Antique Small Safe Knob Mechanism Problem

[ayden_m]

Hi everyone! I acquired this tiny safe early this year and of all the antiques I've bought and restored (mostly tools and random small stuff), this particular project has stumped me the most. I've done extensive research on trying to find the origin of this safe but each time I have come to a dead end. Although I would love to know its story, my main priority is to make it function. The safe was unlocked when I purchased it which made it easy to figure out the combo by seeing where the wheels line up in the dial assembly but that's as far as I was able to go.
What has stumped me is the knob which I assume is there to help pull the lock bolt, but I think there is a part missing. When the entire lock assembly is put together, the lock bolt just hovers above the back of the knob - allowing the knob to turn freely but serve no function. I've attached a labeled image of this to hopefully help explain what I'm talking about. I've also attached a link to a drive folder that contains pictures of every part of the entire lock assembly. If there's anybody that could help me figure out the missing piece to this puzzle, I would sincerely appreciate it. I would love to see this safe function again.

Drive folder of all part images:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19tRXPct0rK-NgEY0DkMrEkf0tE_XKfGH?usp=sharing

Problem:

[Squelchtone]

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your safe with us.

I am confused by the parts arrangement in your photos.. could you do a top down view starting with the combination dial showing the sandwich the parts make when stacked together front to back? Does that rectangular brass box bolt to the inside of the door? Does everything go inside that brass box or are some of the combination wheels inside the actual door? Can you take the inside door skin off to show any part interactions inside the door cavity?

Thank you for clarifying,
Squelchtone

[Squelchtone]

Could we also see how thick the door is and the bolts on the edge of the door?

This feels like it was made of spare safe parts by a locksmoth or someone handy with metal work. The dial is from one brand of lock, the handle from another, the door from yet another and the safe body looks hand welded. I am strictly going by the photos available, if you can provide more then it will help us narrow it down. You probably wont be able to find the missing parts, in which case can you make them yourself or have them made if we figure out what is missing?

Thanks,
Squelchtone

[ayden_m]

Hey there! Thank you so much for your interest in helping me solve this. I do believe you are correct about this being handmade - that was a working theory of mine when I first acquired this safe due to the very faint scribe marks that I noticed on several of the parts when inspecting them under a stereo microscope. But here are the images you requested:

Thickness of the door


Here is the best I could do for a top-down view of the assembly. The white stuff under some of the parts is just tack putty so they don't fall over.


Here is the interior side of the door. There are no moving parts in the actual door itself. The dial and knob connect to the lock assembly through the two large holes in the door and the brass enclosure is screwed to the back of the door holding everything together. Kinda just like an old cabinet latch lock expect with a dial instead of a key.


This is the hole the lock bolt goes into when the door is closed and locked

[Squelchtone]

Excellent photos, love the putty top down, you knew exactly what we needed!

As it is, can you dial a combination and turn the dial clockwise and counterclockwise to retract or extend the bolt?

Perhaps the handle was just to pull the door open and that rectangular cam with rounded corners on the end of the handle shaft matches the shape of the casting indentation in the bolt by coincide?

Even if home made, you have to admire the work that went into making this.

Thanks,
Squelchtone

[MartinHewitt]

Never have seen a lock like this. In which country are you?

I don't see a possibility where the handle can interact with the bolt. There isn't a notch or so and the flat cavity is IMHO to flat to do anything reliably. I have also seen already a safe with a fake handle. So I think it is quite likely this handle did never do a thing. Although they put a lot of work into this handle for not doing much.