Secure, Safe Packaging

Crag the Brewer

Crag the Brewer

I make Nice, boring knives
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Oct 18, 2018
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I've currently have almost 50 blades wrapped up for sending out for heat treating.
Just under 25 pounds.

I'm questioning if this is right?

How do the makers who regularly ship out large orders of blades do it?
A packed cardboard box seems borderline flimsy.
Should I be making a small, reusable crate.

Is there such a thing?

Any ideas appreciated
 
I ship 40 to 50 pound boxes via UPS on a weekly basis. I just tape them up good with regular packing tape and rarely have any trouble. I typically tape all sides of the box though.

With blades or something similar it’s a good idea to wrap them up together with shrink wrap to make one large piece rather than a bunch of small pieces. That way if a hole does get punched in the box the blades won’t start falling out one at a time.
 
Ok, maybe I'm just a bit of a drama queen?

I have them bundled and wrapped in butcher paper, and taped. In their respected hardness groups.... And tagged and labeled.

*also, I grind post hardening, so all my blanks are dull, no bevels.


I wasn't sure if duct tape was allowed. On the outside?

I have clear shipping tape, but 25 pounds felt alot, like I was pushing the boundaries.... Good to know you guys do it.

Maybe I'm romanticizing opening wooden pine crates and having a bunch of machine guns in there, like I grew up watching every episode of the A-Team on TV
 
I have no problem using a huge amount of packing tape. I might over tape but never have I had an issue.

Also I like to make sure box is stuffed with crinkled newspaper or magazines as I feel a firm box travels better.
 
Getting them there is one thing but they also have to come back. I would try and make my heat-treaters job as easy as possible when it comes to shipping blades back. A reusable pine box with a screwed on lid would be the go for me for that many blades.
 
Del Raso Knives said:
Getting them there is one thing but they also have to come back. I would try and make my heat-treaters job as easy as possible when it comes to shipping blades back. A reusable pine box with a screwed on lid would be the go for me for that many blades.
Click to expand...
That assumes the heat treater will use the same box going back, it’s best to ask them how they ship and if they would be willing to use a solid box if you sent one, but even wooden crates will bust in shipping and then the heat treated would likely default to their normal shipping method.
 
For heavy boxes I'll use the fiberglass reinforced packing tape on all seams and a few turns around the outside of the box as well. They use the same boxes for the return trip too and they've held up great. Some have hit 45 pounds. I use the flat rate Priority Mail boxes.

Eric
 
Same. I use Peters' and they package same or similar to how I send them out...with the exception of the cardboard. They do wrap the blades in an additional layer of closed cell foam.
 
I line a USPS flat rate box with pieces of 1/4" wood. I wrap the blades in newspaper and tape them up good. I pack the box tight with bubble wrap or wadded up newspapers.
I send my blades to Bos heat treating and they always return my blades to me in the same box.
 
Tom Lewis said:
I line a USPS flat rate box with pieces of 1/4" wood. I wrap the blades in newspaper and tape them up good. I pack the box tight with bubble wrap or wadded up newspapers.
I send my blades to Bos heat treating and they always return my blades to me in the same box.
Click to expand...

I was thinking this is a good idea.
I was even thinking of making a reusable "crate" maybe made of thin plastic, lexan, rubber, etc.... Or like you, a thin plywood
 
Just a recap.....
This week my blades made it back to me.
Straight, and Safe
I packed them really tight into a cardboard box with lots of tape. Under 30#

They repacked them in a different box/arrangement on the return home.



Thanks for all the advice
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I've currently have almost 50 blades wrapped up for sending out for heat treating.
Just under 25 pounds.

I'm questioning if this is right?

How do the makers who regularly ship out large orders of blades do it?
A packed cardboard box seems borderline flimsy.
Should I be making a small, reusable crate.

Is there such a thing?

Any ideas appreciated
Click to expand...
If they are the same design with the same handle holes, you can stack them up and bolt them together, heavy but less stabby.

Fibreglass tape is nice.
 
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