S-K RED TOOL WAGON

[Shelbylex]

Good evening, everybody

Slightly more than I month ago I bought an unknown box in Denver, Colorado. FJ432 found the box and then helped me bring it to Boston.
It looked somewhat familiar, but we could not quite put it together. It reminded us of Blackhawk style, Herbrand style, etc. However, our searches did not show much.
Over the last month we were trying to figure out who was the manufacturer and if the box was original or not.

 

[Shelbylex]

The box from the inside. The last 3 pictures show wrinkles paint from under the top drawer, wall in the back, and wrinkled paint under the second drawer

 

[Shelbylex]

Sorry, forgot to put my observations:

Majority of the box is original except for following modifications

1. The top drawer was modified: the T-shaped dividers on the bottom are self made and added. Made out of wood
2. The rails on the top drawer which hold the aluminut insert are probably added by previous owner
3. The insert is not original and is self made

...Awaiting for reply from SK Tools to see if they have blueprints and more information about the box to see what the top drawer should have looked like originally. I suspect it was simple with no dividers...)

 

[Shelbylex]

4

 

[Shelbylex]

I went all over the box trying to find some sign - nothing was obvious. The tool holders from the side of the box were made in Orange MA, but the company did not make tool boxes.

Apparently the answer was in front of us

 

[Shelbylex]

The remnant of the emblem looked like SK colors - most likely a part of the rectangle...

I can not thank FJ432 enough for the thrill of getting a new box and then trying to figure out what it is!
To double the luck I also got acquainted with a great person and got a friend who shares some of my other hobbies!!!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice!

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice rare find! Well done, and great instincts!

 

[d42jeep]

That is a very unusual box. Good find. Here are some of the red colors used by S-K that might be considered for the repaint.
I might be tempted to use the VHT Red wrinkle finish as it is readily available.

-Don

 

[Cruzan80]

Glad to see it made it home, and that it was finally identified!

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you for looking at the thread and kind words, gentlemen!

Don, thank you for showing the boxes.
Does VHT wrinkle paint require baking after application?

I e-mailed SK company - will hopefully get more information. I will also need to find the tool totes (most likely they will need to be made)...

 

[Cruzan80]

The lower drawer (top of inside) has four slots like the pic (bottom), so guessing it only needs a top tray. All the others look like regular socket boxes.

 

[d42jeep]

If the VHT wrinkle paint is applied on a really warm day it wrinkles quickly as it dries with no other heat necessary.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ exactomundo.

wait for a WARM dry day. don't shoot it in direct sun. rattle cans are no good under 70° F (unless you're just painting graffiti.)

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, Don and Four.Cycle!

 

[Shelbylex]

I just noticed that I forgot to mention what was self made in the box in post #3 and left it empty - fixed

Does anybody have an advise how to clean the wrinkled paint? There is a lot of grease on this box and since interior part looks original and relatively good, I want to keep it original for now and do not want to damage while cleaning...)
Dishwashed fluid and nylon brush?
I suspect that pressure washer might damage it...

 

[autobon7]

Very cool box

 

[FJ 432]

I'm very happy that I played a small part of this story. I kind of knew it was something special when I saw it on Craigslist. I'm pleased for two reasons; my instincts were correct in the rarity and that it found a home with someone who can appreciate it.

This community never ceases to amaze me on the knowledge that its' members has on a topic most people could care less. Sometimes I wish we could have a tool box geek convention.

Enjoy your "new" gem.

 

[1982fxr]

Great score

 

[Michigan Mike]

I used Goop hand cleaner on a red wrinkle finish Kennedy box. It came out of a transmission shop and was saturated with trans fluid. I rubbed the hand cleaner on and then scrubbed it with a soft bristle brush let it soak for a while then used simple green to remove the hand cleaner. I thought it did a good job. This hand cleaner comes in a white tub and contains no abrasives.

 

[Outlawmws]

Kennedy recommends using WD-40 to clean their wrinkle paints.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Awesome find! I like to see these old beauties rescued by someone who not only appreciates it, but will actually use it as it was intended. You may have saved it from dying on a scrap pile somewhere. Nothin beats the old stuff built to last

 

[AntiqueBen]

Good evening, everybody

Slightly more than I month ago I bought an unknown box in Denver, Colorado. FJ432 found the box and then helped me bring it to Boston.
It looked somewhat familiar, but we could not quite put it together. It reminded us of Blackhawk style, Herbrand style, etc. However, our searches did not show much.
Over the last month we were trying to figure out who was the manufacturer and if the box was original or not.

I officially deem you a GJ hero!
GJ heroes....saving one tool box at a time.

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, gentlemen

FJ 432 - you played a Major role in this adventure - not only helping with the initial phase, but also in going through the process of figuring out what it is! I hope one day we will meet each other when you come for the MA for your yearly trip.
Agree on convention - that would be fun!!!

Michigan Mike - I will try to look for this product

Outlawmws - I wonder if WD-40 will make the box smell after I use it

Thank you, AntiqueBen. I try to use my boxes, but keep some of them in the heating system room (it's dry there). I really love old style boxes. It all started in 2018 when I got my first Snap On KR-56


I got a response from SK Tools today. Unfortunately no blueprints were found. However, I asked them to see if somebody can given me any contact information from "old timers" - may be I can find somebody who can point me in the right direction (may be there is still a old box or folder stashed in somebodies fathers or grandfathers house who will have details). I am trying to figure out what the tool totes looked like in real life.
Interestingly enough I was recommended to look it up on a website which has a lot of information - Garagejournal : )

 

[RTM]

Interestingly enough I was recommended to look it up on a website which has a lot of information - Garagejournal : )

Everything always comes back to GJ. I’m usually finding a GJ reference on most vintage tool searches within the first five results. Some really obscure finds I try the Site:garagejournal.com, and if that gets blanked, I know I’m in deep trouble,

 

[AntiqueBen]

Thank you, gentlemen

FJ 432 - you played a Major role in this adventure - not only helping with the initial phase, but also in going through the process of figuring out what it is! I hope one day we will meet each other when you come for the MA for your yearly trip.
Agree on convention - that would be fun!!!

Michigan Mike - I will try to look for this product

Outlawmws - I wonder if WD-40 will make the box smell after I use it

Thank you, AntiqueBen. I try to use my boxes, but keep some of them in the heating system room (it's dry there). I really love old style boxes. It all started in 2018 when I got my first Snap On KR-56


I got a response from SK Tools today. Unfortunately no blueprints were found. However, I asked them to see if somebody can given me any contact information from "old timers" - may be I can find somebody who can point me in the right direction (may be there is still a old box or folder stashed in somebodies fathers or grandfathers house who will have details). I am trying to figure out what the tool totes looked like in real life.
Interestingly enough I was recommended to look it up on a website which has a lot of information - Garagejournal : )

I found this ad from 1939 were it looks as though it was it's first offering.

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you, AntiqueBen. My guess is they were made 1939-1943 (discontinued in this catalog). I did not have a proof of 1939 - now we have it thanks to you!!!
Where is the ad from?

 

[AntiqueBen]

Thank you, AntiqueBen. My guess is they were made 1939-1943 (discontinued in this catalog). I did not have a proof of 1939 - now we have it thanks to you!!!
Where is the ad from?

I found it on Google Books. Here is the link:

Motor Age

books.google.com

 

[Shelbylex]

Thank you! This is great!

 

[AntiqueBen]

Thank you! This is great!

No problem. Glad to help. Actually, on the link I sent you, if you scroll up a page you'll see at the bottom it is dated September of 1940. On the Google Books search page there are other ads in different trade catalogs dated 1939 advertising the SK Red Tool Wagon. Unfortunately when you click on them they can't be viewed. So, it could have actually came out in 1939 & was still being advertised as a new SK tool offering in 1940. I've never done it, but there is a way to contact them to request they make those ads viewable. I'm not sure exactly how to do it, but it's possible. I "think" four-cycle told me how to do it once, so he might be able to tell you. Here is a link to the search page & you can see the other 1939 listings.

Sherman & Klove Red Tool Wagon - Google Search

 

[1982fxr]

Re wd40. They should mention if it's real dirty clean it first because the wd40 will mix the filth into the paint.

And yes, you will absolutely smell it afterwards.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Really cool find! I would love to know who made these for sk? The early square corner version is very similar to the p&c tool wagon of the same year. I am kicking the idea around of these possibly being made by pressteel but I can see enough of the insides of the roller to say for sure?

 

[Smokeshow69]

Any updates on this tool wagon?

 

[Shelbylex]

Sorry, no updates for now. I will get to it eventually. I almost wonder how much it would cost to have a professional restoration of it by some antique car restoration shop (disassembly, cleaning, blasting, mix exact color paint, recreate the tool totes (will have to guess exactly how they looked like and if they were painter wrinkled black or regular black as well as a set of keys (? may be a locksmith can do it. I did not run across any SK marked keys yet...

 

[Shelbylex]

Well, let me open an idea for the discussion:
If you were to restore the box, would you change what the previous owner did to the top drawer? (wooden dividers, addition of metal rails (I think they were done early enough - the nuts are square on both the self made sliding insert and the rails)
At this point I am thinking that if I restore it, I will keep it as is - gives it more "character". It's not historically correct most likely...

 

[Smokeshow69]

Good question…. I like your idea of leaving the mods or maybe just leave the mods that benefit you? It’s hard to find vintage rollers that are not modified!