DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MACHINIST TOOL CHEST OR CASE - NOTHING, JUST CLEAN, REFINISH OR GO FOR A FULL RESTORATION.
This decision can only be made by you, the owner. It strongly depends on what you see as its intended use and your abilities. If you intend to use it or if it’s a keepsake and you like its existing look, then use as is or perhaps refresh it with a good cleaning, polishing and possibly replace the felt leaving the original Patina. Refinishing means you can remove the existing rust and polish the existing hardware to look new again, replace the felt and put an additional finish on the wood, but leave the wood’s ‘distressed’ look. Wanting it to look new again, then do a full restoration where it all looks new. It’s up to you, only.
It is just about impossible to find original hardware parts, especially front panels and/or locks and they are frequently missing. The best thing to do is to start shopping for a junker that has the parts you need and hope you can get it cheaply. But the shipping costs may not allow that. Try eBay, other auction sites, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Garage Sales and local for sale sites. Leatherette covered chests and cases are the least expensive to buy for hardware because hardly anyone can repair or replace the leatherette and have it look decent again, one tough job.
Forums
There are two online forums covering wood machinist tool chests –
(1) Antique & Vintage Wooden Tool Chests & Cases (1890-1975+) | Facebook and
(1) Gerstner & Sons Owners Group | Facebook (not Gerstner affiliated)
Historical Research
If you have an interest in doing some of your own historical research, here’s the best place to start - Internet Archive Search: H. Gerstner & Sons . Once here, you may also search for any other manufacturer that you wish. It’s a great site with a lot of historical information.