I've seen a lot of clever safe opening tools in my time, but must say none have grabbed my attention as much as the new SoftDrill lock profiler. The SoftDrill is capable of opening the most common combination safe locks with no damage...often in under 30 minutes! This is a pretty big claim--and before I was convinced I had to test it myself to believe it.

First a little background on the SoftDrill profiler. This clever device was developed by the Mas-Hamilton Group (the same folks who make the X-07 and Auditcon safe locks), starting from scratch about a year and a half ago. A team of engineers was dedicated solely to this project with the goal of developing a machine that could quickly and reliably "manipulate" common mechanical locks. They studied locks and the methods used by safe technicians to open them. The engineering team then took this information and strove to build a device that could open locks with little or no skill on the operator’s part.

The coined term "SoftDrill" is a play on words of sort. The device is "software" driven, and performs a task normally reserved for a drill. In addition the words imply a "soft" safe opening. Although the SoftDrill performs a function very similar to classic manipulation, the manufacturer refers to it as a lock "profiler". The implication is that even manipulation resistant locks are still capable of being profiled--that is, of revealing their secrets through careful analysis!

SoftDrill comes neatly fit into a briefcase-size carrying case, and tips the scales at 23 pounds. It consists of a control unit, magnetic base, stepper motor, various-size pulleys, connecting cables, and other support hardware. A user supplied laptop computer (loaded with the provided software) is also needed to run SoftDrill. When set up it is similar in appearance to an autodialer. Looks can be very deceiving!

LAPTOP REQUIREMENTS: You will need your own laptop to run SoftDrill. Many of us are already equipped with laptops to run code and business programs. If you don’t have one yet this is one more reason to go shopping. Virtually any new laptop has what it takes to run SoftDrill. To check out your old clunker for compatibility, here are the minimum requirements:

• Computer: IBM-compatible laptop
• Processor: Pentium
• Drives: CD-ROM
• Hard Drive: 5MB free space
• PCMCIA Card Slot: One-Type II
• RAM: 16 MB
• Monitor: VGA
• O/S: Microsoft Windows 95 or 98 (no, you can’t skate by with 3.1!)

To prepare your laptop to operate SoftDrill you will need to do two basic things: Load the SoftDrill program onto your hard drive, and install the DAC card into your laptop’s PCMCIA slot. (These items and installation instructions are included with SoftDrill.) Installation is straightforward, and after the setup is done you don’t have to fuss with it anymore.

SOFTDRILL SETUP: Once your laptop is prepared you are ready to set up the SoftDrill hardware on your safe. Remember that this device does not open safes--it opens safe locks. The assumed circumstance for using SoftDrill is when there is a lock in working order--but with a lost combination. Currently two common locks are supported: The S&G 6730 and the LaGard 3330 (both are extremely common worldwide). Use the appearance of the dial and ring, as well as contact points and wheel counting to determine if you are dealing with one of the supported locks. Future software upgrades will be made available to open a wider range of locks.

Next, examine the surface of the safe immediately surrounding the dial and ring. Note the presence or absence of any escutcheon, handle, hinge, or other object that disrupts the surface. Check to see if the surface itself will attract a magnet (the SoftDrill hardware is mounted by magnets). The geography of the safe in the area of the dial dictates where to attach the magnetic base and how to configure it. A base extension (included) helps you position the magnets outside most non-magnetic escutcheons. The base itself is asymmetrical and reversible--permitting a wide range of possible mounting configurations.

Once the configuration and position of the base is determined you can mount the stepper motor to the base in advance of mounting the base on the safe. The stepper motor slides onto a pivot stud that extends outwards from the mounting base, and is held in place by a series of large, knurled locking nuts. The belt tension spring that extends from the stepper motor assembly is connected to a separate stud on the mounting base. You are now ready to mount the base!

The two "locator studs" on the base are butted against the dial ring to assure the proper relation between the base and dial. Now carefully bring the base near the safe and let the strong magnets do their work. Once in place the base will be difficult (if not impossible) to reposition without entirely removing it and starting over. That’s how powerful the three mounting magnets are! Learning this step may cause a few pinched fingers, but in no time you’ll be positioning the base quickly and painlessly.

The next step is to determine which of the SoftDrill’s six aluminum dial pulleys fits your safe’s dial. This selection covers just about every dial you are likely to encounter with the supported locks. Push the correct size pulley onto the dial and secure it with the provided set screws. Next, loop the timing belt over the pulley at the end of the stepper motor, then over the dial pulley. (The motor can be easily pushed towards the dial to help you accomplish this, courtesy of the belt tension spring.) Now adjust the knurled locking nuts so that the dial pulley and motor pulley are well-aligned. This adjustment will keep the timing belt "on track".

We are now ready to make the various cable connections. These are surprisingly straightforward--there is virtually no chance of plugging something into "the wrong place". Great for those of us with "computer connection phobia"!

• Make sure the rocker switch in the briefcase is in the "off" position, then plug the power cord into a 110V AC outlet.

• Plug the serial port cable into the back of your laptop, and one end of the PCMCIA cable into the DAC card you installed. Boot the laptop.

• Plug the other end of your serial port cable into the appropriate connector in the briefcase.

• Plug the other end of the PCMCIA cable into the briefcase.

• Connect the cable that comes from the stepper motor to the stepper motor/encoder connector in the briefcase.

• Mount the magnet-base accelerometer (think of it as a microphone) near the safe dial, and plug its cable into the BNC connector in the briefcase.

• Set the safe dial with "0" under the opening index.

• Turn the rocker switch in the briefcase "ON" to power the SoftDrill.

NOTE: Believe me folks--this entire setup procedure flies by once you’ve done it a few times. It now takes me absolutely less than five minutes to mount the base and make all the connections.

THE PROGRAM: The big moment has arrived! The SoftDrill is mounted and ready to run. Double click on the SoftDrill icon on your desk top to open the profiler’s program. Here you are presented with a few options. You tell the program which lock you are dealing with and whether you want the program to make its own setup decisions, or whether you want to adjust the setup yourself. (Automatic setup is easiest of course--but I found adjusting the setup myself can improve opening time). After making these few choices, the stepper motor jumps to life, the dial starts turning, and your lock is on its way to being opened.

The SoftDrill begins by parking the wheels in a series of pre-determined locations and checking the contact points. After finding a favorable wheel position it begins to look in earnest at one particular wheel--all the time informing the user of what it’s doing. You don’t have much control at this point over what’s happening, but somehow it’s reassuring to have the program inform you of its progress! As each wheel’s secrets are uncovered, the user is informed of the top five candidates for that wheel’s combination.

Perhaps it’s the technician in me, but I found it absolutely fascinating to watch SoftDrill do its thing. The more I watched it the more I admired the folks who developed it. When checking contact points the device--like its human counterparts--oscillates the dial and takes several readings for accuracy. Also, SoftDrill seems to be exceedingly thorough. The dial turns in one number increments only--a step that adds a little time to the process but pays back with a very high "successful openings" rate. Lastly, SoftDrill doesn’t give up without a fight. If the correct numbers do not turn up after SoftDrill’s initial testing, it executes a well-planned attack that very thoroughly examines the lock until it yields--as most inevitably will. SoftDrill not only gives you the precise combination, but actually opens the lock as well!

MY TEST RESULTS: I have experimented with SoftDrill on over 100 attempted safe openings. This involved about 10 different locks (all S&G 6730s), on a variety of safes (including fairly thick-door fire safes). All of this was done either at my offices, or at a number of recent trade shows. Some of the trial combinations used were of my own making, but most were offered up by other folks.

An early version of the software I played with (several months ago) opened virtually every 6730 that met the following criteria:

1. The lock did not have the third wheel set in the forbidden zone.

2. The lock was "handed" correctly.

3. The lock’s third wheel "read" first, followed by wheels two and one.

The first two conditions are not so bad. Both conditions can be compensated for with a little cunning. The third condition was unacceptable though. Most 6730s do indeed read "wheel 3 first", but the goal is to open the really tricky ones as well! I phoned my concerns to the engineer who was writing the code for SoftDrill. After some discussion it was agreed that the device should be able to open locks regardless of which order the wheels read. I was delighted (but knowing the company--not surprised) to learn that the program had been rewritten to cover all possibilities.

To save time, the new program assumes a "3-2-1" lock, but if the opening fails the "wildcard" program is automatically executed. I thought the early version of the software was cool--but this "wildcard" feature is opening locks that had failed to previously yield.

SUCCESS AND THE TIME FACTOR: Most of my successful test openings were completed in 19 to 24 minutes. Several opened in 15 or 16 minutes. Two or three took about 45 minutes. Several took 60 to 69 minutes. I had several locks fail to open. In all fairness I must add that the failed openings all happened when I was using the early software. One of these failings had the last number set in the forbidden zone. Most all of the others did open--once I learned to manually adjust the set up. Of the no-excuse failures (once I had adjusted the set-up and tried again), every single one revealed at least two correct numbers on the correct wheels! I have yet to experience a failed opening using the new software.

"PROBLEM" LOCKS: All of the locks I worked with were in acceptable mechanical order. If your lock has a sticky or poorly aligned dial you should try the usual remedies (tap dial back into alignment and lubricate) before setting up SoftDrill. Although I didn’t experience it myself, I am informed by Howard Dame of Mas-Hamilton that he had two locks with mechanical problems opened under his watch. The first was a lock he was using for demonstration purposes at a trade show. The lock had been opened on different combinations by SoftDrill perhaps 200 times. (Although SoftDrill causes a heck of a lot less wear to the lock than a common autodialer, 200 openings would cause severe strain).

After all these openings in the usual 20 minute time frame, the lock suddenly took 45 and 50 minutes to open--but nevertheless opened. Curious, Howard took the lock apart and discovered that the spine keyway had widened causing "loose spline key" syndrome. Experienced safe technicians know that to open such a lock, they need to add numbers when dialing left and subtract numbers when dialing right. SoftDrill had successfully opened this problem lock!

An even trickier problem was solved by SoftDrill. One lock that had been subjected to numerous SoftDrill openings eventually developed a "stuck fly". This problem can be diagnosed and opened by a good safe technician--but I have heard of numerous cases where the safe was drilled. I am informed that SoftDrill successfully opened this problem lock in about 20 minutes. This opening was repeated to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. Again the lock opened in a similar time.

SUMMARY: In my experience, which has been limited to about 100 trials using S&G locks in good working order, my opening times have ranged from just under 15 minutes to nearly 69 minutes. The great majority yielded in 19 to 24 minutes. Six locks failed to open even after I manually adjusted the set up. All of the failed tests were conducted using an early version of the software.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This stunning technology does not come cheap. SoftDrill sells to security professionals for $6,995. However, if you are turning away safe openings or don’t feel comfortable leaving your autodialer unattended for a day or more, this could be the ticket. Just two safe openings a month at $300 each pays for SoftDrill in one year.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS: Even now, software updates are being developed that will support an ever-growing variety of locks. The word from Mas-Hamilton is "Why should we stop with these two locks?". When I asked the obvious question about whether they would go after manipulation-resistant locks, I didn’t get a "yes" or a "no"--just a sly smile.