First make sure the water is turned off. Partially open the faucet to make sure.

That chrome trim is removable. Just turn it CCW. Those two flat spots (on the brass) are for a wrench. Be sure to use the correct size wrench, so you don't 'round' over the brass.

After the chrome trim is removed I believe you will see a six sided place for a wrench. There is rarly enough clearance for a normal wrench or socket but they sell a set of thin wall sockets for less than $20 at plumbing supply stores and old fashion hardware stores. Make certan facuet is partly open while useing the wrench (both removing and replacing) otherwise the stem can bind up and be damaged. One the stem is out you will see a four or six sided hole in center of removable seat. Six side can be unscrewed with regular hex wrench. Four side can "usually" be removed with a wood bit from an old fashion brace and bit but special wrenches are sold for both. The trickest part of the job is finding exact replacement seats but do not compermise and use one that's close and don't waste your time smoothing old seats,they will just go bad again in a few months. If you have a hardware store with men in aprons,they are your best bet for all the parts,tools and tips that klem overlooked or never learned. At any rate there are too many seats with threads so close that the eye can't tell the difference,man in apron will screw yours into a "seat guage"assuring you get exact fit. Back to the two sided wrench flats in pic,that's a packing nut that adjusts compression of packing on stem to prevent leaks at handle. While you're at it,back stem out to max then remove packing nut and lub stem with grease,handles will turn smoother and eaiser. After stems are installed but before trim and handle are,tun on water pressure and adjust nut so stem doesn't leak and is easy to turn,don't over tighten or packing housing can crack. If packing can not be satisfactorly adjusted,man in apron has "string packing" to wrap onto and in addition to old packing.

I would not try to remove the seat, unless it is cracked or worn. Usually it's just the washer. I'd try to get all new cartridges. Sometimes (especially the hot side) they have a lot of scale.

Thanks very much for your advice. I was hoping that the chrome would not have to come off. Right there is where the tile is cracked the worst. I guess if more damage occurs, I will have to try a repair plate. I hope that they are large enough to cover it.

Not wanting to lead you fartur out on the ice but here's a couple of tips for dealing with tile hack jobs. Tile setters use nippers to cut curved openings and some don't do a neat job. I use a carbide grit hole saw to score tile so that a defined hole can be chipped in tile tile. Related to your mentioning "repair plate",here's how I handled a few similar to yours. Where matching tile wasn't availabe I retiled behind fixture with harmonizing color in a semetrical pattern. If fixture pretrude's far enough ,decorative tile or ceramic madalions can be adheared over existing tile with holes cut through both. In the latter case scratch glazed surface with wet-dry paper and use thinset with additive to get a bond. If you wind up useing a chrome plate,caulk only from 12 oclock to 9&3,leave lower edge of plate uncaulked in case stem leaks water can escape. Best of luck to you. If it helps,I to would rather "invite" people to work around my place but like you I continue doing it myself to assure it's not messed up.

Excellent suggestions, klem1. This whole bathroom needs to be ripped out and everything replaced so my investment will be limited. It is in very bad shape.

Good deal ionz,when it come's time to rip and replace,think twice about installing a single handle tub facuet until you read the complaints about hot-cold cross-over.

Thanks , geoffrey and Klem. I got er fixed. It was dripping fast for a while, then turned to a solid run. I had a lot on my plate for a couple of weeks due to being out of town due to a death in the family. I was turning off the DHW at the water heater between uses for a few days. They did not have the Kohler parts at the local HDWE store, nor at Home Depot. The former suggested a plumbing supply place and when I called on Memorial day, they said that they'd be open until their regular time. @#$%, when I got there, they were closed at least 2 hours early after I drove through a deluge of rain to get there.. I stopped at Lowes on my way back to work and, wonder of wonders, they had the right part for the ca. 1960 faucet. (I see that the one for cold is different from the hot side.)

I do have to go and try to find a repair plate. Some of the tile came apart and I have a ziploc bag taped on with duct tape to act as a flashing. It works, but you can imagine how shoddy it looks.

I was sure you could whip it. If you get into replacing backer board behind tile give strong consideration to "Hardi-Backer". Yep,good ol James Hardie product specifly for backing tile in wet locations.

There is wire lath behind the tiles now. The rest of the original walls are rock lath. We've got very little drywall-type stuff.

Wow! I have never worked with lath & plaster but seen it in older high quility homes. I was in a home a few years ago with prestine origional black tile on lath from 1960. I was awed.

Now that I think about it, this is not the original bathroom. It was originally a 2 br, 1 bath house. There are additions and they added 1 1/2 baths for a total of 2 1/2. I wish the tile was in good shape. Place was built in 1949 and baths moved around ca. 1960.=

Shoulda taken a pick for you. It looks like this although I am not sure the hot water version of this is the one that I bought:

6N-2C Cold Stem for Kohler Faucets

http://www.danco.com/product/6n-2c-cold-stem-for-kohler-faucets/

Well I flubbed the instructions on removeing stems. That is a cartridge and those two flats are indeed what hold's cartridge in place. I spect you already figured this out but the difference in H&C is turn direction of on/off. I would think Lowes can order the other cartridge if needed.

Lowes has both cartridges. Now, I noticed that the knob does not fit correctly. It is too loose so I probably have to go to a plumbing supply place anyway. I'll have to think about whether I can transfer the wear items from the new one to the old one.