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Antique Safes/deterring rust

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Expert: - 12/15/2008


Question

Mosler safe detail
Hi Mr.Andreasen, We're renovating an old bank to become a new community museum. After workers cleaned, polished, & oiled the old Mosler safe door, rust returned. What is the best way to preserve this feature in an area with high humidity. (Georgia)
Attached picture

Many Thanks

Answer
Michael,

As badly rusted as your door is you are kind of limited in your resurfacing.  From the picture, I would have to say that who ever cleaned and polished the door used the wrong kind of oil or rust preventative.

You have a couple of choices depending on how you want the finished product to look.
1.  Reclean and repolish the door to as close to original as possible with the rust pitting.  The stainless steel needs to have either a rust preventative oil or a rust preventative coating sealant, like POR-15 (www.por-15.com).  You can get this in a clear finish or in colors.
2.  Reclean and remove the rust, and paint the door with a rust preventative paint.

The POR-15 system is a little expensive, but it is really good.  Rust preventative paint is fairly inexpensive and much easier to apply.  Unfortunately with all of the components on the vault door, either way it is going to be a labor intensive project.

Replacement handles for the door are not available, but a machinist can fabricate replacements out of a similar material as the originals which are broken.

Andy

Terry V Andreasen (Andy)

Expertise

Safe and Vault related Questions; Antique Safe Repair and Restoration; With over 40 years in the Safe & Vault industry, if I can't answer your question I know where to get the answer. Current Project: Restoration of two Tilton & McFarland Safes from the 1860's. Will answer Safe & Vault related questions concerning age, value, restoration, moving, opening & repairing, parts, operation and history. Note: It is not my intention to teach you to open safes or to provide information which may aid in the unlawful opening of a safe. I will not give out drill points or information which I deem inappropriate.

Experience

40 years in the Safe & Vault Industry. Service Manager for one of the largest Safe & Vault companies on the West Coast. Graduate of Lockmasters Safe Lock Servicing, Safe lock Manipulation and Safe Deposit Lock Courses. Graduate of Locksmith Institute. Certified Instructor for the California Locksmith Association teaching Basic and Advanced Lock Servicing, Basic Safe opening and Repairing. Factory Trained by AMSEC, LORD Safes, LeFebure, Mosler, KabaMas, LaGard and Sargent & Greenleaf

Organizations
Safecrackers International and the National Antique Safe Association

Education/Credentials
Graduate of Locksmith Institute 1972 Graduate Lockmasters Safe Lock Servicing 1974 Graduate Lockmasters Safe Lock Manipulation 1975 Graduate Lockmasters Safe Deposit Lock Servicing 1985 Instructor Certified - California Locksmith Association - 1985 Factory trained by AMSEC, MAJOR, STAR, Johnson-Pacific, Kaba-MAS, Allied-Gary, ISM, Lord, Brown Safe, EXL, Mosler, Diebold.

Awards and Honors
2009, 2010 & 2011 Listed in AllExperts top 50 Experts. All Experts Categories - Safes & Security Containers, Locksmithing, Antique Safes. Retired US Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer (CW3), with 32 years of total service. With numerous awards from Vietnam, Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. US Navy - 1971-1981 US Army Reserve 1984-2006 US Army Retired Reserve 2006-present

Past/Present Clients
US Secret Service, FBI, BATF, Local Law enforcment agencies, Diebold, Hamilton Pacific, Red Hawk Int., Chubb International, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, Mechanics Bank, El Dorado Savings Bank, many Credit unions and smaller banks. McDonalds, Togos, BurgerKing, TacoBell, Carls Jr. FoodMaxx, SaveMart, Lucky's, Albertson's, Raley's, Safeway, NobHill, Bell Markets, PW Markets. Great America, Century Theatres, Cinemark Theatres, UA Cinemas, and many homeowners and small businesses. Provide warranty service for lock and safe manufactures. Service area is Northern California - Fresno to Oregon, including western Nevada

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