Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jeff on August 2, 2015 at 9:16

Jan,.. that is the exact one i have been useing for a few years now...seems to work well in bottom of my safe. I used to use a 40 watt lightbulb...but this uses less electricity and doesnt get as warm but it gets warm over a much longer area. btw..I have seen the Gun Saver brand on Ebay for some pretty good pricing. Not promoting Ebay in anyway,....just saying.

Permalink Reply by jeff on August 2, 2015 at 9:21

oh ya...if you have some cleaned and dried,and not going to be playing or handling them for a bit..a packet of dri-gel and a vacuum sealer bag works wonders !  forever !  btw... now they have re-sealable vacuum sealer bags !  they work great..I need to get some too ! I bought a few to try and ended up giving them away. I have a roll of bags cut to size that works beautifully ! I dont know if the dri-gel is necessary,but i always save the packets i aquire and throw one in the bag, but once you remove the oxygen from the bag, it really makes it hard for rust and corrosion to exist.  

Permalink Reply by Clint Thompson on August 2, 2015 at 11:23

Jan I just keep them clean and use 3 in 1 oil all over them....and then I wipe them off.  seems to work.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 2, 2015 at 11:40

Well thankfully when we moved in December I had just put 100 fresh packets of silica in the safe.  Ended up with a little mildew growing on a few papers but nothing on the knife tubes or boxes.  Ordering new silica packets today and putting the light source in it also should keep it dry and kill any spores I may have missed in the bottom.  I am NOT putting the original carpet wrapped pressed board shelves back in it, cutting some thin boards to replace them with.  Putting it in the room with the window AC should also help.  This has been quite an experience.  A few of the boxes had stuck together but now with the AC running they are coming apart without damage. The stickers on the boxes did not even curl so we caught it in time.  Now it is just the major preventatives.  (Can you tell I am not the person that has ever been without AC and had a basement LOL)  Every bit of the basement has been wiped down with mildew killer, all stored linens washed/dried and sealed in the vacuum bags.

On a funny note, you should see Donnie wiping down all the shop equipment! 

Permalink Reply by jeff on August 2, 2015 at 12:36

the local dept store sells tubs of damp-rid. work better than packets i have found. living in south florida all my life, I will tell you that humidity is your worse nightmare to a knife owner or gun owner. if there is any humidity in your safe, they will rust ! oil will not stop it !

Permalink Reply by Andy Moon on August 2, 2015 at 21:13

Liberty makes a dehumidifier rod - all you have to do is plug it in - might be the same thing as the goldenrod - 

I don't seem to have trouble in my safe - it is in the furnace room and stays dry. 

best 

mqqn

Permalink Reply by Michael D. on August 3, 2015 at 7:55

During the winter I purchase ice melt that contains calcium chloride (not sodium chloride which is salt). I save empty butter tubs, punch holes on top, fill it one-third with the calcium chloride. Sucks moisture from the air like a dehumidifier. Every now and then I go around emptying and refilling them as needed.

All knives that are not on display, and currently there are none, are oiled, wrapped in plastic sandwich bags. The sandwiched-wrapped knives are then placed into pint freezer bags along with the box (flattened if possible) and any paperwork, The plastic storage and freezer bags are archival safe. They are made of the same material that collectors of various items (comic books, paper ephemera, etc.) pay good money for at shops or on line.

The pint sized bags are then cataloged and placed into small plastic tubs (not the 18 gal. size - you'd have a tough time lifting it full of knives). Silica packets are randomly tossed into the tubs. Never had a problem.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 3, 2015 at 18:11

Thanks guys!  I bought the Golden rod and 500 small packets of silica.  This will allow me to keep the safe at a good humidity and use the silica in the misc. drawers around the rooms that are full of knives LOL

Now, do you all keep something in the safe to tell you what humidity you are at?

Permalink Reply by jeff on August 3, 2015 at 18:49

the silica gel packets, generally, only work in small air tight spaces..they absorb moisture from the air, but if the air is not (restricted) as to how much is coming and  going...well you get the picture.. the tubs of damp rid are nice because you can look at it and see how much water is being absorbed,  kinda like a non-electric de-humidifier. I use the big tubs in safe and closets.I believe in the golden rod package it will explain that the safe must be pretty much air tight to work...I drilled a hole for wire and sealed with silicone. I also sealed ant small gaps with weather-seal.  good luck.  the south is real real bad for humidity. here in Tennessee it is not as bad as florida, but still pretty bad. in nebraska there are old cars everywhere with no rust.. In florida the cars rust away in 10 years...lol

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on August 3, 2015 at 19:01

Jeff I keep the buckets and tubs of damp rid in the rooms!