New member in the UK

notallbad

I have joined the community to gain some advice on buying an antique safe. We are interested in obtaining/buying one preferably to restore ourselves though realistically this will only be superficial i.e sanding/grinding and a paint job. Not only because it will be cheaper to buy one in need of restoring but also it will give us much satisfaction bringing it back to its, as much as possible, original state to use for our own domestic use.

Sounds very much like Milner is the favourite choice of the community but price and location are the main constraints.

There is one relatively close, a Ruxtons, its open but no key. Is it relatively easy and cheap to obtain a key?

Thanks in advance.

Tom Gordon

notallbad wrote
I have joined the community to gain some advice on buying an antique safe. We are interested in obtaining/buying one preferably to restore ourselves though realistically this will only be superficial i.e sanding/grinding and a paint job. Not only because it will be cheaper to buy one in need of restoring but also it will give us much satisfaction bringing it back to its, as much as possible, original state to use for our own domestic use.

Sounds very much like Milner is the favourite choice of the community but price and location are the main constraints.

There is one relatively close, a Ruxtons, its open but no key. Is it relatively easy and cheap to obtain a key?

Thanks in advance.

I think that before you think about how pretty it is, you need to consider how effectively it needs to protect the contents against burglary and fire.

If you will put more than about £1000 or £5000 of valuables in it, then your insurance company may have requirements which you will need to meet in order for your insurance to be valid.

[unknown]

notallbad

Not bothered about insurance its not that type of valuables we will be using it for.

Tom Gordon

notallbad wrote
Not bothered about insurance its not that type of valuables we will be using it for.

so do you need it to protect against fire or what?

[unknown]

notallbad

mainly burglary but so we can keep important docs in one place.

Tom Gordon

If you put all your important docs in one place and that place is not secure, then you just make it easy for a burglar to take everything or for everything to perish in a fire.

Almost all the “fire resisting” antique safes provide almost no protection against theft and no protection against fire.

notallbad

ok, I see your points but simply want somewhere secure to place important docs other than a drawer/box or whatever at home.

If a burglar really wants to I am sure they would either get into it by any means possible or have it away completely, though doubt they would be that prepared or go to that much trouble where we live.

If a fire happens the last thing I will be bothered about is anything placed in the safe or in the house for that matter other than the safety of my partner and children.

I appreciate your thoughts and certainly worthwhile considerations if our usage should change.

Tom Gordon

notallbad wrote
ok, I see your points but simply want somewhere secure to place important docs other than a drawer/box or whatever at home.

If a burglar really wants to I am sure they would either get into it by any means possible or have it away completely, though doubt they would be that prepared or go to that much trouble where we live.

If a fire happens the last thing I will be bothered about is anything placed in the safe or in the house for that matter other than the safety of my partner and children.

I appreciate your thoughts and certainly worthwhile considerations if our usage should change.

In that case I would suggest the heaviest safe that you can shift because that would be the hardest to steal.
the banded safes are surprisingly difficult to get into and Milner were the largest manufacturer of these so you should find it easy to get one for under £100 with a really nice plaque and escutcheon.
if you can get a Chatwood one that you could shift, that would be the best though.
regards
tom

[unknown]

notallbad

Unfortunately there are none of those relatively nearby but there is a Ruxtons, apparently a ⅔ man lift available.
Door open but no key.