The L.S. Starrett Co. has partnered with H. Gerstner & Sons to offer 120 limited edition, American-made Starrett machinist wooden tool chests. The Starrett 200WCR Chests are replicas of the 1950’s Starrett 200W chest design and will be available to order this year until December 19 for estimated delivery in March 2026 to anywhere in the continental U.S. from Gerstner’s Dayton, Ohio facility.
The offer celebrates the enduring legacy of the Starrett and Gerstner partnership and coincides with Gerstner’s 120th anniversary.
Handcrafted to Gerstner’s exacting specifications for heirloom quality, the Starrett 200WCR Tool Chest is made of sustainable Sapele (a.k.a. African Mahogany) hardwood construction, and all joinery, trim and classic hardware are true-to-original where possible.
The limited edition chests are individually numbered and have been reproduced for size and layout to match the original No. 200W chest. Each chest contains The Starrett Story booklet, a Starrett Decimal-Inch Equivalent Card and a Certificate of Authenticity. Also, to be consistent with the 1950’s chest, the 200WCR Chest includes the Starrett nameplate with its circa 1950 vintage logo and red felt-lined drawers.
From machinists and engineers to woodworkers, DIYers and collectors, the 200WCR chest stands as a reminder of time honored craftmanship and the enduring value of the finest made tools and the chests designed to protect them. The collaboration is a fitting tribute to the generations of toolmakers who shaped the American industrial spirit.
“The new Starrett 200WCR tool chest is a testament to American craftsmanship where quality and durability are paramount,” said Charlie Starrett, director of product management at The L.S. Starrett Company and sixth generation, great-grandson of Arthur Starrett and great-great grandson of company founder, Laroy S. Starrett. “It is not just a place to store tools, it is a conversation, a link to the past, and an honor to the enduring spirit of precision and pride in one’s work.”
Kim Campbell Brown, vice president of sales and marketing at H. Gerstner & Sonsc, said that they are thrilled to partner again with Starrett and to continue the "relationship developed nearly 70 years ago between Arthur Starrett and my great grandfather, Harry Gerstner when they first worked together to offer machinists’ tool chests, essential for skilled tradesmen to protect and organize their precision instruments.
“Similar to Starrett being the only company still manufacturing a full line of precision tools and gages in the U.S.A., Gerstner is the last American manufacturer of wooden tool chests from the early 20th century.”
For more details about the Starrett | Gerstner Limited Edition, visit the toolbox webpage.
