Your storage solutions

[WillyCamaro]

Here we go boys...
Staying up late to get these too you. Better thank me! My CFS is going to hate me tomorrow!

And never you mind the girly fronts! That's coming off first! Going to stain them up in beautiful dark cherry! Clear oil finish. I know they will look good because i did the same to my dad's stands and the lazy susan i made for mom.
Wish me luck!

[LongBlade]

Concerning felt. My one bad experience w/ felt was with a set of 3 knives from Boker called the “Storytellers”. These knives sat in this case for many years. When I took them out, these were in a collection of knives I purchased, they had an etch on the top of each blade that sat in contact with the felt. I knew the collector and knew that he had not done anything but store them in this “collectors” case since he purchased them new. These cases have foam rubber w/ cutouts for the knives and the felt is cut in the same pattern as the knife so it presses against the knives. I never could figure out why this felt would have etched those blades like that? Maybe it’s only a problem when it sits in such “hard” contact w/ the knives and not measly on the felt?

I think the culprit in this case wasn't the felt but the foam rubber backing. The technical name for it is urea formaldehyde foam and both of those substances(urea or urine and formaldehyde)are highly corrosive.I suspect that outgassing of the foam(much like celluloid)leached through the felt and attacked the handles. When foam deteriorates it out-gasses and becomes very brittle and eventually crumbles much like celluloid.I have had that occur in some old Puma boxes that are lined with foam.Just supposition on my part.

That makes more sense to me than the felt being the culprit. In so many of those that you see for sale the felt is breaking down. That outgassing of the foam rubber is probably the reason. I would sure be cautious buying these “Storytellers” in the Collectors Case they came in. It’s a shame too, those knives are top notch.
Thanks for the response.

SSK - in this thread it sure sounded to me like felt was the culprit - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=59387&hilit=Discolored&start=15

[JACK OF ALL TIRADES]

Just pointing out my plastic, knife case, collection option. The knives are not too fancy. The other box was found at a thrift store and seems to be a knife box? correct?

[WillyCamaro]

Whoops!
Caught that in the nick of time!
I forgot all about that one....
Ditch the felt. Will go with something else. Or maybe not. I could just clear seal them and good to go.
Thank you long blade for bringing that back up!

[WillyCamaro]

It looks like it Jack of Tirades.

[1967redrider]

My wife's brother gave me this old B&O RR Co. Dining Car Dept. box as a wedding gift, thinking about making a knife storage box out of it. I went to the Landmark Plaza mall today to visit Hobby Lobby, but they're closed on Sundays. Thinking about buying some green felt to line it with, not sure if I want to glue it or tack it in place. I figure if I tack it I could always take the felt out if I wanted to.

The wooden box was used to store glasses, in a standing fashion. Her brother replaced the bottom wood which was in pretty bad shape, but the rest of the box looks good enough for me. Across the top is painted, "GLASS, Handle With Care, This Side Up." It has metal hinges, latch and side reinforcements that are nailed in place.

Also thinking about making some stackable drawers to accommodate easy access; some for pocket knives and some for fixed blades. It measurers roughly 22 1/2" X 11" X 8" so even fixed blades wouldn't be an issue. Plus I think this will be welcomed by my wife, since I currently store knives in the buffet and china cabinet drawers, among other places.

[Steve Warden]

Love that box! My wife and I enjoy antiques and we have a couple antique apple crates arranged in the living room. Your box is cool!

As for lining with felt, I've heard pros and cons. Some of the cons include die from the felt bleeding color and that color being absorbed by the knives.

[Steve Warden]

Search "felt" in this thread.

[1967redrider]

Thanks for the heads-up, Steve.

[1967redrider]

Made it to Hobby Lobby today, my first visit to a really cool store, and picked up some black felt and thumbtacks. Ended up with twice as much felt as I needed but I also plan on making some stackable trays and will need felt to cover the tray bottoms as well. It turned out just fine for my needs.

I opted not to glue the felt in place in case I ever wanted to use the box for something else. Now I just need some knives to put in it.