https://gerstnerusa.com/shop/gerstner-2610-journeyman-chest/

This is the website for Gerstner Tool Boxes. My father went to work for TRW Mission back in 1950 or 1951 when he was 21 or 22 years old. He told me that when he went to work for the company as a apprentice machinist, he bought a tool chest on company credit & paid one dollar a week until it was paid off.

The link above shows the tool chest, what it looks like today, that he purchased. The company is still in business & builds these tool chest.

When my father retired, he gave me his tool chest. I have been wanting to restore it ever since. That was about 25 years ago. I never started to try & restore it while I was working & traveling on the road over 330 days a year as I knew I would never finish it.

Fortunately, Gerstner encourages their antique restoration & has a link for ordering original replacement materials to restore the tool chest.

In late 2025 I began the restoration process to restore the Journeyman Tool Chest.

I ordered the replacement material & hardware from Gerstner & now, after weeks of start & stop efforts, the final result is getting close.

So, yes, I took my time, I didn’t try & rush, I tried not to procrastinate. I completed the repairs on the wood, sanded all the outside surfaces down smooth, applied a Mini-Wax Pre-Stain & then a coat of Dark Walnut Wood Stain.

The first few photos show the condition of the tool box. It was in good shape although showed signs of wear. After 75 years or so, it was to be expected I think.

One corner end piece was missing & there was damage to the wood.

I removed all the hardware & ran it through my sonic cleaner to remove the dirt & grease accumulation. I was able to use almost all the original hardware.

For the damaged wood, I used Miniwax Color Matched Wood Filler to repair the holes & scratches.

After sanding the old wood surfaces, I used Mini-Wax Pre-Stain prior to staining the wood. I found that using the pre-stain greatly enhances the final stain application.

The Dark Walnut Stain I ordered from Gerstner is very dark. I found that by using the Pre-Stain, it lightens the dark walnut stain & allows the wood grain to show through better.

During this time when allowing the stain to dry, I measured & cut the felt for the top & drawers.

Gerstner uses a Whey Glue to install the felt. Currently, I’m waiting on this freezing weather to abate & get back to warm temperatures before I start this gluing process.