possible.
RSC's are only as strong as their weakest link........the sides.