Restoring an Antique Trunk
Thread Starter
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
Likes: 629
From: Houston/Durango
Thread Starter
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
Likes: 629
From: Houston/Durango
You have all the interior dividers. That is rare. Mine does not have its dividers. I first cleaned the outside of mine with soap and water to try to find the original paint colors. I found black and brick shade of red, much like yours, Jim. I used steel wool and a wire brush and cleaned the metal of all the rust, but not going so far as to lose the stamped detail. I painted it with Rustoleum. I painted the decorative hardware with a gold paint of now unknown origin to look like brass. I still have the original handles. Mine still looks great after about 25 years. Tung oil on the wood is a good idea, but not too many coats
Thread Starter
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
Likes: 629
From: Houston/Durango
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 34,131
Likes: 126
From: Canton, MA
Jim - did you see this link?? Step by step with pics!
http://laocmo.blogspot.com/2012/03/i...years-ago.html
http://laocmo.blogspot.com/2012/03/i...years-ago.html
Ha. That person also used Rustoleum.
Thread Starter
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
Likes: 629
From: Houston/Durango
Rustoleum for the win! 
I keep working on mine.
1 of the 3 lid hinges is broken, so I ordered a replacement.
A slat clamp on the right front is missing.
Lid off.
Lock to be removed.
Removing handle ends.
I keep working on mine.
1 of the 3 lid hinges is broken, so I ordered a replacement.
A slat clamp on the right front is missing.
Lid off.
Lock to be removed.
Removing handle ends.
Thread Starter
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
Likes: 629
From: Houston/Durango
Pretty rough old pine box. 
Metal cover is out in the back.
Removing musty smelling Victorian paper and mucilage, back to pine.
F
After a lot of steel brushing, steel wooling, sanding, I finally got all the paint and rust off the outside, so it's down to bare metal.
Slowly looking better.
Still a long way to go.
Metal cover is out in the back.
Removing musty smelling Victorian paper and mucilage, back to pine.
F
After a lot of steel brushing, steel wooling, sanding, I finally got all the paint and rust off the outside, so it's down to bare metal.
Slowly looking better.
Still a long way to go.
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 45,923
Likes: 8,395
From: Mish-she-gan
When I was restoring my 1960 MGA back in 1972 (it was a $200 car), I used Rustoleum paint on nearly everything since I didn't have a compressor at the time. Did the frame, seat rails, you name it and 32 years later it was still holding up great! Good stuff.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 988
Likes: 13
Nice old trunk!!!
Something to consider--Minwax makes a "Wipe On Poly" that is very similar to tung oil and easier to use--- it just wipes on with a rag and soaks into the wood like tung oil--comes in satin and gloss sheen. I've used the satin on several old furniture pieces and it works very well.
A tip to help with the old musty smell is to use cedar shavings-- you can pick up a big bag at any pet store for a few bucks (it's used for hamster/ small animal bedding)-- just dump it into the trunk and leave it (a few months if possible). It'll neutralize the smell and leave a faint cedar odor when you dump it out.
Something to consider--Minwax makes a "Wipe On Poly" that is very similar to tung oil and easier to use--- it just wipes on with a rag and soaks into the wood like tung oil--comes in satin and gloss sheen. I've used the satin on several old furniture pieces and it works very well.
A tip to help with the old musty smell is to use cedar shavings-- you can pick up a big bag at any pet store for a few bucks (it's used for hamster/ small animal bedding)-- just dump it into the trunk and leave it (a few months if possible). It'll neutralize the smell and leave a faint cedar odor when you dump it out.
