Vintage tool storage box fabric?

[Rwilliams]

Long ago, many of the precision tool providers supplied many of their tools in elegant fabric lined boxes that would last for decades. Today many boxes are a crude plywood with some foam that is just enough to provide a shipping container from factory to the end purchaser.

Plan is to make up a custom wood storage box for a tool being constructed. Rather than just the more simple wood interior, I would like to purchase the more correct fabric to emulate that which was used back before pride and quality was eliminated to save cost. Any idea what fabric was the fabric of choice for lining of the vintage tool storage boxes?

[pete]

Velvet was used on some high end metrology equipment, the much more common though would have been a proper wool and NOT synthetic felt. Pre 1950's or so? I suspect most of it was glued down with a hide glue.

[TimTheGrim]

My original Machinist box was a 1974 Craftsman with the velvetine plastic drawer liners that dry out and crack after a couple decades. I just bought a nice used duplicate off CL and the liners were toast. I found some nice black velvet card stock at Hobby Lobby that I cut to size and so far I’m pretty pleased with how it lays flat and feels.

You can buy a yard of felt at HL too and use that if you’re looking for a top quality presentation.

[GlennW]

Wool/Rayon tool box felt.
https://www.mcmaster.com/felt/soft-felt-lining-sheets/