The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[Old Radar]

Nice find! Rub them down with WD-40 and you'll be set!

 

[r0ckh0und]

Thanks....I'll give the wd-40 a try.

 

[1982fxr]

Thanks....I'll give the wd-40 a try.

I'd wipe them with warm soapy water first. When they get a lot of build up like yours, going straight to wd-40 kind of burnishes it into the paint.

After getting it cleaner I just literally soak the rag in WD and go to town.

 

[Old Radar]

Concur!

 

[r0ckh0und]

That will give me something to do at work Sunday night. There is a couple of crusty areas where the painted surface has been compromised

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up this 30's Snappy K-21 MechaniKit this morning at the flea. More pics later. Got some questions, too.

 

[Gunfighter556]

Picked up this 30's Snappy K-21 MechaniKit this morning at the flea. More pics later. Got some questions, too.

Nice one Lugz

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Gunfighter. I was really stoked! I am going to replace the leather handle. I posted a lot more photos on the Snap-on thread. Go here and scroll down to posts #2534, #2535, and #2536.

 

[Outlawmws]

Complete with tray too!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Funny thing is there was only one thing inside the box and it, too, was a "toolbox", of sorts.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Complete with tray too!

TWO trays! I love that long shallow removeable one in the bottom drawer. Ads indicate it was for the Midget and Ferret cases.

 

[Username already in use]

Nice box Lugz. I’ve got the same one. Does the center latch have the Stanley sweetheart logo on the underside of the latch? Mine does.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice box Lugz. I’ve got the same one. Does the center latch have the Stanley sweetheart logo on the underside of the latch? Mine does.

It does! Thanks for confirming. I was pretty sure it was original, but I was a little surprised to see that, and it did make me wonder. I saw the copywriters bragging about the quality of the hasp in some of the catalogs, and that point of emphasis led me to believe they (or their OEM) did indeed source it from Stanley hardware.

Excuse the ugly photo. I have some de-rusting work to do in some areas, including the hasp, one of the clasps, and a few spots here and there on some of the drawers and trays. Overall condition is pretty good, though.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’ve got the same one.

Is it the same green? Or grey? Post photos here or in the Snap-on thread, please. I forgot you had one.

 

[Username already in use]

My box was originally grey but had been spraybombed gold. Took some time to get the gold paint off.
Pics are HERE on page 418 of this thread.
Wish mine had been green though...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for the link. I remember now. These things are beasts. 33 lbs empty!

 

[RedVise]

What do I have here ?
Solid little 2 drawer box, originally blue.
I looked at Duplex, Huot and Waterloo. Didnt find a match.
There is a logo spot in upper right corner of front panel...
Any Ideas on manufacturer ?

Great little box, it had to come home with me.

Brian

 

[Outlawmws]

Brian, anything on the key taped there?

 

[1982fxr]

What do I have here ?
Solid little 2 drawer box, originally blue.
I looked at Duplex, Huot and Waterloo. Didnt find a match.
There is a logo spot in upper right corner of front panel...
Any Ideas on manufacturer ?

Great little box, it had to come home with me.

Brian

Beach? Didn't they have drawer pulls like that once upon a time?

Or really old Kennedy?

 

[Outlawmws]

Handles seem right for a Beach, but the front cover logo indent is different - maybe made by beach for someone else's label?

 

[RedVise]

Brian, anything on the key taped there?

Well, thats a good thought!

So now I know it has a Hudson lock, does that help narrow it down ?

Thanks guys !

Brian

 

[RedVise]

Here's another old box I have been ignoring.
3 drawer tool box, no name, any thoughts ?
Hasp on front panel not original
Handle and hasp on top are rivetted .
Very tight joints on the side and spot welds.
Bottom drawer seems original with curved ends, the other two are definitely hand made. The handmade drawers threw me for a while , thinking this was a shop made box, but now I am inclined to think it was manufactured. Of course I have been wrong before...
Seems well made for shop made box ?

Had old Wright, Blackhawk, Cornwell and SO tools.

Brian

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Not sure who made that. Langenau and others made similar style boxes in thirties for various tool manufacturers.

 

[Provincial]

This one just showed up on the local craigslist. Interesting box, perhaps not factory-made. The ad gives the provenance.

https://salem.craigslist.org/tls/d/salem-vintage-ww2-oak-wood-machinist/7183015335.html

 

[RedVise]

This one just showed up on the local craigslist. Interesting box, perhaps not factory-made. The ad gives the provenance.

https://salem.craigslist.org/tls/d/salem-vintage-ww2-oak-wood-machinist/7183015335.html

I like that box a lot. Brian

 

[bmwrd0]

Yeah, I was looking at that box pretty hard, but I just picked up another machinist box and couldn't justify it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...perhaps not factory-made. The ad gives the provenance.

I like that box a lot.

Me too. But - and replying to you and Jock at once - the features I like the most are also some of the features that probably point to home-made, as he alluded to. Namely, the layout of the drawers and the simple "pulls". The center clasp is period correct for the era the seller claims - the same one used by Union, Gerstner, and others. But it doesn't look commercial, and not to be dismissive of anyone's story, especially where it concerns a WWII veteran, but all veteran's things are often conflated with the war (my brothers and I have been proven innocently guilty of the same thing with our own father!). Not saying it wasn't made and used on the Zeus. But it would be very atypical.

 

[leg17]

Hybrid?? Commercial case with custom drawers? Note the difference in the appearance of the center 'column' separating the two stacks of drawers.

 

[RTM]

I could believe hybrid. I have an old oak Lufkin that someone tore the guts apart, so when I refit it, it will be an oddball custom too. But it won't have a story, til we come up with one. Never pay for the story, but always try to sell it.

Maybe that one I have with heat damage was on the Hindenburg. Nah, too much plastic for that to be believed.

 

[prine]

anyone have an idea on who made this and approximate year? seller says no marks, size 18 deep 28 wide 32 high

 

[FJ 432]

anyone have an idea on who made this and approximate year? seller says no marks, size 18 deep 28 wide 32 high

Made by Plomb or Pressteel. GO get it!

 

[Smokeshow69]

anyone have an idea on who made this and approximate year? seller says no marks, size 18 deep 28 wide 32 high

That is made by pressteel in the 40’s and has roller bearing slides! I started a thread on those. They are very well made! How much is the seller asking? Those 5 drawer units don’t show up very often and you need to hop on it quickly!


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[Smokeshow69]

Made by Plomb or Pressteel. GO get it!

Made by pressteel for plomb [emoji23][emoji51] I am curious to see if it is a tool mobile or if it is a corporate pressteel model!


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[Smokeshow69]

anyone have an idea on who made this and approximate year? seller says no marks, size 18 deep 28 wide 32 high

If you end up passing on that please post a link to the add so someone on here can get a shot at it!


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Outlawmws]

All these responses failed to include this:

 

[FJ 432]

All these responses failed to include this:

Sorry

 

[Smokeshow69]

All these responses failed to include this:

I am swimming in a pool of drool right now. I would so be on that like white on rice if it was local! My guess is CA if I had to guess


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[prine]

Yes it is a 4 drawer Pressteel. I bought it tonight. Overall solid, original color was blue (can be seen under the red). Rust seems to be superficial. Drawers are smooth and shut correctly. I'll take some pictures and post when I have time to clean it up some.

 

[Provincial]

If it was originally blue, it could have been a P&C. Be careful removing the red paint in case the logo survived thee repaint!

 

[FJ 432]

Yes it is a 4 drawer Pressteel. I bought it tonight. Overall solid, original color was blue (can be seen under the red). Rust seems to be superficial. Drawers are smooth and shut correctly. I'll take some pictures and post when I have time to clean it up some.

Nice grab. These are special bottom rollers.