Just joined this site - have Cannonball from 1902 and seeking info

aredsailjunk

Hello, This is coming from Brian and Tam in Oklahoma.
Have purchased home the old Cannonball safe that was used in our local bank for many years.
The date is 1902 and believe the maker is “ General Safe Company”

Of course, the safe is locked-has been for a long time since the bank moved, the safe was left in the old building and was part of purchase of the real estate.
That owner finally decided to part with the safe last week.
Our local locksmith who is a Miracle Worker is coming at 7 am to give it his best shot in opening it.

A Lock Smith in our closest large town quoted us $1,200.00 for opening…

We wanted to post on here before we took that step and see what feedback member`s had for us.

Also to find restoration info- that may happen or not- this safe is going to be kept in the family , not sold.
Will also post some pictures ASAP

But would sure appreciate info and links where to look at different Cannonball`s.

Thanks in advance

Dean Nickel

Those are not easy safes to open. Some have two and three locks on them so $1200 is a good deal. Up here in Seattle you would be looking at closer to $1500-$2200 depending on if it was one, two or three lock safe. Those safes have some HARD plate as the body is cast out of one piece.

I hope the tech tries to manipulation first.

This site has a few pictures of safes. There really isn’t a whole lot out there on this type of safe.

aredsailjunk

Thanks for the reply posted.

More info on this cannon ball safe.
Around the dial it says “National Safe Company” in the middle of the dial is “ Yale ”
On a plate on the right side of safe is “ Patented 1902-1904 ”

The local Locksmith came out today, took a look , got the info we had, took pictures and said would be doing some research and get back with us .

We are going to go with this until/ if he says is beyond him-as long as he does not suggest anything that would cause harm to the safe that is !

Does any one here have a “National” like I am describing or can suggest links where I can find more information such as the history of “ National Safe Company” and pictures ?

Is this a site where members would be interested in the local history of this safe and how it came “back home” to a family in a manner of speaking ?

Doug MacQueen

I have never heard of General Safe, probably a dealer but National Safe and Lock Co. of Cleveland,Ohio did make cannonballs. If you post the pics I can most likely help.

Huntlocks

Yes, we are all curious about your safe. Send a few pics too. There is a lot on this site about Cannonballs. The more interesting your post, the more replies you will get.

aredsailjunk

1,000 pardons to all-had way too many iron`s in the fire at that moment.

A kind cousin is going to educate me this weekend as procedure to post photo`s -have never done so before.

Want to have the dates and so forth right about the Cannonball connection to the present owner, but his mother has opened that old love many a time during the many years she worked for the local bank.
Nope, we have asked….that sequence way too far back in the memory bank…

The safe`s last commercial home was at “ The Bank of Haileyville” in Oklahoma .
When the Bank moved to Krebs, Ok ,the safe stayed behind in the Vault Room.

This area -Haileyville and Hartshorne- was a huge coal producing area from well before Statehood in 1907.
See Hailey-Ola Coal Company
Many a payroll for the numerous mines spent time in the Cannonball.

Hope to post more verified details early next week and pictures .

Will also be seeking restoration info.
This is a wicked fine adventure ~
Thanks
Brian and Tam

Dean Nickel

It will most likely come down that the safe tech will have to put a hole or two in the safe. I know that an autodialer will open the safe without a hole if you can find someone that has one. If you go to Safe & Vault Technicians Association you can find a safe tech that is trained for this type of opening. There are not many that are as this is a bad boy of a safe. The two things you want to find in a safe tech is one that can do “Manipulation” or has an Autodialer. Both of these openings will not require a hole be put in the safe but may cost more.

Doug MacQueen

There are situations where manipulation or auto dialers would either not be needed or just not work. National used a couple different locking arrangements on their cannonballs. One uses a timelock controlled automatic bolt motor as the primary security and has a secondary dial combination day lock. The other type uses a timelock and a primary combination lock with a possible secondary daylock combination lock. At this point we just don’t know what the situation is.