In 2014 my Grandfather Verdun passed away at the age of 98. The task of sorting through his belongings fell to my parents and I.
Verdun was an engineer so had many tools and a garage full of interesting things he had collected over the years. One of the boxes of tools in the corner of the garage had suffered from years of being in the damp. The tools inside were beyond saving but the box was pretty sound. I brought the box home and it sat in my cellar for a while.
Recently, I decided to have a go at cleaning up the box to use to store family photographs and memories.
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- trunk in it’s “original” state
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- All the metal parts were heavily rusted
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- Getting these screws out might be a problem
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- You can just make out some lettering here
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- With a light sanding, the original lettering is revealed
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- Some of the screws really don’t want to come out
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- A bit of penetrating oil
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- Finally, movement
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- These hinges have seen better days.
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- That’s all the metal bits off
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- Time for the wire brush wheel on the grinder
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- Metal band from the lid
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- After a little brushing
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- Not as bad as I first thought
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- I think I need a new lock
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- No key, and falling to pieces
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- Shiny metal
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- Time to Sand
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- Coming up nicely
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- The lid, doweled and glued
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- New stencil to match the original lettering
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- New lock in place
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- Now it locks
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- New chest hinges look the business
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- New leather straps
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- Re-assembled
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- Applying the new stencil
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- That’s come out nice
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- Looking good
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- First coat of Antique Pine varnish
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- More varnish
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- And here it is
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- This should last another hundred years
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- Ready to fill with memories
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- Arthur Alfred would be pleased
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- I wonder what went in here
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- A nice sheen to the finish
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- I do like wood
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- There you have it.
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- Sergeant Major Arthur Alfred Cooper. R.F.A.
The trunk belonged to my Great, Great Grandfather, Arthur Alfred Cooper who was a Regimental Sergeant Major in the Royal Field Artillery. He travelled all over the place including India. I wonder where this box has been?