Need help with identifying safe

[Tchapman]

Thank an you for allowing me to join your site. I am a locksmith and Chief Deputy Sheriff and was contacted by a widow lady that has a safe that on,y her husband opened and now has been dead since 2013. She want to open the safe and provided me with a three digit combination and some hand written instructions that she said her late husband had written. I said should be no problem well after two hours of trying the said combination and direction we still do not have the safe open. He had wrote on the card Gardall Safe Combination and she said they had bought an old bank building in Frankewing Tennessee several years ago and the safe was in it. I am not convinced it is a Gardall safe and what he wrote as far as directions are even accurate. I found one that looks like it on your site and it is a Cary Safe double door. I am going to try and attach a picture of the safe in question on hopes you may have some guidance for us before we have to destroy this antique to get it open. One more thing the safe was stolen from the bank once and the thieves destroyed one door and the bank had to send it in for a new door so it also has a unique history although she said it has not been opened since 2013. Thank you. Tommy

[Huw Eastwood]

What an amazing story Tommy, the large double-door safe was actually stolen from the bank! Amazing that you're a locksmith and a sheriff, although the 'Chief Deputy' bit seems confusing..

[Tchapman]

What an amazing story Tommy, the large double-door safe was actually stolen from the bank! Amazing that you're a locksmith and a sheriff, although the 'Chief Deputy' bit seems confusing..

I am the Sheriffs Chief Deputy that's what we call the the second in charge here in Tennessee. I am not sure exactly if the safe was actually stolen from the bank all those years ago or they just busted it open inside the bank. I use to do locksmith work on the side as more of a hobby than a main source of income and never really did much safe work outside of changing the occasional combination. Not sure what is confusing you.

[Huw Eastwood]

Not confused anymore thanks, 'sheriff's chief deputy' being the title of second in charge has answered that, as did your comments 'used to do locksmith work on the side as more of a hobby' and 'not sure exactly if the safe was actually stolen from the bank'.

[Tchapman]

Not confused anymore thanks, 'sheriff's chief deputy' being the title of second in charge has answered that, as did your comments 'used to do locksmith work on the side as more of a hobby' and 'not sure exactly if the safe was actually stolen from the bank'.

So can you help us identify the safe we have here?

[Huw Eastwood]

So can you help us identify the safe we have here?

You need someone your side of the pond for that, my 30 years was spent entirely on British and European safes over here. The only American safes encountered were those used on a few of the US military bases still active in the 1980s.

The safe you've pictured has a distinctive handle, the hinges are also of a certain pattern (even if finials are missing or not) and the body at the base where the photo is cut off also unusual. All these features should be recognised by someone your side.

[Doug MacQueen]

Yes , definitely not a Gardall, nor Cary from what I can see. Mosler patented a build design with curved top edge and corners. The closeness of the dial and handle is also a clue. Doug

[Tchapman]

You need someone your side of the pond for that, my 30 years was spent entirely on British and European safes over here. The only American safes encountered were those used on a few of the US military bases still active in the 1980s.

The safe you've pictured has a distinctive handle, the hinges are also of a certain pattern (even if finials are missing or not) and the body at the base where the photo is cut off also unusual. All these features should be recognised by someone your side.

Thank you I could not get the whole thing in the pictur and meet the size rule of the picture it does have four steel wheels on it.

[Doug MacQueen]

I see you have only done some comb changes on safes. If your goal is to get it open and still be able to use it, I would highly recommend hiring someone with the knowledge and proper drill and scope equipment to open it for you, even if they are a couple hours away. Parts are difficult to find. It is easy to ruin the lock, and still not have the safe open. The advantage is that you will learn something by watching. Doug

[BBE]

I see you have only done some comb changes on safes. If your goal is to get it open and still be able to use it, I would highly recommend hiring someone with the knowledge and proper drill and scope equipment to open it for you, even if they are a couple hours away. Parts are difficult to find. It is easy to ruin the lock, and still not have the safe open. The advantage is that you will learn something by watching. Doug

You might want to try Girtman & Associates in Franklin, TN 615-350-6000 as they seem to be about 80 miles north of you. They my know of someone closer.
BBE.