Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need a safe?

For residential applications, this is often a personal decision. We often hear that a homeowner insurance policy will cover the cost of replacing most items. Most policies cover only a percentage of the item's value. However, all of the insurance in the world is not going to replace items such as heirlooms, artwork, custom items, photos, collector guns, etc.. The physical security (fire or burglary) that a quality safe offers is the best way to protect those items. In addition, the responsibility that we assume with firearms in the home is enormous. Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals or unsupervised children makes owning a safe a top priority.

Why should I buy my security products from Graffunder Sales?

Graffunder Safe and Vault Doors have been manufactured since 1968 offering the finest in physical security products and safe and vault service. From our residential containers to commercial banking equipment, Graffunder Sales has always operated on the principal of quality above all else.

You will receive a product that has been built by craftsmen who give personal attention to every detail of each safe and vault door they build.

Your telephone call or email will put you in direct contact with the people in charge of the production of your safe. You will get direct answers to your questions from the people with detailed knowledge of your order, technical information or specific problem. This service continues even after you have purchased a safe.

At Graffunder Sales, we pride ourselves in our ability to customize just about anything you might need. From a particular space or size requirement, matching a particular furnishing or interior design to changing ratings, sizes, specialized interiors and finishes, we welcome the challenge.

How fire protective are Graffunder safes?

Graffunder Safe and Vault Doors are fire and heat resistant. Graffunder uses a composite mix that not only helps retard flames, but also offers heat resistance. Other safe manufacturers use panels of sheetrock that act as a flame retardant but do little to resist heat.

What does Graffunder use as an insulating material?

It has long been accepted in this industry that the moisture content of the insulating material helps determine it's effectiveness. Water vapor in a material is what cools and maintains the interior of the sealed container.

Many other manufacturers use sheetrock as their insulating material. Ask yourself how much water content sheet rock has when you break a piece and watch the dust tumble to the ground and think about it's effectiveness against high temperatures. Sheet rock was never intended to act as an insulating material. It was designed to be used in construction as a flame barrier, not an insulator. Calling it gypsum board or dry wall doesn't magically transform it into an insulating material... it's still sheet rock.

All fire rated safes built by Graffunder Sales, utilize varying thicknesses of a proprietary cement based mixture poured into large cavities throughout the unit (minimum of 1 1/2" thick). A tightly toleranced door to frame fit, lined with a high temperature heat seal door jam with expanding intumescent fire and smoke seal tape, which will prevent super heated air from entering the safe... After all large quantities of the worlds' best insulating material will do you no good if the safe "breathes" during a fire. You will find no large gaps around a Graffunder door. Close one of our doors and you will hear a gratifying "whoosh" as the trapped air tries to escape while it is locked into place.

What is the difference between Bishop, Castle, Emperor, and Fortress safes?

The overall body construction of a safe is rated by the density and tensile of the steel used.

  • Bishop Construction: 1 3/4" overall body constructed of 1/4" high tensile steel outer and 16 gauge inner plates enclosing a high density composite material. 3 1/2" overall door insulated with U.L. approved material, outer plate being 1/2" thick high tensile steel.
  • Castle Construction: 2" overall body constructed of 1/2" high tensile steel outer and 14 & 16 gauge inner plates enclosing a high density composite material. 4" overall door insulated with U.L. approved material, outer plate being 1" thick high tensile steel.
  • Emperor Construction: 2 1/2" overall body constructed of 1" high tensile steel outer and 14 & 16 gauge inner plates enclosing a high density composite material. 4 1/2" overall door insulated with U.L. approved material, outer plate being 1 1/2" thick high tensile steel.
  • Fortress Construction: 2 1/2" overall body constructed of 1" high tensile steel outer and 14 & 16 gauge inner plates enclosing a high density composite material. 4 1/2" overall door insulated with U.L. approved material, outer plate being 1" thick high tensile steel laminated with a 1/2" Manganese plate.
What if a burglar torches my safe?

Even if a burglar were to torch your safe lock off, it would be very unlikely that they would get the safe open. Graffunder safes have added relocking bolts that are not affected by the turning of the handle. Should your safe be torched or tampered with, these relocking bolts go to work. They lock the safe door so that it cannot be opened -- even though your lock may be torched away. This added security feature can disappoint even the most elite of safecrackers.

Why does Graffunder randomize?

Randomization, as it applies to our products, means that one or more aspects of the security system is randomly placed or its' structure is changed from one unit to the next, even among model lines. This is important as there are numerous publications in circulation detailing the inner workings and mechanisms of most commercially built safes, vaults and vault doors. These publications are utilized by the legitimate safe technician and aid him/her in opening a locked container. However, these same publications can and do end up in the wrong hands and also aid the criminal safe cracker in their jobs. That is why it's so important to change those features randomly every time so there are no drill point locations, re-locker locations, barrier material composition information, etc. to use. Each safe we produce is unique and therefore will take much longer to open than a similarly rated safe from another manufacturer. And when we say random, we mean true randomization; not placing a part in one of three positions or making a run of 200 safes one way and the next 200 another way.

How do I order a Graffunder safe or vault door?

For a list of Graffunder dealers near you, Click Here or call us at 509-457-1801.

Phone

509-457-1801

Office Hours

9:00am – 1:00pm  PST
Monday thru Thursday

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