new milners and some questions

Hi guys. i founded a very cool milners old safe in central Paris, something that I would have never thought of finding so close to me. a sympathetic old lady sold it and told me the history : buy by this gran-grand father new and always use by men in his family. for this one sure i didn't do repaint, just a cleaning and perhaps a varnish but no more. after consider safeman advice, i am now convicted by something very close to original condition, thanks for that monsieur !
curiously this one has been the hardest to move. i was very optimist but i was wrong. an half day work to load it. my other milners and the big chubb was larger and i think heavier but this one..... probably the round corner/slick surface.. anyway i am very happy and damn it i am a big fan of milners, they have un je ne sais quoi.
if a cool safe lover is here and can give all detail i will be the happiest man for this week end. the pull brass handle is broke and missing so i research one, offers welcome, the lock lever have a unpleasant shaft play : i tried to remove it to fix by outside but the screw come and the lever don't, i let it as this for now. original keys come with and the number of the safe engraving on the upper pivot is : 101174AF2160, the rear door panel seem to be in original condition and never open.

merci beaucoup.

Stephane,

You will find the specification for this List 2 in my reply to Mark1 on the 24th of March #10 for his identical safe under the heading "help with Milner safe please" the only difference being that yours was made in 1920.

thanks safeman for details, much appreciate, i expected older that 1920 ! do you know the weight ?

thanks

Is there a number struck into the top edge of the door? If so that would give the weight.

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Originally Posted by stephane

thanks safeman for details, much appreciate, i expected older that 1920 ! do you know the weight ?

thanks

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Assuming the safe to be around 28 inches high, the weight will be approximately 250 kgs.
Great to have all the original keys.
I don't understand the problem you are having with the door key - can you explain ?

No chubby, i ve checked well but nothing and there is not a big coat of paint so don’t think other numbers than those on the pivot are present
Could you explain the ‘list’ designation in the milners product ? I am a little bit lost because this ´list 2´ is 35 years more recent that my list 3
I assumed the ´list’ number sticky to the year evolution so higher number be more recent

No, list has nothing to do with date of manufacture. It refers to the quality of the safe and the use for which it was intended.

Thanks guys for explains. I don’t have problem with the lock, keylock work very smoother but the hand lever has an unpleasant ´play’ : it move lateraly probably the over using from decade. The old lady told me his grandfather/father used it several times by day. And The round escutcheon turn arround the lever. I can live with something look the antique age but with the mechanical side i prefer something work perfectly. And with this serious play i don’t know if the lock system could be block something in closed position. Probably a slim spacer behind the lever will fix it.

Yes, you just need to find where the play is happening and pack it accordingly. It isn't rocket science!

Yes chubby i am just brake with that because i need to remove the internal panel and Screws are cover by original paint. No way by outside.

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Originally Posted by stephane

Yes chubby i am just brake with that because i need to remove the internal panel and Screws are cover by original paint. No way by outside.

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From your description it sounds as if the handle is loose on the spindle. If this is correct and assuming that you have tightened the screw on the side of the handle, it should be possible to make a shim from a piece of tin to take up the space between spindle and handle on the outside.

If I understand the problem correctly I suggest that you cut a strip of tin (can) the width of the spindle and long enough to cover the top, end and partly underneath the spindle before lightly hammering the handle back over the shim till it reaches the rose and the fixing hole is re-aligned.

Do not force it if it appears to be too tight as it will be very difficult to remove the handle again. Just remove the lower part of the shim and it should then fit over the spindle tightly.

It is unlikely that the 'follower' on the inside of the spindle is loose unless the spinle itself is worn.

Yes chubby i am just brake with that because i need to remove the internal panel and Screws are cover by original paint. No way by outside.

yes safeman you are right. but impossible to remove the handle and i do not want damage it. i will go through the back. there is some fine pure white "dust" pretty much everywhere, would it be asbestos ?

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Originally Posted by stephane

yes safeman you are right. but impossible to remove the handle and i do not want damage it. i will go through the back. there is some fine pure white "dust" pretty much everywhere, would it be asbestos ?

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Stephane, I don't understand why you cannot remove the handle. Is this because it is not the actual handle that is loose? If you wish to remove it you may like to try the following. Remove the screw (shown arrowed). While pulling strongly on the lower part of the handle, with a soft faced hammer tap the top of the handle downwards while jerking the handle outwards. The 'rose' under the handle is not attached but held in position by the handle.

I have also attached a picture which shows what the inside of the handle mechanism looks like and the lugs to which the fire chamber is screwed. The follower may be fixed to the spindle by a tapered pin.

The dust will not be asbestos. More likely fine alkali dust from the fire-proofing.

Attachment 19826 Attachment 19827

[QUOTE]The dust will not be asbestos. More likely fine alkali dust from the fire-proofing.
/QUOTE]
perfect Safeman, my vacuum is not going to die.
the lever was to tight on the axle so i remove the panel and placed a washer behind the massive piece in which the axis of the lever enters. as the lever was removed i placed in the bench vise and heat a bit then the lever come from axle. the rose seem to not be original because the number engraving isn't safe's one. i took the opportunity to clean the inside, inspect the lock : very good one, heavy and smoother.
all is now replace and work well without plays in the handle. only 4 small screws are now visible when the door is open but no drama.

inside photos of the list 2

Af2160