I figured that a Fire safe preserves a collection so here it is in this venue. Check this link first. I have the 72x60x27, Level VII.
http://www.homelandsafes.com/safe-defender.php

A dear friend of mine lost his collection of TR daggers and swords to fire a few years ago. He actually had a safe BUT not a "fire safe" by any means. A wildfire destroyed the house and he hoped the blades and firearms in the safe woud survive. Alas, they did not!

'33 and '36 SS, SA, NSKK, all with burned grips. Army, Luft, Navy, all the pretty grips melted. Paint scorched, Holbein scabbard weights melted and holding the blades fast. Hangers and portepees roasted. TR medals to include SA Sports badges, 2 Police Long Service Crosses, all melted together. All in all, a TERRIBLE loss, not just to him but to the dagger community as those pieces are lost forever!

I purchased the safe as above in an attempt not only to protect my collection from burglary, but from any possible fire. We moved up here to the heavily wooded Pine forest in Nov and with this safe, I feel a bit better but never completely safe. Some of my more valuable books are in the safe too such as the '37 Organization Book, SS Porcelain Allach, etc, etc.

What are your thoughts about a "fire safe"? Have you ever had a fire or know of someone who has, and how did the safe's contents hold up?

Thanking you in advance for your thoughts, views.

I knew one Collector who had a really nice Fire Proof Mosler (like I do) ..he had a fire , the floor gave way and the Safe ended up in the Basement which was flooded from the Fire Hoses.
By the time he was able to pull the safe out and open it (6 days later) ..nothing burned but , he had pretty bad Water damage and still lost quite a bit.
I heard there was some sort of gasket material that you could put on the door of any model safe, that in a Fire ..would melt and actually seal and waterproof a closed safe.
It would make it harder to re-open later but ..it would be worth it.

Point well taken! "Water damage" can be as egregious as any damage imaginable, especially to metal and paper products. I am lucky in that where my safe now stands, (and it weighs in at approx 1500 lbs empty) is a solid concrete foundation member 9 feet wide. The wall behind the safe is sheet rock facing over an approx 1 ft concrete wall. "Water damage" is something I am "hoping" can be precluded (but forgot about) as this safe has heat activated expanding gaskets as you describe.
Thanks Mike, lloyd

Most really good heavy safes are protected from fire damage of a certain stated Farenheidt degree for a stated period of time. Past that time, and considering fire suppression does not happen, most of the contents will be dry toast. No safe is completely fire proof. Fire resistant is a better descriptive term. After enough heat, everything inside will bake, maybe not catch fire (due to lack of oxygen).
Rely on proximity of fire departments and other available means of fire suppression to be certain.
Extended time coupled with enough heat will destroy anything in a safe. That's my studied opinion!

Mark

Hi Mark, Very Good thoughts indeed! The fire dept is within a mile from here, maybe a bit less. Your studied expertise is well taken. I surely don't want dry toast of my stuff. My buddy just has NOT been "the same" since he lost his collection.

Thanks Mark. Lots of good knowledge here!

lloyd

I keep my paper stuff in a small water tight fire safe and then put it in the bottom of my large fire safe for double protection. It is not proven and hope it stays that way. Water damage is more than the fire its self. Eric

quote:

Originally posted by ww2411:
I keep my paper stuff in a small water tight fire safe and then put it in the bottom of my large fire safe for double protection. It is not proven and hope it stays that way. Water damage is more than the fire its self. Eric

Thanks Eric, I have gotten a Korean War Marmite can, like the ones we fed the troops out of in the field and I've been contemplating putting the files in that. It's fairly large and is water tight as well.

Lloyd

I have a Collectibles Insurance Agency policy !