Old trunk.Is it worth restoring?

[Keith]

The home we live in,belong to my wife's Great Uncle.This trunk was here when we moved here.It's been stuck in a closet,for who knows how long.I got it out and wiped it up a little.I really like these type of trunks,however not knowing anything about these,I just wonder if it is worth trying to restore.I would also like to know about the age.It has my wife's Great Grandfather initials written on the inside of the lid.It also has 1897,written on the inside of the lid.It is definitely not in very good condition.Maybe there is some web site that i could get some info about restoring old trunks.

Thanks,God bless,Keith

[KC]

Keith, your key words to finding your answer are already here....you said that you like it.  If you have the time and desire....that is most of the battle!

Can you post some inside pics and more outside pics...that will help "forumites" to answer you best!  That way we can see damage/wear, etc.

[railman44]

Camel-back trunks are usually always worth restoring.  Lots of people like to put them at the foot of their bed.  Plus, this is an heirloom.  Yes, I would restore it.

[Keith]

Thanks for the replies.Does anyone know about when it was made.While taking some more pic,I noticed the name of the store that sold the trunk.I am almost sure the store was here in my home town.My neighbor is 92,and a good friend of mine.I'm going to talk to him,and hope he can give me some info.
Here is some other pic.Hope they help.
Also which most may know,the outside is covered with a metal skin.

[regularjoe2]

Two of the most common 'big problem' areas I've run into with this type of item are :
Penatrative mildew/molds/fungus and dry-rot .

I've seen a few that folks spent lots of effort on (with these kinds of problems) , that wound up literally just falling apart .

Doing a little poking around on the wood , esp. at main support points (hinges,corners,base,brackets etc.) with a sharp sewing needle might help you assess for some hidden 'surprises' .

If your item is fragile or 'flexy' , you may have a large project on your hands ...if it's solid , you may be able to preserve it for an extended lifetime !

[railman44]

If the trunk belonged to me and the wood was stable, I would just restore the wood by a coat of clear varnish and leave all the metal alone.  Try and make sure you leave all writing, etc. so it can still be read. 

[Keith]

Thanks guys,I stuck around at all the wood,and thankfully it all seems to be solid.

After checking,I think I can take my time and replace the leather on the handles myself.Unless someone thinks this is not advisable,however i feel comfortable with doing so.
I would also like to know,what if anything can i do to the lock on the front?That is the worst part,and is damaged pretty bad,but maybe it's better left alone.
The last thing that I thought was neat,I had found some old keys inside,and the original key to the lock was on the ring.I have posted a pic.

[railman44]

I would try to find an old beat-up cheap trunk with decent leather.  Or, search for a way to "destress" new leather.  New leather that looks new would stick out like a sore thumb.  My .02 pesos.

[regularjoe2]

Good advise from railman .

The lock is a rather cheap affair , and dis-assembly is what I'd do - but I was a locksmith when going through college .
Short of disassembly , you could use clean compressed air to help blow out the residues in the lock (prob. have to do it several/many times) & I'd suggest that you use a couple of drops of iso alcohol 90% in the lock when doing so .
Make sure you have some sort of absorbent rag for catching the 'mud' / alcohol etc. , if there's openings in the lock inside of your trunk .
After you think the rust , junk & etc. is clear from the lock , use a silicone spray lubricant (same precautions as above) with the compressed air method (repeat as needed , until no more reside comes out of your lock) .
Do a light 'scrubbing' of your key with fine steel wool , spray the key with the silicone & see if it inserts into the lock - don't force it - and will turn ...you may have to gently rock the key back & forth to get the mechanisim to begin to free-up .... just don't force it , Keith .
If your key does not insert fully , or does not turn , repeat the above procedures -except for the key scrubbing -until it does .

It appears as if there was a hasp installed at one time on your trunk -this might mean that the lock was/is totally broken ... so don't get your hopes too high , as to an easy fix on it ..but, who knows.

[ayashe]

I don't know a darn thing about trunks or how to restore them, just had to say I think it's beautiful! And the keys are lovely too. I think it's definitely worth restoring, keeping, and treasuring. 

[recreel]

I have an old trunk. Not as nice as this one. It belonged to by great grandmother. I replaced the leather  handles by purchasing leather from the Co-op. I don't know if you have one of those where you are at but it is like a farmer/rancher's store. I was able to buy leather that was dark and distressed. It worked perfectly.   

[cogar]

I don't know a darn thing about trunks or how to restore them, just had to say I think it's beautiful! And the keys are lovely too. I think it's definitely worth restoring, keeping, and treasuring. 

Well then, ayashe, the broken lock is its " family personality" and you might think of leaving it "as is". You could even make up a funny story about "who locked the key in the trunk" and had to mangle the lock to get it back open.

[neobux]

Restoring an antique trunk is not a quick or easy project, but it is a rewarding one. You will need some woodworking skills and experience with furniture refinishing.