Gun Safe Innovation
Most folks, when they take a look at a gun safe, tend to see nothing but a big, heavy steel eye sore. The layman consumer rarely recognizes the uniqueness and individual features that a quality crafted unit has to offer, let alone the incredible degree of engineering and craftsmanship invested in putting it together. Can you really blame them though? Many people don’t even take the time to learn all of the features of their car – why on earth would they care about the characteristics of a steel box whose door hardly even opens? Well, I don’t know why they don’t, but I’ll tell you why they should. Whether you’re a safety freak, a nut for ergonomics, or have an eye for decorating, there’s a gun safe out there for everybody.
When it comes to firearms, safety is crucial. As important as it is to defend your valuables, nearly any responsible gun owner would agree that a safe’s most significant role is to protect your children, and others lacking authorized access to your firearms. But what about protecting those you love from the guns safe itself? Gun safes, particularly fire resistant models, are built nearly air tight, thus making getting locked inside one as deadly as being trapped in a refrigerator. In the case of most units, once that door locks, there’s no getting out. The Honeywell Executive model, however, comes with a feature which frankly, I’m surprised we don’t see more of on other models; a safety escape latch on the inside. Though it’s still obviously critical that you don’t let your children play around your open gun safe, suffocation on account of your negligence is one less thing you have to worry about.
One of the biggest drawbacks of buying a gun safe is that they can literally weigh a ton. If you move it yourself, it’s a physically demanding logistical nightmare, and if you have someone else do it, the cost adds up very quickly. The good folks over at Zanotti Armor have created a brilliantly innovative solution to this mess. They offer a line of guns safes, ranging anywhere from 350 to 825 lbs, that are shipped in six separate segments. Forget stair climbing hydraulics for top floor delivery, just pick it up a segment and move it yourself (you may need two people for the largest model). And no, it’s not a piece of junk. The doors are constructed from 3/8″ solid steel, and they offer 1200 degree fire protection for up to 20 minutes…not bad for something you can throw together with a hammer in 20 minutes!
As high as safety and convenience rank in our priorities, what really matters? That’s right – it’s all about the looks. Functionally, there’s virtually no practical substitute for a gun safe. But whether you like them or not, almost everyone can agree that even the prettiest ones aren’t all that pretty…surely not worthy of placing next to your dining room china cabinet anyway. Well, the master woodworkers/genius entrepreneurs over at Heirloom Safe and Chest Co. have found a way to preserve your safe’s function while transforming it into a gorgeous armoire. They design custom wood paneling with industrial strength magnets to fit flush with the design of your unit. I know it sounds tacky, but you have to take my word for it – they’re absolutely lovely. What’s best is that they can be transformed in 15 minutes…you could assemble a steel Zanotti safe, and line it with beautiful solid oak in the time it took you to read this post (well, maybe if you’re a really slow reader)!
I bet you had no idea something as drab as a gun safe could be so fascinating. Don’t use safety, inconvenience, or looks as an excuse not to protect your valuables ad the ones you love – no matter what excuse you have, there’s an innovative safe out there to stifle it.