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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    147
    Country: United States

    Default Mosler Screw Door Bank Safes finished

    I recently finished up two Mosler screw door bank safes. The first from 1915, was purchased with the time lock and all associated linkage missing. That was a major strike against it but it did have all of its original artwork which was a big plus. I lucked out when a parts safe turned up in Florida. I got all the parts needed in one shot. Here are some before and after pictures. If you would like to read a long detailed account about this safe it can be found here:

    (Please refer to rules regarding the posting of links: http://www.antique-locks.com/showthr...ique-Locks-com)

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    The second Mosler is a very rare double door screw door bank safe. It is a 1891 model and is quite an impressive site with its stacked doors. It too was missing both time locks. Like the single door it used the Yale Triple L time lock so I had three of them to locate. For this safe one time lock turned up in Pennsylvania and the other in New York. One of the pivot bolts for the friction fence in the 5H Mosler/Yale combination lock was also missing. Many thanks to Doug MacQueen for finding one of these elusive bolts for me. This safe had been repainted but some of the original artwork was discovered underneath. A detailed account of this safe can be found here:

    (Please refer to rules regarding the posting of links: http://www.antique-locks.com/showthr...ique-Locks-com)

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    This pair of Moslers makes quite statement when they are together. They were intense but fun projects to complete.


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    Last edited by Huw Eastwood; 18-04-17 at 12:54 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    714
    Country: United States

    Default Mosler projects finished

    I saw that in another forum as you really did a nice job....Timothy......

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    184
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Absolutely stunning they are. Well done you !

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,755
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Beautiful work, great to see them close back to original, you've done a superb job on the Mosler Safe Co against the gold leaf, really stands out amazing. The lined-out silver seems to really suit that style

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    46
    Country: United States

    Default

    Amazing work. Definitely a work of love.

    Does the gold leaf go on top of the clear or does the clear coat go over the leaf? I've read some articles where shooting clear on top of gold leaf causes the leaf to bubble up.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    147
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by djed View Post
    I've read some articles where shooting clear on top of gold leaf causes the leaf to bubble up.
    I am not a gold leaf expert but I have learned a few things.

    If clear coat has an adverse reaction with the gold leaf it is because it has reacted with the size (adhesive) that was used to put the gold on. Traditional size is a varnish based adhesive and can be attacked by the solvents in the clear coat. Adding a hardener to the size can prevent this but it will also alter the "open window" that the gold can be applied. Sometimes misting the gold leaf first with the clear coat and allowing set up time can also prevent the issue.

    In this case, I used a single stage catalyzed acrylic enamel so no clear coat was used. I did not want the super high gloss on these safes to help retain the vintage look. The gold is also not clear coated as gold will never loose it's brilliance. Because these safe are for show vs. utility, I wasn't concerned about protection from daily use.

    I did clear the gold on the double door Mosler where it has lettering on top of the gold. This way, if an issue with the lettering occurred it could be addressed without damaging the gold. Trying to repair a mistake on exposed gold would create a disaster.

    While some old safes had the gold leaf exposed, many safes were coated in a varnish to give gloss to the poor paints that they had back in the day and to give a coat of protection. It is the crazed varnish that gives many old safes the rough textured patina.

    This is why matching the color on old grey/silver Moslers is so difficult. The varnish coating gives a different hue to the paint and with age it yellows and darkens. A solid paint looks blah on them, and most metallics look to modern. After a long search I found an old formula that uses the finest metallic available and has a touch of other colors in the silver to give a vintage look. It was as close as I could get to an original paint sample. The sample was to small to be read by the paint formula computer.

    On an upcoming safe I think I will go the clear coat route and bury the artwork and gold under high gloss clear. While originalists will cringe, safes done this way do look fantastic.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Carnegie, PA
    Posts
    17
    Country: United States

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 00247 View Post
    I am not a gold leaf expert but I have learned a few things. If clear coat has an adverse reaction with the gold leaf it is because it has reacted with the size (adhesive) that was used to put the gold on.
    Not sure I'm my application pertains, but why are you using adhesive at all? I have done custom paint work on cars using gold leaf. If you have worked with gold leaf you know it can get "crinkly". It doesn't want to lay flat. On a car, the piece you are working on has to be horizontal, like a hood or trunk lid. Put some drops of alcohol down and apply the gold leaf over the alcohol. The alcohol evaporates and sucks the gold leaf down tight onto your work piece. Then you can cut it with a razor blade. It does need to be cleared over. An artist taught be that trick. Worked fine for me.

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