Good trade for a 1967 (?) Craftsman stack ... top and bottom tool boxes

[beltdrive]

So on Facebook market place, I just traded two early 1900's cast iron 22" wheels for this Craftsman stack, even up....matched top and bottom. The guy said it sat out for a couple weeks and has flash rust on the surface, but inside is amazingly clean with no fade of the red and no rust. So I started to clean it up when I got home. It is in great condition structurally...all drawers work well and everything is straight. I have been using Naval Jelly to scrub down the exterior surfaces. The exterior cosmetic condition is not mint by any stretch but I like the trade pretty well. I love that it has MADE IN USA stamped on it, and is heavy / great build quality. The back story on the wheels is that while at Brimfield Flea a couple weeks back, at the end of the show, a dealer had a free pile of stuff he did not want to take home, and I got the two wheels for free. So essentially the box was free! That doesn't happen every day. The picture is BEFORE I started cleaning it up.

If people have thoughts on the following, I would be interested:

1. Are there any products you use to restore a surface, bring back shine, get rid of flash rust.
2. Is this stack a circa 1967?

Thanks for looking.

 

[The Cobbler]

fair trades are always good , especially when each party figures they did better.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Welcome to the Gray and Red club.

Date of manufacture (by Waterloo) can be found inside the main compartment of the top chest, front left corner. You may have to clean off whatever rust or grime is in there and use a flashlight to cast a shadow but the month/year is stamped there. For the bottom chest, look in the bottom right hand corner (as you look at it) of the frame. Same deal, 4-digit date code.

I'd say you're dealing with a bit more than flash rust there. Don't expect that stack to "shine up". Were it mine, I'd go over it with WD-40 and 0000 steel wool along with a whole lot of elbow grease. I'd then seal it with BLO (boiled linseed oil) or your preservant of choice. That'll look fine with the patina.

Here's a 70-page link to a thread dealing specifically to those boxes. About all the collected knowledge we have of those boxes can be found there and it's a fun read.

Let's Hear it for the Old Gray/Red Sears Craftsman Tool Chests and Cabinets (60s/70s)

Here is one of mine found in 2002-2003 while out for a walk. This is a '68 model six drawer. The logo and tray are wrong and those are copies of the original Sears catalog ads in the top lid.. It sits in my garage with some vintage Craftsman tools my next door neighbor was going to toss. Also...

www.garagejournal.com

Enjoy your tool boxes!