To Chrome or not to chrome

[mitchell172]

Hello all. I'm in the middle of doing metal work on a K-60/K-200 setup I'm restoring. While I replacing rusted metal and broken hinges, I've been thinking of the final color scheme. I'm going to use the original snap-on red for the body but then I started thinking about the hardware. The outer handles on the sides of the top K-60 were originally black on my box with stainless flathead screws. The handle of the front of the K-60 lid was black and the keyhole plain metal. The double handles on the lower box at the front were chrome. I started thinking about that. The only thing chrome originally were the double handles on this setup on the outside. Once you lift the lid of top box, the smaller side drawers have chrome knobs and all other handles are black on the top and bottom boxes. Now that I've told you all this info it is to tell you this....

I'm thinking of rechroming the double handles of the bottom box and then taking that all over the box - chroming the K-60 side handles and screws and all the drawer handles so there is uniformity on the toolbox. It doesn't seem as if Snap-on had a definite color scheme in mind but altered things as the war happened going away from chrome, etc. I understand why but I wonder what they would have done given the chance. I'm just thinking it will look more balanced and more attractive rather than black hardware on some parts and chrome on the other parts. I've also ordered new wheels for it from a KRL 756 box. They are black wheels with large metal centers but I'd rather have authentic snap-on wheels on it even if modern. I plan on keeping the toolbox for the rest of my life. If that is my strategy, what are your opinions on my logic/plan as fellow collectors? Your opinions are the only ones I value in addition to mine. After I'm dead and gone and my family sells the box, will folks see the chrome and wonder what I was thinking or will it not impact the potential future value in a negative way? Thanks for reading my ramblings.

Brad

[funkyfullwidth]

Well, i'm not a professional when it comes to vintage boxes, but if you plan on keeping the box for yourself. Theres no harm as far as i'm concerned to chroming or painting it however you want. these boxes were made to be used not displayed in a musem. If your refinishing it anyway, the "original" value isn't really there anymore. If you were planning on selling it any time, i'm sure that some chrome in good taste wouldn't be too bad.

[mitchell172]

Good point. Thanks!
Brad