How do you all store your collection?

Scubaroo

Scubaroo

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Joined
Apr 24, 2024
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Hey everyone,

Curious how you all handle storing your collections once they start growing a bit.

- Do you keep everything together in one place, or split things up depending on use/value?
- Do your higher end or sentimental knives stay in a safe?
- Do you keep your users out on a counter, desk, drawer, or display where they’re easy to grab?
- Do you rotate your collection so that everything gets used?
- Any concerns with humidity? If so, what do you use to protect them? (Wicked wax, mineral oil, etc.)

I’m trying to figure out a setup that balances security, organization, and actually enjoying/using the knives instead of having everything locked away and forgotten.
Would love to hear what systems you guys have settled on, especially from collectors with a mix of users and safe queens. Bonus points for pictures.
 
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I use a mix of methods. Some stuff is laid out on a table. Some on shelves. Some stored away. Some locked up. I carry what I feel like on any given day.

I don't take special pains to avoid humidity, but I do put a light layer of mineral oil on a blade if need be before I put it away.

In the end, I don't worry much about it. They're supposed to be fun, so I try to keep it from becoming a job...though I enjoy a certain amount of maintenance.
 
My usual users are in a basket on my dresser. I have other less frequent users in a drawer in the dresser and some others in a kitchen drawer. The knives not currently in rotation are stored in zipper cases with several packs of moisture absorbers. I also use Renwax on blades or mineral oil while in storage.
 
Most of my knives are wherever my wife stuffs them during her manic cleaning sprees. Apparently you are not supposed to put stuff on horizontal surfaces (tables, counters, and the like) and leave it there. It's a little frustrating when I am looking for a specific knife and know just where I put it, only for it to be gone. The silver lining is that I frequently re-discover hidden knives and get to enjoy them for the first time again.

Many of my less-used knives are kept in a variety of bins, drawers, ammo boxes, tool boxes, and toiletry bags (one year I got about 12 of them as gifts, not really sure why).
 
I have several cardboard boxes that are stashed here and there for the various users that go in and out of the pocket on a regular. The nicer ones that I favor and take better care of I was gifted a larger three drawer glass top jewelry box that I enjoy keeping some of them inside. Some I don't mind the jingle jangle treatment and some I prefer to keep looking new as long as I am able.

I do keep eyeballing that wooden tool box at harbor freight thinking that would hold a lot of pocket knives...
 
Some are on a shelf arranged more or less in a display but I grab from those when I want to use something. A handful are out on my desk. Another contingent is in a drawer, laid flat in layers between layers of soft cloth. The knife layer cake is about 3 layers deep of knives.

Then there are those stored in their boxes or tubes in a milk crate on a shelf on top of the closet.

Thanks for reminding me of a major task I will need to deal with before I die. Selling them all.
 
Some are in a Pelican case, some are in drawers, the ones that are being used most are in a wooden bowl on top of the gun safe, and some are in this DeWalt case. I should pick up a couple more of these DeWalt cases. They're stackable, don't take up a lot of room, easy to organise stuff, and easy to find what you're looking for.
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- Do you keep everything together in one place, or split things up depending on use/value?
My knives are generally separated by genre. Customs, factory, fixed blades, folders, makers, manufacturers.
I use a museum app to catalogue them and keep track of all associate paperwork. (this was a huge project)

- Do your higher end or sentimental knives stay in a safe?
A few

- Do you keep your users out on a counter, desk, drawer, or display where they’re easy to grab?
Pretty much

- Do you rotate your collection so that everything gets used?
Users.....yes

- Any concerns with humidity? If so, what do you use to protect them? (Wicked wax, mineral oil, etc.)
I live 50m from the South Atlantic. So yes protection and maintenance is a factor. My knives are generally wiped down with Break Free Lubricant Preservative and stored in sealed tupperware/plastic boxes.

Carbon traditional folders are wiped down with LP and wrapped in wax paper and then stored in tupperware/plastic boxes.
 
If y'all will notice, I keep a lot of my knives in Rapala lure boxes. That's because the cardboard used to make those boxes contains a rust inhibitor. I believe Bomber lures were packaged in similarly treated boxes. Anyway, I've never had a rust problem with knives stored in these boxes.
 
oldmanwilly said:
Most of my knives are wherever my wife stuffs them during her manic cleaning sprees. Apparently you are not supposed to put stuff on horizontal surfaces (tables, counters, and the like) and leave it there. It's a little frustrating when I am looking for a specific knife and know just where I put it, only for it to be gone. The silver lining is that I frequently re-discover hidden knives and get to enjoy them for the first time again.

Many of my less-used knives are kept in a variety of bins, drawers, ammo boxes, tool boxes, and toiletry bags (one year I got about 12 of them as gifts, not really sure why).
Click to expand...
I envy you. I don't have a wife, so I have to misplace my knives on my own 🥴
 
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