FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

click on the question below to reveal the answer

YES! The Replica Cryptex® Security Boxes do have the ability to mechanically change the password as often as one would like (without special tools or by peeling off labels). This makes it perfect for retail sale, gift giving, increased security, or reuse with unlimited games, puzzles, riddles, teamwork building events or teaching aides. It is particularly nice for sending gifts where you may not want the person to open the gift until you call and tell them the password (plus the box the gift comes in is a gift in itself!).

Unfortunately the plans or blueprints for these boxes, like the custom hand crafted Cryptex® Security Boxes, are not available to the general public.

The Letters on the brass Code Rings are laser engraved to provide a high resolution and high quality permanent black marking. The rings are then top coated to prevent tarnishing of the brass. Currently the Replica Boxes only have the option of all 26 letters of the English alphabet in a Times New Roman font. Additional font, language or symbol options will be available in the future.

The Replica Cryptex® Security Boxes are made with the same hand polished solid brass components as the custom Hand Crafted Cryptex® Security Boxes. The only real difference is the material used for the Spacer Rings. Due to the extreme fragility of real marble and to enable for the Mechanically Changeable Code Feature, I opted to use a highly durable polycarbonate ring with a marble photo laminate. This gives the appearance of real marble, but with a much more durable material than natural stone. It is also considerably less expensive than hand carved and polished stone. If you are looking for a box made with real marble or exotic woods, please see the Hand Crafted section of this website (for those who want something REALLY special).

Since the password is not hard coded into the Replica Cryptex® Security Boxes (as it is with the custom hand crafted version), I would have no way of knowing what your password is, only the person setting the code would have this information. Please be careful when changing your code since if you should forget it, you would need to go through the nearly 12 million possible combinations in order to find the correct password. There is no “failsafe” or key that will allow you to open the box without the correct password so you must be very careful when setting/resetting your password. If by some chance you should forget your password or change it to something you do not remember, the only way to open the box is to cut it open thus destroying at least part of the box. I can do this for you and then replace the damaged rings, but there would be a cost associated with this which I estimate to be around $40-$50 plus shipping (I haven’t had anyone run into this problem yet). So please be careful not to forget the password you have set.

The "Added Security Feature" is something I developed to hinder any attempts to "pick the lock" by slowly turning the code rings and trying to "feel" where the lock tumblers should line up (much like how a safe cracker would "crack" a safe). In essence what I do is create a number of "false codes" to each code ring which someone with a very light touch might think would be the correct letter. This results in a number of possible "false combinations" which increase exponentially with the number of Code Rings on a given box. For example, the number of "false combinations" a person trying to pick the lock on a 5 Code Ring box would first have to find and then systematically check to see if it is correct would be equal to 7,775 on the Hand Crafted Cryptex® Security Boxes and 32,767 on the Replica Cryptex® Security Boxes (due to the ability to incorporate more false codes on the code rings for the replica boxes than the hand crafted boxes). This feature is an option on the Hand Crafted Cryptex® Security Boxes, but comes Standard on the Replica Cryptex® Security Boxes (although the Replica Boxes are so precision tuned that it is next to impossible to feel these false codes anyway).