Knife Storage: I'm looking for a cheap, large Gerstner-like chest.

[lerner]

Like the $84 one from Harbor Freight, but I need one much larger:

Something 3x larger, in the $300 range; cheap but effective. Anyone know where I could look?

 

[knarfeng]

usage? Knife storage or ??

 

[Scott321]

Are you looking for 3 times the size dimensionally or volume wise? According to your HF link, 3 x the size (dimensionally) would put it at 48"x 60"x 32"... that's 5' tall and 53 cubic feet. That's about the size of a garden shed. Volume wise puts it at about 2 cubic feet. They have a couple knife display cases on Amzn that are about the same size as the HF you linked. With the 3 x volume spec, it sounds like something in the size range of large humidors, large watch cases, and jewelry armoires. That might broaden your search for something fancy. There are less expensive alternatives but they won't look as polished if it's meant as a display peice.

 

[JJ_Colt45]

Garrett Wade has a Gerstner Iternational chest that I have it's not as nice as the solid wood chests ... but it is pretty nice ...

I can't come close to fitting all my knives in it but it holds alot and as more drawers and the drawers are a bit deeper which gives me alot of choices ...

here is a pic of the one I have ... this is just the top chest there are 2 more stackable that match this and would be a great set up but I had good storage before I got this for more my main users and tools and parts ...




You'll find it from around $325.00 to $400.00 depending on sales ...

 

[lerner]

@JJ_Colt45: That's a really good suggestion, and about the right size.
But I'd like to find a HF-like "made in china" version, in that size or larger.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Why not just a mechanics box, you can line it with whatever Chou want and it'll be much easier to find the size you want.

 

[lerner]

Why not just a mechanics box...

Do you mean the rolling metal tool chests, like Craftsman & Husky? I explored that option in depth, but they were built like tanks and larger than what I needed.
If you're referring to something else, please post a link or pic, I'd love to see.

 

[Wowbagger]

I'm looking for a cheap, large Gerstner-like chest.

The $85 one from that unmentionable company

This is an ad for them right ! ?

Ignoring that for the moment :
A REAL Gerstner IS a cheap chest . . . very.
The other abomination isn't worth owning. You are dreaming. You have been sucked up into their facade. It is Mickey Mouse time at Disneyland . . . it's not real. At least it isn't nearly as good as a Gerstner.

Now . . . all that said the following are regular old decently made key construction elements to a not cheap chest. Look at them. Look at a Gerstner. You will be struck by the difference.

Note the slots in the sides of the chest on the right side of this photo.

These sliding dovetail ends on these drawer dividers tie the sides together.



The dovetails in the sides of the chest lock the corners of the cabinet together


Thusly




The drawers are formed in a similar manner.

Again for a real chest the Gerstner is as cheep as they come for anything worth owning.
The other thing is . . . well . . . the least said about it the better.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Do you mean the rolling metal tool chests, like Craftsman & Husky? I explored that option in depth, but they were built like tanks and larger than what I needed.
If you're referring to something else, please post a link or pic, I'd love to see.

That's what I had in mind, but you can get what's known as a top chest which is meant to sit on top of a larger " bottom " chest. They're usually around 26" wide and can be had with up to 5 full sized drawers and 2 or 3 smaller drawers.
This one is available for $220 from harbor freight.

It's not 3x larger but it is 6" wider and 4" taller, plus the thinner wall of the steel drawers means more actual storage space.
you've also got 5 full sized drawers , a lot of space is taken to have all 6 little drawers.

I'm not a mathematician but I can see getting almost double the storage space out of it.

 

[Wowbagger]

That's what I had in mind, but you can get what's known as a top chest which is meant to sit on top of a larger " bottom " chest. They're usually around 26" wide and can be had with up to 5 full sized drawers and 2 or 3 smaller drawers.
This one is available for $220 from harbor freight.

It is a cheep knock off of a Waterloo.
Aren't we kind of frowning on cheep knock offs around here ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
The Waterloo is : Designed, engineered and assembled in the USA.
and
Does not cost that much more than the knock off.

Funny how if we talk about Gonzo knives there is a lynching mob.
If we talk about HF there are angels singing and god light shining down.

 

[Hickory n steel]

It is a cheep knock off of a Waterloo.
Aren't we kind of frowning on cheep knock offs around here ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
The Waterloo is : Designed, engineered and assembled in the USA.
and
Does not cost that much more than the knock off.

Funny how if we talk about Gonzo knives there is a lynching mob.
If we talk about HF there are angels singing and god light shining down.

The HF boxes have a good reputation for the price , and I think Waterloo boxes are generic enough these days that you can't exactly copy them. Not that the HF boxes aren't trying more to be a cheaper alternative to SNAP-ON anyways.
Now I recommended the box over the crappy wooden one to a person looking for something cheap to store their knives in, but I would no buy one myself because I don't do China or Taiwan when and if I can help it which I usually can. ( Though I was gifted their 17" hip roof box that has served me very well ).

My main box is a 1974 Dayton electric top box manufactured by Waterloo for Grainger which belonged to my grandfather, it's a great box and Waterloo is definitely where I'd look If I wanted a brand new box to store tools in.

( it would probably work great for knives if it wasn't full of tools )
You know what, this Waterloo box is less than $20 more, and is probably a better choice.
https://www.elitetoolboxes.com/WCH-265BK.aspx
It's only 6 drawers, but that's because they're all full sized drawers without wasting space on 3 little drawers instead of another big one. ( I say this based on knife storage, for tools it's not necessarily a bad thing to have at least one little drawer.

 

[number9]

If you want a metal box, Kennedy makes some, aimed at machinists, with drawers that may be a better size for knives. And the color is a wrinkle gray, instead of red.

 

[GPyro]

Here's a 10 drawer cabinet I obtained to store knives.
I'm pretty happy with it. The drawers are deeper than a Gerstner chest and I can get knives in it while in the sheath.
The drawers are not very large, roughly 12 x 8 inside and 1 1/2 inches deep. But there are 10 of them, and it looks better than a tool chest. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M1XKQUI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I bought from this link. It came well packaged/ secure, required no assembly. The drawers have stops so they don't fall out and they slide easily.
Yeah it's made in India, but look at the price. I'm thinking of getting a 2nd one.

I HAVE a Gerstner chest, but the drawers are all pretty shallow, and you can basically only get small folders in it.

View attachment 1284408

 

[Citizen]

They are not cheap, but Gerstner makes the finest wooden chests available and they come in a wide variety of sizes. I have this setup in the shop. Sorry but could not find my own photo..seems to be misplaced! LOL!
Cheers,
Citizen