F.Whitfield's Safe

[Huw Eastwood]

David, I know i have a drawing of the powder proof lock off a banded Whitfield with the open 'v' keyway (like Milners) somewhere on file, but not sure what's on your one from the photos there. I might have drawings for others as well.
I will have a look at what I can find on the weekend, haven't got any photos though.

If your safe has one of the more basic locks (without the open 'v' keyway) and the owners key has suddenly stopped working, then it could well be a broken lever spring. They rarely ever break on the open 'v' powder proof locks though.

[Huw Eastwood]

Just a few more thoughts David, you say another tech has scoped the lock so has it got a bolt thrower (curtain) and presumably it's a down shoot bolt?

PP lock will have a bolt thrower and down shoot but If it's a more basic 6-lever it won't have a thrower and could be up or down.

The lock might simply be half thrown- very common on worn safe locks that age, especially those with keys that have been copied countless times off other keys, just a couple of possibilities not knowing for sure what lock you've got.
PP locks never half throw though, but you'll know if it is or not whether it has a bolt thrower.

[David Hovey]

Huw, thank you for posting your thoughts, I'm opening this one tomorrow. Guessing no curtain as the tech probably would not be capable of counting the levers if so, I don't know??

I did find some information searching here on a couple Whitfield lever locks (non Mappins, Cotterill types) from the Bill Stanton collection. I don't think these are a match to what I have to open. See attached.

Pardon my ignorance on lever lock terms, but I don't understand what you mean by Open V grove keyway, or PP lock?

DH