# The Olde Trunk



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Well awhile back my daughter-in-law brought over and dropped off this old Saratoga trunk she had found in her grandmas attic that she wanted me to make presentable again so she could use it in her bedroom.
It was pretty beat up from years of service, and I asked her if she wanted to preserve the antique value, she wasn't interested in that,she wanted it serviceable and gave me free reign on cleaning it up, her first mistake.

Here is the trunk in all its' glory, kind of smelly,it had an awful odor inside, even some spiders residing behind the paper lining. 
My first task was to get on the internet and search for replacement parts,which I found many on the east coast, especially in the New England Area. So I shot off an order.

I set out first to repair the outside,it was covered with thin leather and then banded with steel strapping. I didnt want to remove all the strapping so I carefully cut out the worst tattered leather and used the scraps to piece in the minor ones by gluing them back in place. I didn't have enough to replace all the leather so left the others bare wood.. 
I took out the lock and ordered a new set of keys.
The banding is clinched nailed with square nails,so ordered a bunch of those to repair the loose and missing ones. 
The leather side handles and front lift tab were gone so ordered new ones of those.
The lid hold open was gone ,and I found out it needed one when the lid slammed on my fingers,OOUUch...Dang that hurt. 
OK better get started, on the next post I will show you the out come. 

Herb


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## dick in ia (Jul 23, 2007)

It looks like the work is about to begin.
Do you have the old lock? 
Were you able to find any info regarding the age -or historic use of the trunk?
Dick


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> kind of smelly,it had an awful odor inside, even some spiders residing behind the paper lining.
> Herb


incinerate some coffee grounds inside of it....

hot plate....
pan....
some water...
a scoop or two of grounds...
boil...
and keep on going past the point of charcoal....
don't stop till they are burnt past smoking..

it works...
even if there had been a body in it for several weeks...
or 20 cats....


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Dick,Yes I had the lock,it was all bent up from someone prying their way into the chest at one time or another and just dangling by one corner. The key had to fit over a pin in the keyway and I had to file some new grooves in the key to make it work,pretty simple lock.

I did some research on these types of trunks and found that they were the travelers staple from the 1800's to the 1920's. The reason that it is called a "Sarratoga" trunk is that this particular style were used by people in NY who traveled to a resort in Saratoga and shipped their belongings for an extended stay. This style was also popular for steamship travel and the rounded top was to prevent stacking heavy loads on top during transit. 
Thanks for the tip Stick,didn't know that, I ended up stripping out all the paper lining and getting down to the bare wood which was unfinished and chasing all the spiders under my workbench, then giving it 2 coats of clear shellac. I think the smell is still there and sealed under the shellac,hope it doesn't come through.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I hate the smell of roasting coffee!
There's a coffee roasting enterprise about a mile away from us, and when the wind comes from the NW, it truly stinks.

You're a man of infinite patience, Herb; well done, Sir.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Herb Stoops said:


> I asked her if she wanted to preserve the antique value, she wasn't interested in that,she wanted it serviceable and gave me free reign on cleaning it up, her first mistake.


Ah yes, can recall asking how someone wanted something done, and been told to do it my way - free rein in other words. And ALWAYS had to redo whatever, because the person wanting the work done wasn't happy with the final result. What I really hated tho was when I finished a job, then was told, "I know that's what I told you, but that's not what I meant".


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

JOAT said:


> Ah yes, I finished a job, then was told, "I know that's what I told you, but that's not what I meant".


heard that more than once....


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Plus 1 with Theo and Stick. I have a guy wanting a fly tying bench now and his instruction are just build it I will like it. I've sent him some suggestions but get the same answer just build me something I'll like it. Ain't going to happen been way down that road before.


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## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

Looks like you have your work cut out for you.
Allen


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## beemor (Feb 29, 2012)

Waiting to see the end result. I have 2 trunks to do - my own fortunately.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

beemor said:


> Waiting to see the end result. I have 2 trunks to do - my own fortunately.


OK, Well here is the outside first.
I repaired all the metal strapping, replaced the clinch nails. This by the way is the proper way to nail on the wooden bumpers and straps if restoring a trunk,I found out. No screws,staples etc. according to the research I found.
You have to hold a heavy hammer inside and pound the head of the nail while the inside hammer bends the point of the nail around into a hook. Kind of like bucking rivets,which were commonly used back in the day. If a lot of this was to be done a bucking tool with a dimple in the face could be used to curl the nail tip around.

After that I applied a thick coat of "Java"General Gel Stain over everything, Metal, oak strips, leather, bare wood, and didn't wipe it off. When it dried, I sprayed it with a can of satin clear poly. 
Then I installed new leather handles, leather lifter on the lid, installed the lock back on with clinched nails, and fit the key. The only key I could get had a hole in the end that was too small diameter so had to drill it out. and then file grooves in the little paddle on it to match the lock. A little oil and it worked fine again.

On the bottom on one end it had these little rollers to move it around. they were steel and about 3/4" in diameter, functional in their day, but totally useless now, especially on carpet. A trunk can get very heavy when it is full. To solve this problem I made a dolly out of white oak, and put casters on it to set the trunk on.
I stained it the same color so it blends in with the trunk.

TaDaa! here it is. 

Next will be the inside, stay tuned.

Herb


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Big difference, Herb....well done.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Very nice Herb.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Here is the inside re-do. 

Seems like the shellac sealer did the job of encasing the smell inside the trunk. I had some red wood scraps left over from previous projects that I decided to line the trunk with. I wanted to line it in Tennessee Red cedar, but the only stock my lumber supplier had was really rough. so proceeded with the redwood. 
I lined the box with 1/2" thick boards w/a T&G edge joint ,they are loose in the bottom and sides only tacked at the top edge. 
Inside the top of the trunk it gets a little dicey because it is barrel shaped and not only bent but tapered . 
I cut the boards to as close to the taper as possible,then layed them on a cooky sheet with a brick in the center, layed towels soaked in boiling water on top and weighted each end. Then kept pouring hot water on them until they bent. Then I would take that board and put another to bend awhile I ran to the shop and hand fitted the first board and tacked the ends with a brad nailer and then get another board. Took several tries on some as they would straighten out as they cooled. Once I got all the boards tacked in place, I fitted some end boards to cover the nails and uneven ends and tacked them into place.
Next I built a new tray and installed a couple of rails for it to sit on.
I left the interior unfinished. 

Done!

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

excellent!!!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The inside looks at least as good as the day it was new, maybe better. Nice job. It's probably good for another 100 years.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Absolutely beautiful.


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