K60/K200 Restoration

[FJ432]

Greetings,

New to this site but I have been a lover of old Snap On tool boxes for many years. I recently purchased a K260 combination off the internet and I received it this week. I'm at work right now so I don't have any photos to share at this moment.

The good
All hardware in place except the locking mechanism to the K60.
Piano hinges on the K60 are in good shape and the spot welds are hanging in there
Piano hinges to the K200 are mostly in tack with the bottom section of both doors starting to weaken.
Paint covers most of the box.

The bad
Although paint is in place it has blistering issues over a large portion.
One of the doors to the K200 is sprung and needs to be corrected.
Graffiti spray painted on the back of the box. Not super noticeable but there none the less.
One of the casters has pushed in the bottom of the box and the K200 doesn't sit level. Not a big issue to bang out.
2 of the casters have a flat spot.

These two boxes were a goal of mine to obtain for 2 years now and I understand that I have something special. My pair is a later years pair. So my question to fellow lovers:

I understand that I now own these boxes and I can do whatever I see fit (restoration, powder coat, etc.) and part of me wants to follow this path to make it a more useful box. I'm wrestling with doing this because the current trend in cars and everything is to keep the item original. So....what would you do if you had this combination that needs help and you had the resources to bring this back. Thanks.

[snapmom]

I would restore it. Sometimes its the best choice.

[J.A.F.E.]

In general I tend to leave things as found with a good cleaning. But I have restored things as well.

Whatever will give you the greatest pleasure when using these is the right way to go. Restoring a box is a lot of work but it can be great fun.

[FJ432]

Thanks for your advice everyone. As a test I took one of the small drawers off of the K60 and I cleaned it gently with degreaser, paint cleaner and rubbing compound. It looks pretty good (still some paint blistering but it brightened up) so now I'm thinking I may try this route first before going all in with a restoration.

[tx55]

The blistering paint definitely needs to be addressed. Either bad paint prep on a previous re-do, or chemical contamination such as brake fluid over the years. They are only original once, usually light surface rust or cosmetic issues can be lived with by wiping down with wd40 or light oil, but once the paint begins peeling, I would say you are in for using a lot of patience and to get it done the right way first.
Getting & using some sound advice about stripping, metal repair, extensive surface preparation, and finally some very expert advice on how to obtain as close to a factory finish as possible, in the color of your choice.
Resist the temptation to initiate the process by telling yourself "It's just a toolbox" ...who cares......
trust me.....any shortcuts or hurried process will stand out and you will never be pleased with the results.
Definitely take your time, plan what your intentions for the use of this box will be, the look you are trying to achieve , get all the necessary materials together, create an area you have plenty of room to work in and enjoy yourself. There are many "restorations" out there, everything from a rattle can driveway re-do to a restored box that looks like it just came off the truck.
A photo of the places you mention would certainly help any future advice.

[FJ432]

I forgot to update my restoration efforts on this timeless classic pair from the 1940's:

The first pictures are how I found the boxes.

[FJ432]

These next pictures were taken during the stripping phase:

[FJ432]

These two photos show the end result of powder coating the pair with a greenish gray powder.

[snapmom]

I think you made the best choice. Very nice.

[bsg]

i don't have the propensity to restore a piece that comes to me in it's original state, but a piece that has been previously redone is another animal altogether. much of the beauty of your find is in it's design, and the attention and work you've put into it highlights and showcases that design. great job.