Very interesting thread. I live in the West Kootenays of British Columbia. Winters have less humidity than summers but it never gets really dry. My house is of log construction so summer heat does not result in the house being equally hot. My knives are stored in a gun safe and tool chests. I have had no shrinkage of any handle material and there are many examples of each. I do not keep the knives coated with anything and so far oxidation of the steel has not been a problem.
So it seems like an environment with a year round moderately high humidity might be the best 'natural' environment for knife storage.
roland
So it seems like an environment with a year round moderately high humidity might be the best 'natural' environment for knife storage.
roland