Ideas for Knife Storage and Display?

sygyzy

sygyzy

Joined
Apr 29, 2003
Messages
339
Yes I did run a search. Of the 100 posts or so most referred to either buying large steel safes or Gerstner tool chests that look a little too much like jewelery boxes to me.

Any tips or ideas or how to store folding knives? I need recommendations for a good display case (maybe one that can be hung up) and also one to stash away (maybe a knife roll)?

Roll:
Who makes the best quality knife roll? I want one that doesn't use any corrosive materials or ones that bleed. I don't want my wood or ivory (if I ever get one) handles stained. A tight fit, secure clasp or locking mechanism, quality elastic bands or pockets..

Display Case:
Nice material like wood with glass would be preferble. Maybe 8-12 knives. Something that has a good solution for hanging. My problem with knife display cases I have seen is they haven't figured out how to secure the knives. You are dropping them basically in a fancy tackle box. The moment you turn them to hang on the wall you have them all fall over hitting the sides of the compartment. Any company recommendations here?'

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
Check out http://members.aol.com/JanieW48/ They are perfect for hanging knife displays.

Microtechs%20in%20Display.jpg
 
In terms of quick and dirty stash boxes I made my own from an empty mortar ammunition tin. I got it for $5 at a knife and gun show. Then I just got a 1/2 foam board and glued it in place. It works well enough, and the knives can be stored out of their sheaths ( I use it for fixed blades) and if you don't want anyone to know what's in it just close the lid and it looks fairly innocuous. You might be able to do the same thing for a set of folders. Also, you could drill a small hole in the lid and one in the side for a lock to go through if you're worried about theft. Just my two cents. Good Luck.
Lagarto
 
TheBadGuy I was looking at those. Do they have hooks or a means to hang it from the back?

What will keep the knives from all sliding down to the bottom when I turn the case up to hang it?
 
Originally posted by sygyzy
TheBadGuy I was looking at those. Do they have hooks or a means to hang it from the back?

What will keep the knives from all sliding down to the bottom when I turn the case up to hang it?
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I bought a "Picture hanging kit" to hang myine on the wall. Cost was around $4 or so.

The interior of the displays are THICK foam, which should be enough to hold most knives in place, and you can place newspaper or bubbletap behind the foam to reenforce areas with smaller thinnner knives in it.
 
I bought one of the Sauter Gun Cases from Lowes for about $80 and put fabric covered shelves in it for the knives.Glass door and all, works great. Dave:)
 
I use shadow boxes that I buy at hobby stores (I use fishing line to attach the knives through holes I drill through the board, after I have covered the board in felt using non-acidic spray glue). I also make boxes, sometimes using a picture frame for the front of the case. I also store knives in a air tight box with silica gel packs. I do use rolls also (that I buy from www.eknifeworks.com). I also use a de-humidifier to control the humidity.
 
You have to be very careful about felt, especially craft-store felt. Many materials such as ivory, bone, horn, wood, etc., can absorb dyes from common felt if they are stored in prolonged contact with it. Make sure that your felt is museum-grade.
 
I also store knives in a air tight box with silica gel packs.
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Danger... Danger...

Silica gel absorbs water, but where does the water go? It is somehow magically destroyed? No. It is stored up in the silica gel. Age, changes in temperature, etc., can cause the gel to release that moisture back into the sealed container. There was a story posted several years ago on rec.knives by a fellow who was going out of the country on extended travel. Before leaving, he packed his valuable knife collection into an ammo box with a bunch of silica gel packs. When he came back, the collection was ruined. The wood, the leather, the bone, the horn, the ivory was cracked and brittle, obviously from having all the moisture sucked out of it, but at the same time, the steel blades were hopelessly rusted. What happened? First, he didn't bake the gel packets before putting them in with the knives, so they had a lot of moisture in them. Second, over temperature cycles, the packs sucked the moisture out of the wood, leather, bone, horn, ivory, etc. Then, they released that moisture causing the blades to rust. In the sealed container, both effects where amplified.
 
You also have to be careful about foam materials. First, many of them are not made for long-term use. They break down chemically over time. Others are not intended for long-term use in closed containers. They outgas chemicals as they age. These can, if nothing else, leave a cloudy film on your knives. This is very much like the cloudy film that often builds up on the inside of the windows in a new car. That film is coming from all the plastics and foams in the car. (Sort of makes you wonder about just how nice that "new car smell" is.) Finally, does the word Sponge mean anything to you? Foam materials can trap and retain moisture.
 
Ive never had a problem using felt, not in over twenty years +. As far as the silica packs I use they are rated for the area that they cover. I take them out once every couple of months and reactivate them in the oven. Been doing this for years, never a problem.
 
Here's my latest Coffee Table Display.

I used document frames and angle brackets under each pane of removable glass and lined them with microfiber cloth.

As you can see, I have room for expansion. Donations welcomed! :D

coffeetable-0.jpg


coffeetable-1.jpg


coffeetable-2.jpg


coffeetable-3.jpg
 
FivePointOhh, Great Display!!! I like that. No holes in walls, now hanging hassles, just pop off the glass and play with them. Good idea.
 
great display ! Hope nothin gets spilled on them :( Every time i spill cofffee on mine it goes right threw them damn craks and on the carpet.
 
Gollnick - What are your storage and display suggestions?
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I use Bills Custom Cases and bank deposit boxes, myself. But, if you want something more for display, I'd follow Mr. FivePointOhh's suggestion. That looks great!

But, Mr. Kennieyk makes a good point. A big spill would be a problem. I can think of three solutions to propose. The first would be to RTV The glass in place thus sealing it. Then, access would be only from the bottom. It'd be less convenient.

Second, apply a thin and very even bead of RTV on the "down" side of each glass pane just maybe a 1/4" wide and right around the edges. Let this dry. The theory is that when the pane is placed into the frame, the weight of the glass will compress the cured RTV and make an effective seal. But, because the RTV is already cured, the glass won't be stuck. This would be difficult to do well, but it might work.

Third, at Home Depot or other similar stores, you can purchase sheets of black foam rubber material about 1/8" thick with an adhesive on one side. The intended application is to cut it out to match the bottom of a lamp or other item that you want to set on a delicate surface. Then, you peel off the carrier sheet and apply the rubber material to the bottom and the soft, pliable rubber protects the surface and also helps keep the item from sliding around. You could cut strips of this same material and put them around the edges of frame openings in the table. This would form enough of a seal with the glass that you'd have a few minutes at least to respond to any spill. It wouldn't look as nice since you'd have the black material visible through the glass.
 
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