Antique Iron Strong Box from 1800s

[Uisgdlyast]

as for why the box might weigh more could be the rust. The chemical formual for rust is Fe2O3 so that means it adds oxygen and that would be weight.

I don't know if that could account for it being over twice the weight... you said it was still wet inside, was there still water in there that could have weighed it down?

[NKT]

I would seriously NOT throw the papers away!

200 year old papers from a secret society? Historians will flip out for things like that. Sell them to someone interested in old stuff, or give them to someone for them to restore.

It's quite fascinating, but even if you don't want the papers, save them for others.

[davhamilton]

Actually, they are 20-40 year old papers and checks (mostly 20 years
old). I would save all of them, but the majority of the binders are
completely stuck together and when you open the pages the ink has all
turned into one black blob, completely unreadable, only a cover page
remains for each, really, and most of those are unreadable too.

I am saving about seven binders where there is still something readable,
but the rest are just too destroyed. For now I am leaving everything out
on my porch to dry out (it is covered and protected from the weather) to
see if anything else can be salvaged.

They contain in them the minutes for their meetings, then followed by
full details of their activities and money taken in and money spent, with
the money spent detailed out to the level of 2 gallons of oysters cost $xx.
I was also reading how they spent $1000 to hold a wrestling tournament,
had 250 wrestlers from 3 states, had thousands of people, but didn't
charge for tickets. They just asked for donations. They received $78,
and so they decided not to do that again. Isn't that sad?

I'm also waiting to hear back from the owner, who would be able to
contact this group and see if they want any of these materials back for
historical reasons.

If they really were 100+ years old, I would do that, try to save everything
possible and see if historians were interested.

Thanks for the idea, though! The only other contents were rust flakes, 11
tiny cubes which I can't identify, a tiny Yale lock which is rusted, and a
small key that would fit the lock if it wasn't for the rust. Also there were
millipedes, potato bugs, and a weird little yellow and black beetle who now
lives outside somewhere. And of course the lock, gear mechanism and
four carriage bolts.

Dave

[digital_blue]

The dates for everything were between 1968 and 1984

Somehow I don't think the historians will miss much.

db

[capt.dunc]

oh well it came to brute force in the end, not a great suprise considering the rusting. but get that lock cleaned up and learn to pick it, it's a fairly easy lever lock to start on. then go and buy another box to brighten up our days.

[davhamilton]

It was sad it had to be brute force, but now that I've seen all the rust I
was up against on the inside, it was pretty obvious I would never have
gotten it open any other way. The good part is that I didn't drill any holes
in the box, or have to angle grind the bottom, or have to drill out the hinge
pins. I wouldn't have been able to simply take out the hinge pins anyway,
because they are half in the box and half out. And the amazing part about
the locking mechanism is that it puts 5 iron bars out in such a way that
three catch in front and two on the sides near the back, so even taking out
the hinges wouldn't allow you to open it unless you had it unlocked.

The saddest part to me is that the box must have been in good condition
up to 1984, when the treasurer stuck it down in that crawl space and left it
there for 21 years. If it hadn't been in good condition, he wouldn't have
used it. I assume he must have passed away and nobody knew where the
box was so it was simply forgotten and was rusting away until it was dug
up while a new foundation was being dug recently.

Dave

[raimundo]

Who is the world renouned antique lock guy and how did you hook him up?

[The Wanderer]

That was good fun though. Waiting and wondering what was inside. Thanks for sharing!

[davhamilton]

Who is the world renouned antique lock guy and how did you hook him up?

Sorry for not getting back to you on this, trying to catch up on all of my work
I kept putting off while working on getting the box open.

I haven't met or talked to the antique lock expert yet, I have talked to the
guy with a box just like mine. He had this guy help him with restoring his
lock, and so he gave me the guy's name, address and phone number so
that I can call and see how much he'll charge to help me out with mine.

His name is Bob Dix, and he lives in Mentor, OH. I don't know much about
him, only what I've been told. I'll probably give him a call in a week or two
when I am ready to get back to work on the box.

Dave

[HeadHunterCEO]

as for why the box might weigh more could be the rust. The chemical formual for rust is Fe2O3 so that means it adds oxygen and that would be weight.

I don't know if that could account for it being over twice the weight... you said it was still wet inside, was there still water in there that could have weighed it down?

so i a onw pound block of iron left to rust would increase in weight?

thats interesting

[Uisgdlyast]

yup, try it out.

I thought it was interesting too when i learned it in chemistry because i always thought rusting decreased the weight.. but the chemical reaction doesnt lie, i however have no idea if it would increase the weight to such an extent.

[master in training]

i seem to remeber you saying there was like a gap, almost an internal and an external "skin" of the box, the weight could be a combination of 110pounds of rusted metal and a lot of water which has collected between the two "skins" of the box.

or yours may have an extra metal armour plate added in that the other guys didnt have? i dont know hwy this would be there, buy its a possibility, just like anything else!

[quickpicks]

Heh, can you post some pics of the stuff in the box?

[MrB]

so a one pound block of iron left to rust would increase in weight?

Yes it would in theory, but not all that much. Iron is heavier by far than oxygen so the added weight from the oxygen is small in proportion. In practice the rust flakes off and gets lost, so in fact a block of iron will tend to get lighter as it rusts.