I faced the same decision when we remodeled. Estimates to completely redo the guts & re-chrome my O'Keefe & Merritt was $2k. The more I thought about it the more I decided I'd rather go with new. It was a pure pleasure cooking on it for 26 years though.

Look under antique gas stove restoration. I'll add a link.

My dh's solution to the broken hinge problem was a wooden wedge. I used the oven that way for years. ;)

You can see it in this pic...

Here is a link that might be useful: antique gas stoves

natal - I have to use a wedge to keep the door of a side compartment shut on my old stove, too. Only I use a piece of wadded up cardboard! I don't know why it won't stay shut, hinges are fine, just been that way forever. Too funny.

I'm envious of both your stoves, you have the original top piece with timers (and clocks?). I know mine had one at one time because the holes are there where it attached, wonder whatever happened to it. Never thought about looking for a replacement.

Sooz, I love your stove; hope you can get it updated.

Oh, natal, thanks so much for including a pix of the wooden wedge!! As I was scrolling down, reading the responses, I thought to myself "gee I wonder what the wedge looks like" --your picture is worth a thousand words!

I also came across that site you linked. Gorgeous stoves!

What "new" stove did you end up getting?

Schoolhouse, I'd think the cardboard would show even more scorching than the wooden wedge! Little idiosyncrasies of our vintage stoves, yes? Mine never did have a top piece, and the outlet has always been too far away for me to plug in the clock. (sigh) I love my old stove!

Smiles,
Sooz

See the link below, information and parts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Possible spring source

The cardboard works in my case because it's not keeping an oven door shut, just a compartment door - but it isn't the nicest looking. I think I'll go find a thin piece of wood to make a wedge, too. :)

hi Sooz,
I found all the spare parts I needed for my 1949 OKM at an internet shop associated with the Old Appliance Club. I'll link the exact page below with their Wedgewood door springs and contact information. They are extraordinarily helpful and I had excellent experience with their products (canopy springs, new thermostat, new broiler safety, new insulation, new gaskets etc.) They walk you through the installation process with lots of hand-holding and clear written instructions.

Email them with a picture and measurements of the spring and they will either have one in stock or create one to match. It's not expensive, maybe $12 or so.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wedgewood door springs

Depending on where you are located, there may be some viable options for repair. I have a vintage Chambers. The chamberstoves.net has a good list of parts and service places. Most of these have parts for many different brands. I have never used any of these and you may need to google addresses or phone numbers for them. Here's some to check out:

Belgrove Appliance, Yonkers New York - Owner Carlita Belgrove aka "The Stove Lady"

Central Range Service, Bayside New York (718)776-4800

Antique Stove Hospital, Little Compton, Rhode Island for stoves up to 1930

Andrews Range Service, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (412)766-8115

Antique Stoves, Tekonsha, Michigan aka Old Appliance Club

Antique Appliances, Clayton, Georgia

Antique Range Restoration Phoenix, Arizona

Classical Gas Antique Stoves, Sahuarita, Arizona

Tulsa Stove Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Antique Stove Shop, Ventura, California

Antiue Stoves, Culver City, California

Johnny's Classic Ranges, Sonoma, California

Lloyd's Appliances, San Gabriel, California

Sooz, I got a 36" Wolf. I love it, but it's not as easy to keep clean as the O'Keefe & Merritt.

We started the remodel the year after Hurricane Katrina and the only stove restorer in our area was already inundated with old stoves from New Orleans. Another reason why I opted to go new.

If you find a good antique stove repair person, you might be surprised. My 1940 Wedgewood was burning 100 degrees too hot (yes!!) and I got it fixed for $100, along with a tune-up.

I need help with a stove hinge repair for the oven door. The hinge was soldered in the past and now has broken again and the solder is making the door close poorly. The stove is porcelain and says crown buffet on it. Any ideas of how I can find repair or replacement hinge?

I have this exact model stove, and I wonder if you know what year yours is from?

I need help with my wedgewood also, same model, oven doesn't light. Pilot is on. Doesn't seem to be getting gas.

Ginger, if the burner/grill/broiler pilots are on but not the oven pilot (it has its own), it might be your safety valve -- look inside the warming drawers, etc, and see if it's mounted somewhere inside there. You hold down the red button and let it out slowly as you light the oven pilot. These darned pickle safety valves are the one thing that have broken twice on my own old OKM stove, still in regular daily heavy use in my house. (There's a dude out in CA who can repair them, name escapes me but easy to google and locate him.)

If the oven pilot works but the oven element isn't lighting when you turn up the oven dial, it may mean there's a blockage, usually gunk in one of the holes that feeds the gas or air to the oven element (or else the pilot has been knocked around and bent somehow too far away to reach the element). Get a flashlight and open the floor of the oven to take a look. To clean, *turn off the gas completely for safety*, get a sharp darning needle (a toothpick is the right size but may break off and make things worse) and clean each tiny hole.