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Antique Safes/Steel Equipment Corporation Safes

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Expert: - 8/10/2008


Question
Hi,
I recently pickup a Steel Equipment Corporation Security Steel safes. It is a double door safe that is 37" wide 25" deep and 69" tall. It was patented on 12/31/1918. I have been searching the web to find out more information about the manufacture, and have had no luck at all. Can you tell me any information about this manufacturer, or safes?

Answer
Paul,

I don't show a listing for this company in any of my books either.  This could be for several reasons:
1.  They may not have been a manufacture.  Many companies purchase safes built by another company and put their lables on.  Check out your local Costco, Sams Club, Walmart etc, as it still goes on today.  The Brinks home safe has nothing to do with Brinks, the safes are made by SYSCO in china, and labeled under permission with the Brinks or Honeywell label.
2.  This could have been a small company manufacturing storage equipment, desks etc, that made safes for a short period during the war.  Remember, most of the larger companies were pressed into service during both WWI and WWII to make tanks and big guns for battle ships, etc., as they had some of the largest manufacturing equipment in the country.
3.  This may have been a distributor of safes and office equipment.

The patent date is not necessarily the date of manufacture, simply the date the design was approved by the Patent office.  However if you have a patent number you could contact the US Patent office, for a small fee they will give you a copy of the original patent which may give you more info on the manufacture.

Question:  is the Patent date on the lock or the safe?  This makes a big difference as very few safe manufactures listed patentd dates, however many locks did.  Also what kind of lock is on the safe.

Send me some pics of the safe, full photo's inside & out, detail photos of the dial, handle, hinges, wheels, locks, bolt work, art work and lettering, and cabinetry.  Hopefully we can figure out what you have.

Andy
andy@securitysafeusa.com

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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

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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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