York Safe and Lock Antique Safe

[BookZach]

Recently bought this York safe for $35 as I saw other York safes commanding much bigger money..but I can't find anything like this one on the internet in my multiple attempts. To me this looks much more recent than the ones that populate the search engines. Unfortunately, the marks on the inside don't reveal a lot to an amateur like myself. It's a nice safe, and I was fortunate to get the key with it. It's approx 12.5x16 and roughly 44 pounds. Is "floor safe" the right term for such a thing? How much do these things go for?

Thanks for any and all help.

 

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[ARC]

In my opinion...

This is more of a file safe.... not a valuables or money safe.

 

[gunsil]

I agree with AARC, and it is not the type that get good money, I think you are into it for top dollar. It is the antique safes, usually with combination locks that bring the good money. Usually with nice wood interiors and good graphics on the outside. Also usually weighing over 200 lbs since the old ones had very thick walls made with re-enforced concrete.

 

[BookZach]

Had a feeling it was "one fry short of a happy meal" so to speak. Thanks, AARC and gunsil.

 

[ARC]

Oh hey... one more thing... not many people know...

Most of those old fire safes are made with asbestos.

Which is not a big deal as long as you don't tamper with it... I THINK. heh

This would be good to stash your collectable / valuable magazines... comic books ...important documents etc.

OR.... use as a "dummy safe.

Fill with odds and ends... and leave in plain sight.... if you have a break in... they will take that one. :P

 

[gunsil]

Actually most of those old safes did not use asbestos, they used simple concrete. How do I know? don't ask!! No, really, I once found a place in NYC that repaired, bought and sold old safes. I discovered it walking down a street on a Sunday and found a bunch of old safes on the sidewalk all of which had been torch cut and sledge hammered into. Needing a safe for my home I went back during business hours and got a cool tour of the repair facilities and bought a repaired old Mosler from the 30s. Guys there were really cool, they taught me how to change the combinations in most old safes, and I have done so on a couple of mine and for some friends. The asbestos is more likely to be found in the more modern ones with thinner walls like the one BZ shows. The guys in the safe shop warned me about these with asbestos but so far all the antique thick walled safes I have worked on or seen did not use asbestos. Having been an auto mechanic for most of my life I'll likely have some asbestos over safe limits in me anyways.

 

[ARC]

Actually most of those old safes did not use asbestos, they used simple concrete. How do I know? don't ask!! No, really, I once found a place in NYC that repaired, bought and sold old safes. I discovered it walking down a street on a Sunday and found a bunch of old safes on the sidewalk all of which had been torch cut and sledge hammered into. Needing a safe for my home I went back during business hours and got a cool tour of the repair facilities and bought a repaired old Mosler from the 30s. Guys there were really cool, they taught me how to change the combinations in most old safes, and I have done so on a couple of mine and for some friends. The asbestos is more likely to be found in the more modern ones with thinner walls like the one BZ shows. The guys in the safe shop warned me about these with asbestos but so far all the antique thick walled safes I have worked on or seen did not use asbestos. Having been an auto mechanic for most of my life I'll likely have some asbestos over safe limits in me anyways.

Um... well... Gunsil... no offense...

You were lied to.

And... some that have this "concrete" is actually asbestos concrete.

Be aware.

 

[ARC]

Fire safes have been made using Asbestos since 1830.

And asbestos has been used to protect from heat and fire for eons.

"The history of people using asbestos goes way back. As early as 4000 BC asbestos fibers were used as wicks in candles and lamps. Egyptians wrapped mummies in asbestos blankets around 2000 to 3000 BC. It has been found in pottery from 2500 BC."

"It is hard to tell which old safes contain asbestos, in part because it was used in different forms. Some makers mixed it with plaster of Paris or concrete."

"Due to increasing public awareness of the hazards of asbestos, safe suppliers frequently receive calls concerning the possibility of asbestos being present in their safes, particularly those described as ‘fire resistant’. The replies they receive are often misleading or simply false. They are told no asbestos was used or wrongly advised that they featured ‘white’ asbestos and is “not considered hazardous”. This is unlikely to be due to a conscious intention to deceive but more likely because they themselves are either ignorant of the facts or unaware that although asbestos is not used in their current products."


In a lab test of a safe warehouse that specializes in old safes... all thought to be asbestos free...

Test results = "Out of nine samples, eight contained asbestos."

 

[ARC]

PS...

IF it was made BEFORE 1978... and this applies to everything from flooring to roof tiles... it MAY have asbestos.

For it was banned in 78.

EVEN TODAY... "Today, up to 1% of asbestos can still be used in certain products."

And even more...

https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/legislation/ban/

"Only spray-applied asbestos and these six products are banned in the U.S. All other uses of asbestos, such as automotive brake pads and gaskets, roofing products, and fireproof clothing, are legal. "

 

[gunsil]

Um... well... Gunsil... no offense...

You were lied to.

And... some that have this "concrete" is actually asbestos concrete.

Be aware.

No AARC. I was not lied to. You are the mistaken one here and I hate to have to address you in such a manner but occasionally your false sense of having to be "right" gets to me. I have seen well over fifty old safes cut open and NONE has asbestos in them, just plain old concrete. Yes, I have seen them with asbestos plaster which is usually only found in the hollow doors while the rest of the safe is re-enforced concrete. You would face no danger from handling these unless you ground it up and snorted it. Geez Louise!! Asbestos won't bother you unless you work in it all day. All auto mechanics like myself were severely exposed to it yet few of us get complications from it. Many people live in houses with asbestos shingles, nobody gets problems from those unless they grind them up and bathe in the dust. The steamfitters and guys who worked with raw asbestos are the ones with the big problems, occasional contact with it in shingles, brakes and clutches, concrete, or old safes won't hurt anybody. The sky is not falling, there is no need to run and tell the king.

 

[ARC]

No AARC. I was not lied to. You are the mistaken one here and I hate to have to address you in such a manner but occasionally your false sense of having to be "right" gets to me. I have seen well over fifty old safes cut open and NONE has asbestos in them, just plain old concrete. Yes, I have seen them with asbestos plaster which is usually only found in the hollow doors while the rest of the safe is re-enforced concrete. You would face no danger from handling these unless you ground it up and snorted it. Geez Louise!! Asbestos won't bother you unless you work in it all day. All auto mechanics like myself were severely exposed to it yet few of us get complications from it. Many people live in houses with asbestos shingles, nobody gets problems from those unless they grind them up and bathe in the dust. The steamfitters and guys who worked with raw asbestos are the ones with the big problems, occasional contact with it in shingles, brakes and clutches, concrete, or old safes won't hurt anybody. The sky is not falling, there is no need to run and tell the king.

Well man... its like this... the info posted on the safes is NOT "my words"... this is data.

And as far as being right...

I hate being right... BUT... when you are right... your right.

:P

 

[ARC]

Oh and PS...

Sheesh... I probably have snorted asbestos at some point.

I get the whole "its everywhere" thing... I agree.