Recommendation? Knife cases

[ADBrown]

My collection is currently filling my storage bags, and I’d like a recommendation for a good Pelikan-esque container that holds 40-50 folders. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Travel isn’t an issue; it’s more a desire to consolidate in one place.

 

[Sbs1974]

Nalpak

 

[jfk1110]

Harbor freight apache case!!!! Best bang for the buck!!!

This is the 4800 size for reference. I made 60 spots in it..

 

[DavidABQ]

Here is a Pelican rifle case. That will give you a lot of room to grow your collection.

 

[Owen K.]

Go nalpak. The peel pluck sheit looks so bad over time. It's totally worth the extra money imo.

 

[glassjawTX]

+1 for Nalpak. The foam density is excellent and holds up very well over time. Totally worth it.

 

[Landshark99]

I started with soft cases that would hold 6 knives each, as the collection grew so did the number of bags, I had to come up with a better solution. I like pelican type cases for somethings but decided to try a different idea for my knife collection. I bought a 50+ year opld nicely restored Gerstner machinist tool box and I love it

 

[Landshark99]

for the kitchen knives, just use a custom bird's eye maple block

 

[killgar]

I agree with jfk1110 about the Harbor Freight "Apache" cases. Don't be discouraged by the fact that they are a Harbor Freight product, they are very high quality. I would choose one over a Storm or Pelican case, and I have/had and have used both of those brands. I'm not saying the Apache cases are higher quality, but I'd say that any difference in quality isn't worth paying the difference in price.

I don't use one for knives, but I use one to transport my laptop strapped to the cargo rack on one of my motorcycles, which means it gets subjected to A LOT of vibration.

I like the cases so much I wish I had more need for them.

 

[ADBrown]

Here is a Pelican rifle case. That will give you a lot of room to grow your collection.

I never thought of that! Seems a bit bizarre but it would sure encourage expanding the collection— don’t know if I need any help in that arena ! Thanks for the idea!

 

[ADBrown]

I started with soft cases that would hold 6 knives each, as the collection grew so did the number of bags, I had to come up with a better solution. I like pelican type cases for somethings but decided to try a different idea for my knife collection. I bought a 50+ year opld nicely restored Gerstner machinist tool box and I love it
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That’s a true beauty! In my woodworking days I would’ve built one, but physical limitations ended that hobby - hence my current addiction. Thank you for posting this! The only problem is my wife thinks I have a small number of knives, and asked why I keep sharpening them; I just say I’m experimenting with different edge geometries - which is true in a sense

 

[ADBrown]

I agree with jfk1110 about the Harbor Freight "Apache" cases. Don't be discouraged by the fact that they are a Harbor Freight product, they are very high quality. I would choose one over a Storm or Pelican case, and I have/had and have used both of those brands. I'm not saying the Apache cases are higher quality, but I'd say that any difference in quality isn't worth paying the difference in price.

I don't use one for knives, but I use one to transport my laptop strapped to the cargo rack on one of my motorcycles, which means it gets subjected to A LOT of vibration.

I like the cases so much I wish I had more need for them.

Thanks for your opinion— that’s why I posted this question. Of course a Google search will reveal many of the obvious options, but hearing first hand experience is very helpful. I have to say Harbor Freight didn’t register as a possibility, but I’ll have to rethink that.

 

[Hashishiin]

I started with soft cases that would hold 6 knives each, as the collection grew so did the number of bags, I had to come up with a better solution. I like pelican type cases for somethings but decided to try a different idea for my knife collection. I bought a 50+ year opld nicely restored Gerstner machinist tool box and I love it
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That is FIRE!
All I mess with are wood cases, got one cheap at a thrift store early on, never looked back.
Now realizing I should get something like these. I know the "Tac" companies that sell these kinds of things are jacking the prices up, I need to get one that fits from a regular company. How much did you score this beauty for?

 

[killgar]

You say travel isn't an issue, but one advantage to a case with foam is that if you ever needed to grab stuff and go in a hurry, like a house fire, or looming natural disaster/evacuation, you can just toss the case out a window, or into the trunk of a vehicle and forget about it. No worries about the contents spilling out or banging around into each other scratching each other up.

But I know the chances of such a situation are slim, and so it might not be a concern for you. And perhaps if you did find yourself in such a situation your knives would be the least of your concerns. I now live in an apartment, which puts me at the mercy of any irresponsible neighbors who might start a fire, so the ability to grab my valuables and run quickly is something I always think about (and the fact that one of my neighbors did set fire to their apartment a few moths ago reinforced that concern).

Anyway, just thought I'd mention it .

 

[ADBrown]

You say travel isn't an issue, but one advantage to a case with foam is that if you ever needed to grab stuff and go in a hurry, like a house fire, or looming natural disaster/evacuation, you can just toss the case into the trunk of a vehicle and forget about it. No worries about the contents spilling out or banging around into each other scratching each other up.

But I know the chances of such a situation are slim, and so it might not be a concern for you. And perhaps if you did find yourself in such a situation your knives would be the least of your concerns. I now live in an apartment, which puts me at the mercy of any irresponsible neighbors who might start a fire, so the ability to grab my valuables and run quickly is something I always think about (and the fact that one of my neighbors did set fire to their apartment a few moths ago reinforced that concern).

Anyway, just thought I'd mention it .

That’s some solid reasoning - thanks!

 

[ADBrown]

Harbor freight apache case!!!! Best bang for the buck!!

This is the 4800 size for reference. I made 60 spots in it..

So the cavities are cut according to what’s being stored, eg handguns, knives, cameras. Totally adaptable! One would need something sharp to cut the foam though! Haha! I think I could manage that!

 

[killgar]

So the cavities are cut according to what’s being stored, eg handguns, knives, cameras. Totally adaptable! One would need something sharp to cut the foam though! Haha! I think I could manage that!

I don't mean to speak for jfk1110, but the foam is what's called "pick-an-pluck". There's no cutting required. The foam is pre-cut in little square sections, and all you have to do is pinch the pieces you want to remove, give them a little tug, and they pop right out. This way people can create custom compartments in whatever shape they want.

You can also purchase replacement foam online in case you mess it up or change your mind at some point and want a different configuration of the compartments.

 

[ADBrown]

I didn’t realize that! I was a little concerned about the tedium of excavating the foam. That adds a new perspective on the HF case. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[ADBrown]

I started with soft cases that would hold 6 knives each, as the collection grew so did the number of bags, I had to come up with a better solution. I like pelican type cases for somethings but decided to try a different idea for my knife collection. I bought a 50+ year opld nicely restored Gerstner machinist tool box and I love it
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I know it’s impolite to ask what someone paid, but could you give me a ballpark figure for what such an exquisite chest would cost? I’ve looked on eBay and they seem to be around $400-$600…but not in the condition of yours. Did you refurbish it? Are the drawers dovetailed? And are they on wooden glides or some other material? Sorry for so many questions, but your suggestion really taps into my past love of cabinet (furniture making - which I did completely with hand tools). I have an affinity and weakness for such items that, if not hand-built, exhibit a quality not found on current production pieces coming out of China. Thanks very much for your posting.

 

[gazz98]

ADBrown Check out harborfrieght website and look up Windsor Design 8 drawer wood tool chest. HF has them for $85. I think there are other companies that make a Gerstner type replica.

Also, check "machinist tool box" and maybe even "tool chest" in your local craigslist. If you don't mind the industrial look, you can sometimes find a nice tool box cheap. HF, Lowes, Home Depot, etc might have some clearance tool chests around too.