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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bransgore
    Posts
    45
    Country: England

    Default F Whitfield "The City Safe"

    A while ago I finally tracked down a safe I was interested in. Not that I am a collector, more an engineer and restorer with a passion for older equipment that was made rather nicely.
    In this case a safe was on my list for myself. It appears to be a very rare survivor, probably from 1890 or there abouts, as it is a banded safe, but the bands are dovetailed and closed by riveting, rather than later versions where the banding was preformed or pressed.
    It is my intention to restore this safe to its original condition, not like so many with the emblem of a bottle of scotch or some such. Fortunately enough of the paint remains to be able to achieve this.
    I am getting close now to the point where most mechanical work is complete, bar the bolt work which needs a clean up.

    So I thought I would add some photos that might interest people here. I have already made a key for the drawer which like so many had gone missing in the distant past, not that it was easy as they riveted the lock in place which created issues.

    First a couple of photos of the beastie:

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	01 door face.JPG 
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ID:	19671
    Although not viewable there is enough paint and pinstripes left to recreate the original finish.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	02 door inside.JPG 
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ID:	19672
    Internal of door, eight throw bolts. The transfer I have photo'd and restored is currently being recreated as a transparency.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	03 safe internals.JPG 
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ID:	19673
    Just a view of the internal space.

    So the main lock and a key to suit, well a paper label states new keys were made in 1995, however they were obviously off the shelf and too slim, so not an ideal fit, and also they were not of a quality I found suitable either.
    More to follow, this is my first post, so lets see if it works.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bransgore
    Posts
    45
    Country: England

    Default And as that worked more follows

    So lets make a key blank:-
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	04 Key blank Billet.JPG 
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ID:	19674
    A bit of good steel from my scrap box....
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	05 Key blank.JPG 
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ID:	19675
    Became this, as you can tell I rather like old style keys.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	06 Key blank in lock.JPG 
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ID:	19676
    And it fits the lock like a glove.

    Now for the tricky bit, this is an eight lever lock, with a guard. So first to make a perspex shield that matches the cover plate and holds the key in its normal position. Thus enabling cutting for the throw bolt and each subsequent lever plate.
    This is the lock in all its glory:-
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	07 lock disassembled.JPG 
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ID:	19677
    Now to start cutting the blank to work, one step at a time. To this end you will see the perspex lid, with a brass 2BA screw in it, this is to ensure the lever and the followings ones do not lift whilst this progresses. The photo below shows all eight in position and it works beautifully.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	09 all levers.JPG 
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ID:	19678
    Finally one photo of it ready to be assembled
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	10 lock working.JPG 
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ID:	19679
    Again there is a bit more to follow. Enjoy, Steve.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bransgore
    Posts
    45
    Country: England

    Default A little more

    The lock in situ and the bolt work:

    The smaller key fits the drawer, they are a matched pair style wise.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	11 lock assembled.JPG 
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ID:	19680

    Bolts open
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	12 bolt work open.JPG 
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ID:	19681

    Bolts closed
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	13 boltwork closed.JPG 
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ID:	19682

    The bolt work is filthy, so that is my next job, to strip it down and sort it.
    For now, that it folks.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    714
    Country: United States

    Default F Whitfield "The City Safe"

    Nice job of making key work for that safe....Timothy......

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Posts
    266
    Country: Germany

    Default

    Great key! Never made a key from solid stock and never as perfect.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    leeds
    Posts
    609
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    Beautiful work.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bransgore
    Posts
    45
    Country: England

    Default The inside transfer

    I thought it might be useful to show the transfer that goes on the inside of the door. I have digitally remastered this as a TIF file, so the rendition shown here is a poor representation of it. I am currently having transparencies made.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	14 inside transfer.jpg 
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ID:	19702
    I am happy to share this with no copyright, if anyone is interested.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bransgore
    Posts
    45
    Country: England

    Default Door exterior

    This is a representation of how the door was originally painted, the colours arent quite right, they were gold stripes, but it is good enough for copying when I find a suitable signwriter.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	15 Safe door paintwork.jpg 
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ID:	19703
    That's about it for a while, next comes the doing.....

    Thank you all for your kind words.

    And lastly does anyone know who made this lock.???

    Enjoy, Steve.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Bransgore
    Posts
    45
    Country: England

    Default Oh joy, look at this

    Well the inside cover came off surprisingly easy really.........
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	16 inside back cover.JPG 
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ID:	19714
    I didn't expect it to be full of what appears to be sawdust, sand and broken glass, lots of broken glass. This being inside the security it serves no purpose other than insulation or sound deadening, so I think something more suitable like rock-wool will be going back.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    I didn't expect it to be full of what appears to be sawdust, sand and broken glass, lots of broken glass. This being inside the security it serves no purpose other than insulation or sound deadening, so I think something more suitable like rock-wool will be going back.[/QUOTE]


    Are you sure that it is glass?

    Should be Alum crystals to generate steam in fire.

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