Gently cleaning/restoring some Kennedy drawers

[blairlee]

Hey all -- I got some great advice form this forum when I was researching floor epoxy. I hope to tap your insight again on a couple of things I couldn't find by searching.

I recently brought home a set of Kennedy drawers that my father-in-law used (he was a machinist) basically until the day he died. I believe he purchased them in the 60s and kept them at the shop where he worked the whole time. They look and feel structurally sound, but the paint is grimy and the casters on the rolling units are pretty beat up with metal shavings and other things.

I've read about some cool projects with media blasting, powdercoating, and other things, but my goal is just to clean them up and use them as "all-original" survivors. It rained on the day that I brought them home in my truck, and I'm not sure, but it kind of looks like the water left some marks on the paint. I've heard of people using Simple Green or other similar things to clean these things; is that really going to be easy on the finish? I do *not* want to remove the brown crinkle coat.

Next, the Kennedy labels on the rolling units are pretty beat up and hard to read. If I wipe them down, will I end up removing more of the print? What should I use to cover them before cleaning?

Finally, I see that Kennedy sells caster kits for their drawers online. Will I be able to find standard-size casters somewhere else that will work for less money, or should I stick with the Kennedy pieces?

These drawers have a lot of sentimental value to me and I want to do this right. Thanks a bunch in advance for your help. Pics are coming.

 

[onewaydave]

blairlee,

I like the Kennedys, just 'cause they are good boxes and an American tradition.

A 60 y/o box will always show its age, no matter how you clean them up. I like it that you want to keep the brown krinkle. Simple green should not hurt that finish, but test on the bottom or somewhere first. The krinkle finish will not lend itself to clean up well though, it will come out dull brown and can't be waxed. If it has felt, that can be replaced and beyond that I'd leave as is. Clean up the slides and oil them. Straighten any bends or dings.

Any casters will work if they are rated for the weight you expect to put in there.

Show us some pics, man.

Dave.

 

[JimDon]

on their website, Kennedy recommends Murphy's Oil Soap to wash the crinkle finish paint. I have used it and it works very very well. roller cab cleaned up nicely. cheers, JimDon

 

[bluebolt]

YES WE NEED PICS! Especially since I recently picked up a Kennedy roller bottom.

 

[toolmaker1]

If you can stand the smell for a few days the absolute best thing we have found at the shop to clean the kennedys is wd-40.

 

[Stuart in MN]

on their website, Kennedy recommends Murphy's Oil Soap to wash the crinkle finish paint. I have used it and it works very very well. roller cab cleaned up nicely. cheers, JimDon

This sounds good to me - it's always best to start with mild cleaners and work your way up to harsher stuff only if necessary. If you don't have any Murphy's soap handy I'd think regular dishwashing soap (Ivory, Dawn, etc.) would be alright.

 

[ZRX61]

Dawn is FULL of salt, very corrosive.

 

[blairlee]

Here are a few pics. I have two of the rolling drawers, one of the top pieces, and one piece that I didn't photograph that fits between the two. At one point I figured out the model numbers; I'll have to track those down again. In one of the pics you can see a bit of the journeyman toolbox that my father-in-law got while he was at the shipyard, which he continued to use through his entire career. Aside from the handle, it's still in great shape.

 

[Flatland Dave]

Cool, I love old Kennedy stuff

 

[hickmlg09]

I've seen some of these tool boxes at a pawn store I go to with the boyfriend and I think they are pretty cool. To bad they have a sign up saying toolbox not for sale. The tool box is filled with tons of sockets, ect for sale thou.

I also seen some at a flea market we went to for a good deal also.

 

[blairlee]

Question on casters -- where is a good place to buy some? I was in a Home Depot for an unrelated errand the other day, and wasn't impressed.

 

[Steevo]

Question on casters -- where is a good place to buy some? I was in a Home Depot for an unrelated errand the other day, and wasn't impressed.

Surplus Center
www.surpluscenter.com

 

[woody 73]

I just bought an old kennedy top box ; sure wish I could find the one bottom box with wheels. For a good cleaning I put oil on a rag and wipe down the whole box, then I put some lube on the slides. The oil protects the box from rust but it also attracts dust, I can live with dust, but I can not live with rust so it's an easy deal for me.

 

[Zrexxer]

Man, the way you talked in your first post I expected them to be beat up and filthy, but looking at your pics they're in pretty dang good shape. I'd spray them with WD-40 and wipe with a lint free cloth and call it good. I think you've fallen victim to Garage Journal disease and you're trying to make this too difficult!

p.s. Simple Green will work great too but you'll have to hose them off, and if the drawers have the original felt from the 60's Kennedy used wool felt, so I'd avoid getting that wet if possible.

 

[blairlee]

LOL, my father-in-law was a deliberate perfectionist and he knew how to take care of his stuff. I just want to care for these as well as I possibly can. More pics later, after I get a chance to fix 'em up.

 

[DekeT]

I would follow the advice on the Kennedy web site for using Murphy's oil soap as JimDon suggests. I cleaned up a nasty old Kennedy box using warm water and oil soap. It looks great now. The oil soap does a great job of refreshing the brown crinkle paint.