Help restoring a Milners 212 Safe

NBTBRV8

Hello all,

I need your help on restoring a Milner’s 212 safe. The safe was used by the local railway quite some time ago but I don’t know how old it is. The numbers on the face of the safe door surround are K3878 and 491. I am trying to work out what the original colour combination should be. It appears as though the safe had a black or possibly burgundy body with a gold coloured interior, has anybody got any ideas as to what it would have looked like originally or any photos I can look at?

The safe is missing a drawer lock as shown in the photos, can anybody tell me where I can source one from?

From the photos I have been able to find on the internet it appears as though the turn handle has been replaced, it looks like it should be a single tap “-” style handle not the lever “\” style that is on it now.

Finally how can I reproduce the elaborate insignia inside the door, it is incredible the detail in this, how did they produce it originally?

Any information about this safe and its original specifications would be greatly appreciated.

Paul Prescott

Your pictures don’t seem to work ?

I have seen Milners safes with Maroon doors. Also ‘ L ’ handles are not unusual.

The info on the inside of the door is a paper print under the final coat of lacquer.

The locks do pop up on ebay, or I might have one somewhere.

NBTBRV8

Ok, I’ll try the images again, they were working before. If anyone can tell me how I can get a reproduction image and lock I would appreciate it.

safeman

Your Milner Safe is a List 2 made in 1899. The outer body is of a 4 corner bend construction i.e. made from a single sheet of steel - probably an eighth of an inch thick (as can be seen at the front top left hand corner) - and which is joined by rivets along the centre of the base. The body is formed round an angle iron frame into which the back plate is then screwed after the fireproofing has been packed into the cavity. This fireproofing is comprised of hardwood sawdust, cedar or mahogany usually, and alum which contains water in crystalline form and which produces steam in the event of the safe being involved in a fire. The theory is that the contents will be saturated in the steam the temperature of which will not exceed the boiling point of water - hence the 212 on the nameplate - and this will reduce the flash point of the papers within the safe. In other words it is a book/document safe not intended for protecting against violent entry although it does have a lock designed to resist attack by gunpowder, drilling, and picking. The door plate as you already know will be half an inch thick with a laminated compo-steel drill resisting plate onto which the lock is mounted.

The ‘drop’ handle is authentic. The door, as can be seen, has been subjected to closure by the repeated heavy application of a boot at the lower left. This has been due to a worn pivot in the lower ‘centre’ (hinge) which would cause the door to bind excessively on the bottom sill. The fact that the door has been removed at some time could suggest that this problem may have been rectified by the placing of a small steel washer under the lower pivot pin.

The best you can do with the transfer badge on the inside of the chamber would be to gently clean it and apply a light coat of matt varnish. In fact the whole interior would possibly benefit from this treatment to maintain as much of the originality as possible.

Regards ….. Safeman.

NBTBRV8

safeman wrote
Your Milner Safe is a List 2 made in 1899. The outer body is of a 4 corner bend construction i.e. made from a single sheet of steel - probably an eighth of an inch thick (as can be seen at the front top left hand corner) - and which is joined by rivets along the centre of the base. The body is formed round an angle iron frame into which the back plate is then screwed after the fireproofing has been packed into the cavity. This fireproofing is comprised of hardwood sawdust, cedar or mahogany usually, and alum which contains water in crystalline form and which produces steam in the event of the safe being involved in a fire. The theory is that the contents will be saturated in the steam the temperature of which will not exceed the boiling point of water - hence the 212 on the nameplate - and this will reduce the flash point of the papers within the safe. In other words it is a book/document safe not intended for protecting against violent entry although it does have a lock designed to resist attack by gunpowder, drilling, and picking. The door plate as you already know will be half an inch thick with a laminated compo-steel drill resisting plate onto which the lock is mounted.

The ‘drop’ handle is authentic. The door, as can be seen, has been subjected to closure by the repeated heavy application of a boot at the lower left. This has been due to a worn pivot in the lower ‘centre’ (hinge) which would cause the door to bind excessively on the bottom sill. The fact that the door has been removed at some time could suggest that this problem may have been rectified by the placing of a small steel washer under the lower pivot pin.

The best you can do with the transfer badge on the inside of the chamber would be to gently clean it and apply a light coat of matt varnish. In fact the whole interior would possibly benefit from this treatment to maintain as much of the originality as possible.

Regards ….. Safeman.

Safeman,

Thanks very much for the information. I really need some more information and if anyone can help me with the following please let me know:

1) The original colour scheme, was it a black casing with the front edge painted in burgundy? I think mine has been repainted. Does anyone know the names of the original colours?
2) I need a drawer lock
3) Does anybody have the same artwork on the inside of their safe which is in very good condition? If so would you mind taking a photo of it for me as I plan on getting it reproduced, unfortunately the condition of mine will requires weeks of intensive photoshoping to get it to a stardard where I can use it as a transfer.

Thanks all.

Russell Stoner

Hi again.

I’ve got around to posting images of a small selection of plates. There is THE image of our Milner plate still attached to its safe.
Its age, very much like your safe, hails from c1890. The body’s colour is a burgundyish red on a silver/grey undercoat. Hence its bage has a siver surround.

Hope you like it when you view. Would like your comments!

Regards
Russell Stoner
Withy Grove (Leeds) Ltd
t: 0113 2721441

Locky

Hi, I have restored a milner but not one like yours. I have a right hand draw lock but not sure if I want to sell it. I have posted some pictures of my safe under safe and safe plates there is a picture of my transfer that I can email to you if you would like. I know there is a place that can reproduce these for you. Huntlocks was trying to clean my one up for me, not sure how he got on.
Noel

Huntlocks

Hi Noel, done it, had trouble uploading it but Oldlock is doing it for me. Sorry, I lost your info, if you pm me I will email you a full size copy.
R

Paul Prescott

Transfer pictures

Hammill55

Does anyone have any information on this safe also where i might find a key to fit it, many thanks

Huntlocks

Your ‘safe’ looks like a deed box. If it is locked you will need a specialist locksmith who is able to pick it open. It will be difficult and therefore expensive. If it is unlocked remove the lock and take it to a good locksmith who will make you a couple of keys for £40 to £80 I would guess.