The history of safes reveals an origin in the former medieval chests used to store and hide away precious items. Medieval chests were often handmade, the box itself was made of a sturdy wooden material, metal straps and locks were placed on the outer surface of the chests, but the chests themselves where hardly burglar proof. Anyone with enough will and a few extra moments could pry open the box or break the box open to get to the contents inside. Thus, a need for a sturdier form of security was presented.

The medieval chest evolved from a box made of all solid wood to all solid iron. Some of the iron medieval chests were far fancier than their earlier wooden counterparts, offering hidden keyholes and decorative coverings. Some of the iron medieval chests were even designed to cause significant injury if tampered with. As the early nineteenth century approached, the chest remained a common place to hide goods and valuables, but the material used shifted from wrought iron to cast iron – an effort to save money of materials and to lower the cost of producing the chests.

In the early 1900s also introduced was the idea of a fireproof box. Of course, the iron boxes then had a layer of insulation added to them so that in the event of a fire items within were less likely to burn. Surprisingly, different types of insulation were used in the fireproof iron chests. Some manufacturers used material like sawdust – but seeing the futility of such insulation, other manufacturers relied on a water barrier to keep items from burning if a fire erupted.

Iron continued to be the main ingredient for safe boxes, and during the Victorian era, boxes were actually riveted together, adding an element of durability to the box’s construction. While the rivets may have held the iron safes together nicely, it wasn’t long before criminals got wise and started breaking off rivets to get inside iron safes. Again, the safe saw changes and improvements; instead, safe manufacturers began producing safes that were actually made of one long, thick piece of steel that was bent and curved into a safe – the effort caused the creation of a far more durable and thief proof product.

Contemporary safes are no longer made of one piece, but are several pieces of metal welded together. Once the actual solid box was finally established, the makers of safes began to think about how they could improve upon the construction of locks. For many years, the locks used on safes could be easily opened with anyone owning a skeleton key – a key that when inserted could open just about any lock it was put in. In the late 1780s, a man named Joseph Braham invented the first unbreachable lock. Braham’s locks worked well for nearly seventy years. Then someone wise to the lock’s design learned how to breach it, and improvements were once again required on the lock’s design.

The history of safes reveal that two brothers, Charles and Jeremiah Chubb actually had the very first patent for a safe that was burglar proof. Once the Chubb brother’s had the patent, they began manufacturing safes in the early 1800s. In truth, the Chubb brother’s were outfitters for ships and they were the first men to create a detector lock in the year 1818. The brothers chose to utilize earlier lock designs and make improvements upon earlier designs to manufacture a lock that could be opened with its own, customized key. While the Chubb brother’s were relying on other designs and box manufacturers before them, they actually patented the safe in 1835.

When it comes to the history of safes, every time burglars and thieves adapted to new box designs and new lock designs, manufacturers had to reinvent the wheel so to speak and make improvements upon the initial product. The history of safes reveals an evolution of the safe; once a simple box with a lock today’s safes are fortified and durable – a product that is the result of centuries of change.

In the early fifties, safe makers had to invent boxes that could fend off damage from explosives – this practice has been carried over to modern safe making practices. When thieves began using high heat devices to break through iron, safe makers included a layer of concrete to block access inside the safe. Of course, thieves are a highly adaptable breed and soon they learned how to cut through the concrete as well. To counter such actions, a number of methods have been employed including the addition of aluminum, which handles heat better and the addition of chemicals that produce a tremendous amount of smoke when heated.

There are a variety of safes on today’s market, including wall safes, box safes, personal safes, floor safes, and cash boxes. Each of the different types of safe are made with specific materials to keep whatever materials are inside protected. The depth of most safes vary, and consumers can purchase safes to suit their specific needs. Wall safes are common in households while many businesses rely on a floor safe. A box safe rests on the floor, while a floor safe is installed into the floor and is therefore not portable. There are even safes that are excellent for travel and lightweight giving them an element of immense portability.

Vaults are essentially a large safe, some as large as a room. Today’s safes are sold with key access, combination access, or both, depending upon the consumer’s preference. Some safes even include digital access or alarm features as well. Essentially, choosing the proper safe depends upon individual need – it is also advised that the consumer have a consultation with a knowledgeable professional before selecting a safe. Larger safes, floor safes and the like will require professional installation in most cases – usually the homeowner or business owner will go through an initial consultation to determine where the best location for the safe installation will be and what safe will prove sufficient for one’s needs.