Cornwell toolbox

[Tommy52]

I would like to know if anybody knows about what year this Cornwell box is from. Should I sandblast and repaint ?

 

[davethorik]

I wouldn't, I'd clean it up and let it be. Great patina on that!

 

[thehorse13]

Nail polish remover can be used to spot remove those paint stains. I would not blast and repaint that box.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I will just clean it up, it's only original once, and if it is a wrinkle finish that may be hard to replicate.

 

[Toolmaker65]

My brother has one of the same boxes. The family he got it from said the guy who owned it bought it in the late 30's or early 40's but they could not find any definite documentation on that. Regardless of the age, it is neat as it stands. I would just clean it up and use it as is. Plenty of messed up newer boxes out there if you are really looking at redoing one in your favorite color with the appropriate pin striping.

 

[Tommy52]

Thanks everybody for the impute.

 

[drivesitfar]

Tommy: instead of posting your cool Cornwell box on a new thread how about posting up some pictures of it on the Vintage toolbox thread? i have one similar that i posted on that thread maybe 2 years ago and it's built to last. 30's to 40's sounds about right, but if i remember correctly there wasn't much information on old Cornwell toolboxes.

good luck and welcome to the forum

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I would like to know if anybody knows about what year this Cornwell box is from.

With all due respect to Drives and Toolmaker, I think the date of manufacture can be narrowed down to some time between 1942 and 1954.

My rationale:

Your "Master Deluxe" Toolbox (model #SK24) is green, with the old Cornwell logo on the drop down lid, and open pulls on the drawers.

The box was green, with the old Cornwell logo, and cupped pulls in the 1941 catalog.

The box was red, with the Cornwell Man logo on the drop down lid, and open pulls on the drawers in the 1955 catalog.

Everything else about the boxes looks identical or near-identical to me.

So, it looks to me like they went to the open pulls sometime before 1955, before they went to red, and before they adopted the Cornwell Man logo.

I would guess your box is late 1940's.

Here is the detailed description and the dimensions from the 1941 catalog if you want to take some measurements...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

BTW, I definitely second everybody else on preserving it versus restoring it. That is a fantastic box that I hope to run into one day!

 

[drivesitfar]

LUG: i was going off of memory and it's been maybe 2 years since i've bought or used my BLUE cornwell box. it's one of my best looking top boxes so i think i'll have to dig it out and start filling it up again.

so you are right my pulls are not the 1941, but mine definitely wasn't red. as i remember there wasn't a lot or any information about Cornwell's boxes and glad you found a couple catalog pages. thanks

sorry i don't

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for the clarification, Drives. The 1941 catalog is black and white and the OP's looks green. Or it could've been my envy! At any rate, I would date yours to the late 1940's for the same reason. Do you agree with my reasoning? It seems almost certain that they were made sometime between 1941 and 1955, right? Same exact box as the 41, just the open pulls instead. And then those pulls show up in the 50's. Has to be late 40's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

it's one of my best looking top boxes so i think i'll have to dig it out and start filling it up again.

Maybe you should try filling it up with "The ONE FIFTY THREE Set"! That's the master mechanic's set - exactly one hundred and fifty three pieces - that Cornwell put into that box!

BTW, I have the 1941 catalog, but both the 1941 and the 1955 catalog PDFs are on Twertsy's wonderful Tool Archives site.

 

[drivesitfar]

LUG: i have a Craftsman box that is very similar that had 1943 time sheets and other stuff from that year in it. not sure if my Cornwell box and my craftsman box are the same maker, but don't you agree they are close? i think i have an old red Snap on that is very similar too. since Snappy and Craftsmans both didn't make their own boxes did Cornwell or did Cornwell just make hand tools and sub out their boxes?

I had another Craftsman that was repainted light blue that i sold cause i didn't like the color as much.

 

[stage20]

that craftsman box is nice! i have one same layout but its a different craftsman logo. even came with the original key! i think it even says craftsman on it. i havent got a chance to clean it up. i think im going to scuff it and clear coat it to preserve it. its a cool box.

 

[twertsy]

Thanks for the clarification, Drives. The 1941 catalog is black and white and the OP's looks green. Or it could've been my envy! At any rate, I would date yours to the late 1940's for the same reason. Do you agree with my reasoning? It seems almost certain that they were made sometime between 1941 and 1955, right? Same exact box as the 41, just the open pulls instead. And then those pulls show up in the 50's. Has to be late 40's.

I believe his is Black, as is mine. No slides on the drawers either which to me, puts it in the 30's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for the additional data point (no sliders), Todd. I would have to agree. And they were obviously too flippant on the style of the pulls to use them as a time period characteristic.

 

[drivesitfar]

Lug & Twertsy: now i'll have to find my Cornwell and check out the color to see if it's black or blue. i thought it was dark blue, but it's been a while since i've seen it. i'll also take a few more pictures and some of the slides if i can find it.

Twertsy: i see that you mentioned on the vintage thread that your Cornwell is one of your favorites too. is it the look or how solid it is or do tell why?

cheers

Twertsy: do you agree with Lug that these Cornwell boxes came with non Cornwell tools originally? do you still have that old brown canvas type holder for your old Cornwell wrenches cause i would think they are easily as old as our boxes are?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

i'll also take a few more pictures and some of the slides if i can find it.

If yours has slides, I am sticking with 1940's for yours, as the 1941 catalog description highlights the slides. If Todd's doesn't, I agree with him that his is likely before that, Now I'm curious to see if Tommy52's has slides or not.

Twertsy: do you agree with Lug that these Cornwell boxes came with non Cornwell tools originally?

I think you misunderstood me, Drives, or I was unclear. The catalog indicates that these SK24 boxes were sold separately, so you could put anything you wanted in them, obviously. But, the Cornwell "ONE FIFTY THREE" set of tools (see page 2 in the 1941 catalog) came in this box. (It's their version of the master mechanic set that Plomb, Bonney, Snap-On and every other major automotive service tool maker had...). EDIT: You could buy the tools without the box, too. Just saying this was their big box for their biggest set.

 

[drivesitfar]

LUG: thanks for the clarification. i'll try to find my Cornwell box this week and get me and us more information. not exactly sure where it's at currently, but pretty positive i wouldn't have sold it. post up a reminder in case this thread disappears before i post up more pictures or PM me if you like.

thanks

TOMMY: can you take a few more pictures of your box and some of the slides or sides of the drawers if there isn't any slides? thanks

 

[twertsy]

If yours has slides, I am sticking with 1940's for yours, as the 1941 catalog description highlights the slides. If Todd's doesn't, I agree with him that his is likely before that, Now I'm curious to see if Tommy52's has slides or not.


I think you misunderstood me, Drives, or I was unclear. The catalog indicates that these SK24 boxes were sold separately, so you could put anything you wanted in them, obviously. But, the Cornwell "ONE FIFTY THREE" set of tools (see page 2 in the 1941 catalog) came in this box. (It's their version of the master mechanic set that Plomb, Bonney, Snap-On and every other major automotive service tool maker had...). EDIT: You could buy the tools without the box, too. Just saying this was their big box for their biggest set.

Lugs, the detailed pics of mine are on my site here: http://toolarchives.com/node/1029

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks. Not only no slides, but totally different drawer layout. The box and the drawer layout are identical in the 41 and 55 cats, and Tommy's and Drive's boxes match that layout. Yours is completely different.

 

[garthg]

With all due respect to Drives and Toolmaker, I think the date of manufacture can be narrowed down to some time between 1942 and 1954.

My rationale:

Your "Master Deluxe" Toolbox (model #SK24) is green, with the old Cornwell logo on the drop down lid, and open pulls on the drawers.

The box was green, with the old Cornwell logo, and cupped pulls in the 1941 catalog.

The box was red, with the Cornwell Man logo on the drop down lid, and open pulls on the drawers in the 1955 catalog.

Everything else about the boxes looks identical or near-identical to me.

So, it looks to me like they went to the open pulls sometime before 1955, before they went to red, and before they adopted the Cornwell Man logo.

I would guess your box is late 1940's.

Here is the detailed description and the dimensions from the 1941 catalog if you want to take some measurements...

It looks like I've got the 1955 model. Personally, I like the refinished look. A box isn't original when the paint is old, thin and rusty.

Sixt-two pounds empty sounds about right. I couldn't handle it by myself very well without help. It's heavy for its size compared to new boxes.

 

[twertsy]

Thanks. Not only no slides, but totally different drawer layout. The box and the drawer layout are identical in the 41 and 55 cats, and Tommy's and Drive's boxes match that layout. Yours is completely different.

I had forgotten what mine looked like in terms of the drawer pulls.....definitely 30s, maybe even earlier.

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[Private Lugnutz]

They are downright ornate.

 

[twertsy]

They are downright ornate.

They do smack of roaring 20s rather than the "just get through" 30s

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[MR.X]

Pulled this from a local swap today. $30.00. Had some tools in it too.

 

[1982fxr]

Pulled this from a local swap today. $30.00. Had some tools in it too.

I wonder how old that one is?

 

[MR.X]

I wonder how old that one is?

Right?!.....mid to late 30's? maybe?