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Antique Safes/safe info re: era,weight, value

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Expert: - 9/14/2009


Question
I own a Herring,Hall,& Marvin floor safe. Ul #s top 381251 bottom 381794 SMNA specs Burglary- Resistive chest B1 10Y59433 Cat.# is  1010NH. The # stamped in top chest is 248281. SMNA group "3". I would like to thank you in advance for helping me obtain any info on this safe. I have the combinations and after about 5 or 6 tries i can open them, (top and bottom).They require 4 rotations to open.

Answer
Chris,

I'm not sure what info you are requesting?  You didn't really ask anything.

If it takes you 5 or 6 attempts to open either safe, it sounds to me like they need service "badly"!
You have two options, first if you can take the doors off the safe, you can take them to a local safe company to have them cleaned, lubed, serviced and the combos reset.  If you can't take the doors off, you can have a safe technician come to you, it costs more but accomplishes the same thing.  Notice I didn't say take it to a "locksmith"?  Generally Locksmiths do not have the required training to work on safes, so I don't recommend using them.  If you have a locksmith in your area that has a trained safe technician then use them.
You should be able to open each one up, first time everytime.  If you can't it needs to be because you are making a mistake, not because of lack of service.

History:  HHM was in business from 1892 until they were closed down by Diebold in 1962.  Your safe is probably from the late 1940's to 1950's.  If you require information on who possibly owned this safe, then you are going to have to do some homework as there are no records that have this information available.

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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