I want to make a box to put my knives in. So far I don't have any carbon steel blades but I plan on changing that soon. What's the best way to go about doing this? I was planning on lining it with foam. A guy I know suggested just buying a fire proof box does that sound better?
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Building a box
- Thread starter Locust
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That's very situation dependent something like a fireproof gun safe but small sized for your knife collection would be ideal. A simple foam with cloth cover would work absolutely fine. Is this for long term storage of safe queen knives or just secure storage for users?
They are all users. (I have heard the term "safe queen" before but not the definition. I assume you mean expensive knives that never get used.) I have been keeping them in a drawer but it's kind of crowded with other stuff and not well organized.
I want to be able to organize them and transport them in the same unit. My main concern is that I want to avoid doing something stupid that would result in certain steels corroding.
My plan was to get some lumber or use an old box around the house, line it, and add a lock. Does that sound good?
I want to be able to organize them and transport them in the same unit. My main concern is that I want to avoid doing something stupid that would result in certain steels corroding.
My plan was to get some lumber or use an old box around the house, line it, and add a lock. Does that sound good?
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Depending one the steel and intended use a coat of oil (mineral oil if used for food), will keep ANY steel blade nice. I like TuffCloth's for a coating on my Strider SnG which I edc. If you intend to use it for transporting knives too you have to have a system to restrain the knives. Otherwise having a sturdy light weight container are you're only constraints.
cj65
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Pelican makes some water tight cases that are really good. www.casesbypelican.com
The one I have has the foam cut into squares so you can remove a certain width and depth to custom fit anything you want in them. Just a thought.
cj
The one I have has the foam cut into squares so you can remove a certain width and depth to custom fit anything you want in them. Just a thought.
cj
Bill DeShivs
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Don't store your knives or guns in or on foam! Especially bad are the foam-lined plastic cases. They are designed for transport, not storage. The foam can absorb moisture from the air, and it can also react with lubricants.
A fire safe traps moisture also.
A knife roll is probably what you need.
A fire safe traps moisture also.
A knife roll is probably what you need.
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got me a KENNEDY machinists box in a pawn shop. keep it in the house in a spare bedroom. LOCKED!!! screwed down to a end table. gonna take a long time to fill it up. should be fun.
Bill DeShivs
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Knife rolls are specially made items. They are available for about $20 from most dealers and knifemaking suppliers. Here are some: http://www.eknifeworks.com/webapp/e...SearchText=knife+roll&Search.x=15&Search.y=12
Use the cloth ones. But-always inspect your knives frequently.
Use the cloth ones. But-always inspect your knives frequently.
Bill DeShivs
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I don't think they make rolls for fixed blades.
Whatever you get/make, soft cotton cloth or felt under the knives, and air should circulate.
You can get nice wooden tool/collector's chests from Harbor Freight or Grizzly.
Whatever you get/make, soft cotton cloth or felt under the knives, and air should circulate.
You can get nice wooden tool/collector's chests from Harbor Freight or Grizzly.
There are absolutely knife rolls for fixed blade knives, you can get them at any better kitchen supply place or at a knife store that sells kitchen knives. Some cover the whole knife, some only the blade, some are slot in and some are snap open for each knife.
A knife roll may not be as sexy as a nice box, but it is a very good way to transport knives, and is much more portable. For example maybe you need to run out of the house with just a few essentials because of a fire or some such; which would you rather have to carry with your boxes of documents, photos, etc.: a box or a roll?
A lot of chefs that use carbon steel knives put those little packets of silica that you get every time you buy electronics or wool in with the knives in the roll. Once in a while you rotate them so the silica packets dry out. I have no idea how that would work with natural handles like bone or wood though, so use some due dilligence.
A knife roll may not be as sexy as a nice box, but it is a very good way to transport knives, and is much more portable. For example maybe you need to run out of the house with just a few essentials because of a fire or some such; which would you rather have to carry with your boxes of documents, photos, etc.: a box or a roll?
A lot of chefs that use carbon steel knives put those little packets of silica that you get every time you buy electronics or wool in with the knives in the roll. Once in a while you rotate them so the silica packets dry out. I have no idea how that would work with natural handles like bone or wood though, so use some due dilligence.
IMO "keeping locked" and "transporting" are two different animals.
The box or safe would be best for the first, a roll for the second--it keeps the knives from shifting and knocking together.
If you want to squish the knives in a box, then dacron padding under the cloth/felt/velvet covering is better than foam. But beware, as Bill says, any padding will absorb some moisture in warm moist conditions and then give it back out when the temperature drops. Note that this includes leather sheaths too!
Good sheepskin can work too, and the natural lanolin in the wool helps.
It doesn't really matter whether the folders are open or closed--as long as the springs are at minimum tension. Half-open is a no-no.
Greg
The box or safe would be best for the first, a roll for the second--it keeps the knives from shifting and knocking together.
If you want to squish the knives in a box, then dacron padding under the cloth/felt/velvet covering is better than foam. But beware, as Bill says, any padding will absorb some moisture in warm moist conditions and then give it back out when the temperature drops. Note that this includes leather sheaths too!
Good sheepskin can work too, and the natural lanolin in the wool helps.
It doesn't really matter whether the folders are open or closed--as long as the springs are at minimum tension. Half-open is a no-no.
Greg