Gerstner boxes

[vintage chromoly]

Hello all.
I’ve had a sort of fascination with these old machinists boxes for some time.
I have a nice 11 drawer that I bought a few years ago.
Yesterday, I snagged 3 seven drawer boxes. 2 oak and one walnut (the walnut if fairly hard to come by).

The oak and the walnut were never used. The other oak was used and full of goodies, and in fantastic shape.

 

[33 IMP]

We had a nice wood toolbox like that, in the stock room at work, filled with the same sort of stuff as yours.
Im guessing it got sold at auction when the business folded.

 

[zyzzyx]

I bought a Gerstner top and bottom in the mid Eighties for my "special" Machinist
tools and my Handbook. It's an Oak set and don't think I'll ever get rid of it. I bought
a 1947 Gerstner Machinist box of a retiree about fifteen years ago and I want to
refinish it for in the house. Nice pieces!

 

[Ranger16]

NICE!!!
Color me green..................with envy.

 

[padam]

I bought a set Walnut Gerstners for myself when I finished my apprenticeship. I babied those things, but they are tough to keep nice, some of the places I worked were pretty rough.

Finally after one of my more imbecilic bosses sprayed coolant all over them, I sold them off and bought a beat up Kennedy.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

Very cool

 

[themechanic]

Kennedy was popular in the 80s when I was a machinist.

 

[GMP440]

Harbor Freight sells knockoffs of those. Saw them there last week.

 

[Nate S]

An uncle of mine sold his company back 30 years ago. He had bought the master toolmaker’s Gerstner boxes with contents when the guy had retired a few years prior. People always borrowed from the MT so my uncle figured it would be good to keep them around.

Anyway, I get a call from him one evening and head over to his house. He’s got the boxes and wants to keep them because he likes the way they look. Doesn’t have any use for their contents though! He gave me the whole bunch! I’ve used that stash for years now. Went and bought a couple Waterloo boxes and filled them up.

 

[Hemirunner]

Hello all.
I’ve had a sort of fascination with these old machinists boxes for some time.
I have a nice 11 drawer that I bought a few years ago.
Yesterday, I snagged 3 seven drawer boxes. 2 oak and one walnut (the walnut if fairly hard to come by).

The oak and the walnut were never used. The other oak was used and full of goodies, and in fantastic shape.

It’s hard enough to find one, where did ya find three?

 

[vintage chromoly]

A coworker’s dad was a machinist. He’s been telling me about them for years.
His mom finally passed, and the family was cleaning out the estate. Nobody had interest in them.
I got the call, and I bought all 3. I couldn’t leave any behind.

It’s hard enough to find one, where did ya find three?

 

[padam]

I bought a set Walnut Gerstners for myself when I finished my apprenticeship. I babied those things, but they are tough to keep nice, some of the places I worked were pretty rough.

Finally after one of my more imbecilic bosses sprayed coolant all over them, I sold them off and bought a beat up Kennedy.

Speak of the devil, opened my box today and saw that someone bent one of the clasps. How does that even happen?

 

[70chall440]

I have one of those, not sure who made it (will have to look). I got mine from a buddy whose dad was a machinist and had passed. It was full of machinist tools which I really didn't know how to use but have learned since then. They are very well made although I don't think they are super durable due to the wood and all but they are definitely cool.

 

[padam]

Speak of the devil, opened my box today and saw that someone bent one of the clasps. How does that even happen? View attachment 1022604

And today...

 

[Ironbuilt]

They are very nice, almost perfect condition. Congratulations.

 

[Fizz66Coronet]

There is one for sale Detroit Craigslist from the 1930's $500