A few months ago I was helping my dad rearrange the chaos in his garage that we had just placed, shoved, and stacked his entire shop into after moving it from KS to Des Moines and rediscovered a heavy wooden box with hand cut dovetail joinery. I remembered it from loading the Uhaul back in KS too. I played strong man and lifted my grandfather, carpentry tool box by myself into the moving van. It was heavy, stout and showed signs of once being beautiful. I commented to my dad that it should be refinished and used as a show piece in his new shop. He was to tired and sore to hear me I think.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I’m helping my dad put up a wall in his new shop and we need to move the tool box. My dad says, “If you are interested, KP’s toolbox is yours.” So, I get the pleasure to inherit this great piece of history. My dad told me that my grandpa worked on a crew of 5-7 carpenters that went to work each day on the back of a flat bed pickup. They’d work all day and then had to spend most of the night sharpening their tools. If they weren’t sharp in the morning, they got fired on the spot. Below are some pictures of how it looks now. The top half is spilt and folds down to reveal three small drawers and a storage space to the right. The box that folds down contains the 5 hand saws. The lower half is made up of 2 deep drawers that house the plans and brace bits among other things.
Possibly the best part of recieving the tool box are it’s contents. Swedish chisels given to grandpa by his mentor, who name escapes me now, a Stanley No 7, another Stanley for inside curves, Miller Falls No. 9, 2 braces, bits, scoring knives, awls, 5 Disstons saws, saw tooth set, 2 more manual drills and 2 wooden planes, plus much more. I have the tool box on a shelf in my shop now. Eventually I will do a little refinish on the box, but I also hope to learn how to use and maintain the tools as well. I’ll post some more picks of the contents soon…I will be making some new chisel handles for sure!!
-- If it wasn't for misplacing things, my shop would never get cleaned up.
10 comments so far
Robb
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356 posts in 832 days
posted 86 days ago
What a treasure! Good for you. It’s so nice to have an heirloom like that, as much for its story as for its contents. I hope you enjoy using all the tools!
-- Robb
Rob Drown
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324 posts in 731 days
posted 86 days ago
That is increadably cool. Wow! Love to hear about the process of restoring this set .
-- Sharp tools and thin whispy shavings make woodworking a joy.
3fingerpat
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913 posts in 566 days
posted 85 days ago
Awesome story, congratulations on having a link to your family history. But we need more close up pictures of the toolbox and tools!!!! ;o)
I look forward to following the rest of this story, good luck!!
-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"
patron
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2461 posts in 239 days
posted 85 days ago
very good story ,great connect to your grandfather ,
and it sounds like dad can hear better than he is letting on !
congratulations !
-- david ,new mexico ,allheart
John Gray
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1755 posts in 784 days
posted 85 days ago
Beautiful box!!!!
If you ever watch “The Antiques Roadshow” on PBS you’ll learn it not a good idea to refinish any valuable wooden items, it really decreases the value and somebody down the line might want to sell it and refinishing could take away 50% of it’s value. These old tool boxes specially with the tools intact really fetch a good price.
-- Only the Shadow knows....................
MauBow
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47 posts in 345 days
posted 85 days ago
Thanks to all the kind words. I will be taking some more pics this weekend and posting them.
Patron, yeah I think my dad can hear just fine!
I won’t be doing much to the finish on the box…just a few fixes to make it last even longer.
-- If it wasn't for misplacing things, my shop would never get cleaned up.
Berg
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45 posts in 88 days
posted 76 days ago
I agree with John Gray: don’t refinish that box! Not because it will ruin the value, you are not going to sell it, but because it is as your grandfather owned it. His life made it what it is. What I would suggest is use it as an inspiration piece and make one just like it for yourself. Now give us the play-by-play of THAT project. Fantastic. Enjoy that box and use the tools.
Also to paraphrase 3fingerpat, show us those tools. I’d love to see the home made lathe too. Your profile picture is a teaser. The pic on your web site doesn’t help much. ;)
-- Berg, Central NH & Gulfport, FL - "It's raining...what a beautiful day to puddle jump" 3y/o Devlyn
MauBow
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47 posts in 345 days
posted 75 days ago
Berg, I will try and get some more pics of the tools this week….her is a link for some more about the lathe.
Click Here
-- If it wasn't for misplacing things, my shop would never get cleaned up.
Berg
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45 posts in 88 days
posted 74 days ago
Sweet. Now don’t you $3000 lathe owners feel silly! Have you seen what Maubow’s washing machine turns out? thanks for sharing this. I’m impressed. MF gray works fine.
-- Berg, Central NH & Gulfport, FL - "It's raining...what a beautiful day to puddle jump" 3y/o Devlyn
MauBow
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47 posts in 345 days
posted 74 days ago
Thanks Berg!
-- If it wasn't for misplacing things, my shop would never get cleaned up.