In this video, I restored an abandoned travel suitcase made in Romania.
More about the restoration/transformation process:
I received this old travel suitcase from a follower in Romania. He found it in the attic of an old house; it had been abandoned there for a long time. I can't say precisely how old it is, but I found online that it is made between 40s and 60s.
This wooden suitcase was mandatory in those days for Romanian recruits. It was mandatory to have one because you could keep your belongings in it locked, and there would be no discussion or suspicions about stealing. If something was missing and the suitcase was found broken, it was theft; if found unlocked, it was negligence. (that was the mentality).
There was also a tradition; when the recruit was to come back home after finishing his military stage, he had to give it to younger guys who were to serve in the army. The logo, on the hinges is the trademark of the factory URBIS. I tried to find details about it but couldn't find anything; perhaps it just disappeared like many other brands in Romania after the fall of the iron curtain. The space where I put that water bottle at the end was used to keep your things for personal hygiene, blades for shaving, shaving cream, aftershave, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, etc.

The restoration process:
It was uneventful but thorough. Many parts were damaged due to water and time, especially the top and metal elements. The whole project took almost two weeks.
I had to replace the top and the bottom and cover them with a new veneer. Then I doublestained the suitcase with cherry tree stain at first and then with darker wood stain to obtain a vintage look.
The handle and hinges were also in very bad shape. All the metallic parts were sandblasted, and then I used a brass spray to protect them from corrosion. The handle stayed for 3 days in 96% alcohol to get rid of the nasty glue spilled on it, and then I polished it using a plastic polishing paste. It turned out like new!
This project became even more challenging because shortly before I started filming, I was contacted by a company that manufactures portable photovoltaic generators/panels. They offered to send me a complete system to do some tests, and I immediately accepted because I had been dreaming of such a system for my workshop for a long time.
I charged the battery 100%, and all the lights and tools I used were powered by the S2000 Solar System from Allpowers.
I didn't get paid for it, but instead asked for a discount for your interested parties and got a 20%.
More details here:
All powers S2000pro power station: https://reurl.cc/EojARn
Solar panel: https://reurl.cc/qLVEk3
20% Off coupon code: 2RSR20

I hope you enjoy this restoration project. I enjoyed working on it and am thrilled with how it turned out; it was highly satisfying!
Please ask me if you have any questions about what I used and why! I answer them all!

Cheers! Johnny.

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