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275552 Kirk Eppler 2022‑05‑09 Kennedy Tool Boxes
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I've been working on a reference for the different features on a vintage
Kennedy tool box, and the one I recently found gave me an excuse to test it
out.  You can download a copy of the KennedyFeatures pdf at the link below.

https://app.box.com/s/j7mg2nsg2wd5lvbc526i8ghcms345kos

If anyone has some good Kennedy literature or provenance that can help
close gaps, I'd love to hear it.

Anyway, here is a vintage Kennedy box I grabbed from a hoarder's estate
sale. This one dates to pre 1947 (see below), but by my calculations based
on catalog features, it is post 1934, when the oval handles disappeared,
and post 1941, when the seal brown finish was first mentioned, and the
first appearance of the 516 Model (16" wide). I need to dig into the 1942
extension slide stop patent to see if that is applicable (and how to remove
the drawers?). This has the metal looking rectangular pulls, lid stay, and
horizontal ribs on the lid, case mounted lock and latches. ( And the U
shaped handle, not shown)

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Tools/Kennedy-Tool-Chests/i-hsmSpdX

I have not cleaned it up enough to see the key number
https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Tools/Kennedy-Tool-Chests/i-Mhqxrvt

Per Erik's obvious request that I obliviously missed originally, here are
the drawer slide differences between my old one, and a newer 528 with the
clips.

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Tools/Kennedy-Tool-Chests/i-8bchT9X

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Tools/Kennedy-Tool-Chests/i-Xr8Cfnh

But here is where it gets fun. As the drawers are a bear to remove, (anyone
know how?) I pulled the drawers full forward, and slowly tipped the box
face down. Then looked under the drawers with a flashlight. Lots of paper
jammed behind them, so with a long pair of needlenose and a screwdriver, I
managed to drag the paper out. There is still a lot of crud under there
that I will try to remove once I figure out how to pull the drawers.

The best part of the paper work is a pay stub for Charles A Mittelman, from
2-14-1947, from The Globe Cloak & Suit Co, 942 Market Street, SF. This tied
in nicely with the requisite metal name tag found in almost every tool box
that lived a shop life.

In 1959, Mittelman founded a sewing machine shop, and it lasted 39 years,
at one point employing 9 people. Looked like he was active in certain
millinery trade groups

https://kirkhmb.smugmug.com/Woodworking/Tools/Kennedy-Tool-Chests/i-PbNjn6p


-- 
Kirk Eppler, running down stairs between meetings to keep the brain active


-- 
Kirk Eppler in Half Moon Bay, CA 

Recent Bios FAQ