Looking for info on this vintage safe - Model B, Niagara Steel Manufacturers Co.

paulc

Hello all,

First post here - I purchased this safe from an individual who was selling the contents of his parents cottage, as result of one parent passing away and the cottage being sold. He knew nothing about it. I’d like to restore it to be a functional showpiece.

I’ve purchased some other vintage items for restoration, and I always like to find out as much history on them as I can. For this safe, I can’t find anything. I’ve emailed the chief historian for the City of Niagara Falls, and he has never heard of Niagara Steel Mfg. Co. He did say that there was a Dominion Safe and Vault Co. in Niagara Falls, but my research here seems to indicate that they were a distributor, not a manufacturer. However, most of the safes I saw with Dominion markings were the same style, with the rounded corners.

I was wondering if anyone could give me any history on the safe, the maker, the model (Model B), anything at all. Is it likely that the combination dial may not be original? Just looking to read as much as I can on it, as that’s what interests me. A safe collector has told me it is likely from the late 1930s - he couldn’t tell me much more as he focuses on pieces from 1910 and earlier.

Thanks very much for any information you might be able to provide. This forum seems like an interesting place, and I’m sure I may have some more questions when I get to the restoration.

Dean Nickel

While I am not a safe tech that lock was made in the last 70 years at least. If you remove the back cover of the door and take pictures of the lock and the lock with the lock cover off we can ID that.

I have never heard of that safe company so I don’t think they were sold much on the West Coast of the US.

paulc

Sounds good Dean. I am in the middle of helping plan my wedding as well as just having purchased a fixer upper house, but I will get around to this eventually.

I spoke with Guy Zani, the safe collector today - he said this safe is probably from the mid to late 1930s, but couldn’t say much more due to focusing more on pre 1910 safes himself.

Interestingly, an employee at the Niagara Falls library who specializes in historical research could not find any mention of the company, looking back to 1908 in the records they had available. The search for info continues! Even Google has no records of the company. The gentleman I purchased it off said it sat in his fathers cottage in Muskoka for as long as he could remember.

Doug MacQueen

It may not help you but I did find an early 1900’s reference to a Dominion Safe and Vault Co. of Farnum, Quebec. Think it was Farnum but it could have been Farnham. Also Niagara Steel may not have actually been in the city of Niagara but possibly downriver. Doug

paulc

Thanks Doug. I’ve seen this reference too. I think they may have moved from Niagara Falls to Quebec.
The safe door is stamped with Niagara Falls, Canada at the bottom, and Niagara Falls, Ont. on the inside door cover, so I am thinking they were referring to the city and not the Region or River.

I’ve had the same trouble looking for info/history on old Canadian-made fans and clocks.

paulc

The search continues. Just received this email from Andy at SecuritySafe. Just posting here for those interested. While a bit disappointing that this safe may not be from a ‘real’ safe manufacturer, it’s also interesting that it may have been made by an individual. I wish I knew it’s full story.

I hope to be able to get around to opening up the back this weekend, to take some photos and hopefully learn some more.

Paul,

This was not a safe manufacturer.

After having looked at the photos of your safe, I have two distinctive impressions – first is that this safe is possibly a home made safe – not a production model. The lock is a current production lock, the hinges are standard weldable hinges that have been attached and welded to the frame and door – these are available at any local welding supply store, and the wheels and castors are NOT what you would expect to find on a safe like this. It appears that the name has been “stamped” into the face of the door. This is NOT what a normal safe company would do, and if you look closely at the alignment of the letters of the name, it is not aligned in what I would consider the manner that an actual company would do.

Second impression is that this was possibly an actual safe that may have had a lot of problems, that were repaired – see above list. The repairer may have stamped the name, etc. into the door as “his” personal mark of “immoratlity”.

If it was originally manufactured by an actual safe company, it has been modified so that it in no way resembles the original product.

You didn’t provide me with any photos of the lock and bolt work inside the door, which may help in identification.

This may have simply been someone’s project (possibly a locksmiths)

paulc

Hello all - took the back panel off the door of the safe today to determine the combination, as well as take some photos to hopefully learn some more from anyone who can help.

The safe has an S-G 6730 lock - I understand this lock is pretty common/popular?
There is a hole right above the lock, that can be seen in one of the photos - any idea what the purpose of this is?
I guess it’s likely this lock isn’t original - on the door plate, there is a large screw - and on the opposite side, it has been ground smooth. Might the original lock have attached here somehow?
I am correct in that the cotter pins hold pins in place? (on part of main assembly - photos of top and bent bottoms below).

Having never seen the inside of a safe before, I must say, it’s extremely interesting and cool. Pretty much every part inside is labelled by stamp - I couldn’t imagine someone making this in their basement, as the email I received and included in a prior post hypothesized.

I’m very glad I received the safe opened - looking at the individual plates while I spun the wheel, it is ‘sticky’ over a large area, that has no relation at all to the main contact points. Would never have been able to manipulate this myself. Once I actually getting around to restoring this, is it possible to service the lock assembly to make it turn smooth throughout the range?

Dean Nickel

I am leaning to that this safe was made in the last 50 years by the bolts used and the lock used. As to the sticky problem the lock maybe just needs to be lubed. Lubing a lock is a thing that more isn’t better. Just a bit is enough. I mean you can feel but not see it between all the moving parts.

paulc

Thanks Dean.

Haven’t been able to find any info on this safe, other than posted above. Last email from Andy at SecuritySafe said I haven’t been able to ID this to any other manufacturer, and I’ve never seen a similar safe. Either this was a one time “prototype”, or a small production line.
Many of the Canadian made safes never made it into the US, so its not surprising that we haven’t seen this one.