WWII Footlocker refinishing

This weekend I received my father's foot locker that he used in WWII. It is in good condition, with some cosmetic problems.

I am looking for ideas from people who have restored one of these old foot lockers.

First there are a couple of area on the outside that seems to be "De laminating" It seems the surfaces is torn loose. Any ideas the best way to fix this?

There are stains on the fabric used for the inside limning. Any ideas on how to clean it.

Finally the outside looks "dusty"? Is there any way to restore it as it was when new.

While Dad did not get the opportunity to do any fighting, he and the footlocker went all over the US, and after the bomb, immediately became part of the occupying forces in Japan. When Dad returned, the locker was stored in the attic of my parents home for old receipts and similar papers, It was used for this purpose until about 10 years ago when Dad died and Mom moved to an apartment.

My idea is to use it for old pictures and papers. ( I am into genealogy and some are recent copies but there are others that may date from the

1820's, Any comments on the appropriateness for this purpose.
Reply to
k-nuttle
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k-nuttle wrote the following:

Leave it as is. It'll probably be worth more in the future than if you messed with it.

Reply to
willshak

If it was anything like my footlocker, it came that way ...

Reply to
Lobby Dosser

The plywood would probably have been assembled with animal glue, and the delamination is normal, because fungus slowly attacks this glue. Maybe a freeze or heat cycle can be arranged, to kill the fungus (and at least slow the process). Museum conservators might use methylene bromide...

As for the 'dusty' look, wartime paint was like that.

Reply to
whit3rd

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