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Antique Safes/York Safe

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Expert: - 10/31/2009


Question
Safe has brass plate that states: York Safe Two Hour Safe/Certified #767. What is a Two Hour Safe? Can it be dated? I believe it is from the 1940-1950 era. I am still looking for combination if I can't find it is there anyone in the Norfolk, VA area you can recommend to assist in opening?

Answer
Will,

York went out of business (bought by Diebold) in the early 1950's.  There are no records available for York safes.

Fire resistive safes were tested and rated to several standards - 1 hour, 2 hour and 4 hour.
These tests were performed at temperatures cooresponding to the time limits, so your two hour safe would have been certifed that a similar model was tested in an oven at around 1700 degrees F, for a period of two hours, during which time the interior of the safe could not exceed 350 degrees F.  The safe would then be removed from the oven and while still hot, inverted and dropped 20-30 feet on to a pile of broken brick, and then re-inserted into an oven pre-heated to 2000 degrees for an additional 1/2 hour.
The latter part of the tested would show that the safe would not crack or break open, nor allow the interior temperature to exceed the 350 degree F. threshold in the event that the building the safe was in collapsed.

The reason for the 350 degree threshold was chosen is that paper will char around 412 degrees F, and combust at 451 degrees F.   By keeping the interior below 350 degrees the manufacture ensures that your documents should survive the fire.

Note:  Film, data storage media and similar items may melt or be destroyed at temperatures around 200 degrees, much lower than the 350 degrees.  These items require special protection in a safe designed to keep the interior below 150 degrees, such as a data safe.  There are also data storage boxes, that when stored inside of a standard fire safe, will provide the 150 degree protection in the box.

Check your yellow pages under "safes & vaults - opening and repairing" for a company in your area.  Or you can also check the www.savta.org web page, under "safe tech search" for a trained safe technician in your area.

Andy

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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

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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