WWII Footlocker refinishing
k-nuttle
This weekend I received my father's foot locker that he used in
WWII. It is in good condition, with some cosmetic problems.
My idea is to use it for old pictures and papers. Some papers are
recent copies but there are others that may date from the 1820's,
Any comments on the appropriateness of using this for genealogy
significant papers.
Also I am looking for ideas from people who have restored one of
these old foot lockers.
First there are a couple of area on the outside that seems to be "De
laminating" It seems the surfaces is torn loose. Any ideas the
best way to fix this?
There are stains on the fabric used for the inside limning. Any
ideas on how to clean it?
Finally the outside looks "dusty"? Is there any way to restore it
as it was when new.
While Dad did not get the opportunity to do any fighting, he and the
footlocker went all over the US, and after the bomb, immediately
became part of the occupying forces in Japan. When Dad returned,
the locker was stored in the attic of my parents home for old
receipts and similar papers. It was used for this purpose until
about 10 years ago when Dad died and Mom moved to an apartment.
------- End of Forwarded Message
k-nuttle <keith_...@sbcglobal.net>
kyounge1956
> This weekend I received my father's foot locker that he used in
> WWII. It is in good condition, with some cosmetic problems.
>
> recent copies but there are others that may date from the 1820's,
> Any comments on the appropriateness of using this for genealogy
> significant papers.
>
> Also I am looking for ideas from people who have restored one of
> these old foot lockers.
>
> First there are a couple of area on the outside that seems to be "De
> best way to fix this?
>
> ideas on how to clean it?
>
> as it was when new.
>
> While Dad did not get the opportunity to do any fighting, he and the
> footlocker went all over the US, and after the bomb, immediately
> the locker was stored in the attic of my parents home for old
> about 10 years ago when Dad died and Mom moved to an apartment.
>
I think the first thing I'd do is call a museum or historical
society and ask them, or a local archivists' group if there is one
where you live. I wish I'd known about your Dad's footlocker last
weekend. I could have asked the archivists at the roadshow for you.
My own inclination would be to re-adhere the areas of the exterior
and the lining that are de-laminating, and do what's necessary to
keep them from coming unstuck again. I would find out whether the
dusty look is just dust or if the paint is deteriorating=97if the
latter, I'd again ask the museum or archivists what to do to keep it
from breaking down any more. Then I'd stop. I wouldn't try to make
the footlocker look like it did when it was new. IMO, the wear and
tear are part of its history.
kyounge1956 <karen...@earthlink.net>
J. Hugh Sullivan
k-nuttle <keith_...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Also I am looking for ideas from people who have restored one of
> these old foot lockers.
I would like to help but nothing works on my Navy seabag from WWII.
> While Dad did not get the opportunity to do any fighting, he and the
> footlocker went all over the US, and after the bomb, immediately
> became part of the occupying forces in Japan.
If he was in Tokyo in Oct-Dec 1945 I might have seen him. If he was
in Yokosuka he probably saw the USS Lexington CV-16.
Good Luck on the refinishing - your dad would be proud that you are
using it.
Hugh
Ea...@bellsouth.net (J. Hugh Sullivan)
k-nuttle
Interestingly after Dad returned in 1947, the trunk went into the
attic where Mom used it to store bill and things like that. I am
going to continue the traditions and use it to store Genealogical
paperwork.
Dad was in Yokosuka but I do not believe he was stationed
permanently there. I know he was in Hiroshima for a period. I
believe that his main station was the Itamimi Air Force base in
Osaka.
Something that I did not realize until after he died, we both were
at the Itamimi base in Osaka. I worked for a Japanese company and
trained in Hikari for two one-month periods. Both times I traveled
through the Osaka Air Port which was the Itamimi base after WWII.
Keith Nuttle
k-nuttle <keith_...@sbcglobal.net>