Question about dresser drawers

I inherited this very old chest of drawers from my grandfather. I am a novice to the world of antiques. During a move a few of these little wood pieces that acted as a buffer between the drawers the the piece came loose and got lost. Now the drawers do not open as easily and I fear that opening the drawers without the little wood pieces (what are they called?) will damage the piece over time. What should I do? Thank you.

 

Those wood blocks (stops) are designed to simply prevent the drawer from being pushed too far in, and should not affect ease of sliding in/out. You can replace with scrap wood and wood glue. If drawers don't open as easily as they used to before move, it could be moisture differences in your new versus old location? Humid locations will cause wood to swell.

Difficulty getting drawers in and out is typically due to wear on the runners that the bottom of the drawer sides run along. Applying wax (use a block of parrafin or bees wax) on the bottom sides and runners can improve this. If that doesn't work, look at each drawer carefully - and use a piece of paper to see where they are sticking.

 

Thank you so much! I will try that!

 

If you've not got wax, a candle will do it.