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Antique Safes/bent steel safe
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Question
Hi Mike,my local rugby club were given a Bent Steel Safe made by B Tebbit, Depot 24, Great Hampton St, Birmingham.when unloading it they dropped it, and now they cannot open it. i had a look and managed to get the key to revolve in the lock but still the handle will not turn, any suggestions as to open, regards, Mike Perry
Hi Mike
B Tebbit was one of an number of small Black Country safe manufacturers who disappeared sometime in the 1930's. Had it been a modern safe I would have suspected that the impact of the fall had set of the spring loaded relockers. However. I am fairly certain that Tebbit's had ceased trading before relockers were introduced. However, it does sound as though the boltwork has become distorted.
The only solution is to employ a safe engineer to use a scope to look inside the locking mechanism to see (a) if there is a relocker or (b) what it is that is jamming it shut.
Unfortunately safe engineers do not come cheap and the cost of opening it and making it good afterwards, is probably going to cost more than the safe is worth. I suspect that it would not have been much use to the rugby club anyway as these old safes are not normally insurable. Depending upon how much the rugby club wishes to insure the contents for, it is probably going to be cheaper to scrap the Tebbit safe and purchase a new one.
However, if you wish to find a local safe engineer and get him/her to give you an estimate, visit the Master Locksmiths Association at www.locksmiths.co.uk
Regards,
Mike Palmer FSyI
Insurance Liaison Coordinator
Guardian Safes Limited
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Answers by Expert:
Mike Palmer
Expertise
I earn my living identifying safes and suggesting cash limits for risk advisors and insurance surveyors in the UK. I'm not able to comment on safes made in the USA but will be happy to take questions on all major British and European manufacturers.
Experience
I have been in the UK safe industry for 40 years and have one of the largest archive databases of old safe literature and serial numbers in the country. I started with Chubb in 1960 and became Assistant Manager of their Bank Security Division before moving on to become the Insurance Liaison Manager with the John Tann Group. I became Sales & Marketing Director for Guardian Safes Limited before semi-retiring. I am a Fellow of the Security Institute and Chairman of Eurosafe UK, a trade body representing the interests of UK safe makers and distributors. I now work as a part time consultant.
Organizations
I am an invited advisor to the Safe Committee of the Association of Insurance Surveyors and a Fellow of the Security Institute.
Publications
I have had literally scores of articles published in various security trade publications. So far this year I have had 24 features published in various journals including Keyways, Professional Security, Pawnbroker and Safe India.
Education/Credentials
I have no relevant educational credentials.
Awards and Honors
In 1997 I was awarded the annual shield by the Association of Insurance Surveyors for "..outstanding services to crime prevention"
Past/Present Clients
I have represented or been an agent for the John Tann Group (Stratford, Ratner, Dreadnought and Tann safes); Churchill Safes, Chubb Safe Co Ltd, SLS Safes, SMP Safes, Dudley Safes and several others
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