Knife Shelf Liner???

[AshokaMazda]

Hello,

I recently acquired a 1900's letterpress cabinet I plan on using to store my knives in. These cabinets have drawers that are only about 1-1/4" deep and I would like to add liners to these that will be safe for my knives to be laying on for very long time.

I have found some 2mm thick cork sheet that could work very well for this, I THINK.

**** Can anyone tell me whether this would be a safe choice to use and/or you have another option I might look into using?

I originally thought of felt bit I read somewhere here that felt absorbs moisture?

Thanks for any advice you can offer,
Jeremy

[Steve Warden]

First, welcome to AAPK!

Now you got me thinking. I was going to use felt as a liner until you mentioned the cork. I think that would look real nice.

Either way, unless you're storing the cabinet in your bathroom or a steam room, I don't think you have too much to worry about when it comes to moisture absorption. I keep desiccant packs in the boxes I currently have to store my knives. Toss a couple in and I've had zero issues.

By the way, we would love to see some pics of your knives and the cabinet.

[eveled]

I bought rolls of tool box liner from Sears. Its black and has holes. My cabinet is an old blueprint file cabinet.

Here is a close-up of the material.

[doglegg]

AshokaMazda, welcome, like Steve can't wait to see pictures.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think cork is an excellent choice.

I'd be leery of putting celluloid handled knives on man-made materials. I've had a bad experience in that regard, the handles became stuck to the material and when removed, some of the material came with them.

As to felt, knife manufacturers used it for years to line their display cases.

Charlie Noyes

[knife7knut]

I think cork is an excellent choice.

I'd be leery of putting celluloid handled knives on man-made materials. I've had a bad experience in that regard, the handles became stuck to the material and when removed, some of the material came with them.

As to felt, knife manufacturers used it for years to line their display cases.

Charlie Noyes

I will second what Charlie says about man-made materials;specifically those tool box liners pictured above. While they may be fine for the metal handled knives they are vinyl based and within a hot environment will out-gas just like celluloid. I experienced this on the dashboard of a brand new car I had purchased some years ago.
Every couple weeks the windshield would develop this film across it like what cigarette smoke used to do. The culprit was the vinyl dashboard cover that when exposed to the sun would outgas and the film would be deposited on the windshield.
The only plastic I have ever found that does not out-gas is polypropylene and I don't believe it comes in sheet form. I use polypropylene medicine cups for my paintwork as they do not contaminate the paint as regular ones do.
I use felt that I buy by the yard at a local dry goods store.It only costs 3-4 dollars a square yard and that will cover a lot of area.
You can also use parchment paper that they use for cooking if you can find it. Always use dessicant bags and change them frequently. You can rejuvenate them by baking them in the oven at low temperature for about 30 minutes.

[eveled]

Thanks guys for the information. Glad I posted what I used, now that I know it's bad, I'll have to find another material.

[LongBlade]

I have also heard felt absorbs moisture - however old machinist chests used felt and I never heard of their tools rusting, and if they did I am sure one wouldn't see so many lined with felt.. nonetheless another option I like is anti-tarnish cloth used to line silverware boxes - it comes in square yards and I am using it for lining storage boxes now for a few years and seems to be perfect. I also throw in desiccant packs and anti-tarnish strips - maybe overkill but have not seen any issues with my knives. Note my few celluloid knives are on acid-free paper in an open cigar box in a part of my room with no sun and fairly constant temperature - so far so good there as well but one never knows the future of celluloid... (on the other hand I have many knives in sacks-up rolls which I also like alot - but doesn't answer your question on lining for knives...)..

[AshokaMazda]

Thanks for the great feedback on this!

eveled, I saw rolls of that tool shelf liner at Lowes and thought about grabbing some because it looks like it would be perfect.
Then I recalled somewhere here, in posting abyss, I read that someone used something similar that reacted to their knife handles and then was not recommended.

With 30 16" x 32" drawers to line, I'm trying to find the best method for doing so that I will not need to change later.

It sounds like the cork sheets/roll might just be the way to go (or that anti-tarnish cloth wherever that is found). I've been trying to figure out how the cork sheets are made though. I mean are they naturally like that somehow Or is it composed "stuck together" similar to partical board.

As far as images, I would love to share as soon as I figure out the image posting here. I'm guessing that you must have then hosted on an image site first but have not had the time to look into that yet.

Jeremy - mainly collect Olsen, Alcas, Case, some Boker.

[AshokaMazda]

I just noticed the attachment tab right before I sent my last response. Here's a picture to give you an idea of the cabinet itself. I will add more pictures later after I take some more.

Early 1900's Letterpress cabinet for knife storage.

s-l400 (2).jpg (25.2 KiB) Viewed 2013 times

[eveled]

That's a nice cabinet,. Really beautiful.

[deo-pa]

I've used this Zerust anti-corrosion liner in my knife drawers for years and have no issues with celluloid handles.

https://www.amazon.com/Zerust-91132-Ant ... sion+liner

Dennis

[Steve Warden]

Sweet cabinet!

[deo-pa]

Yep I really like it Steve. It's a Scandanavian mid-century modern cabinet from the 1960s with a tambour door.

Dennis

[AshokaMazda]

That's a nice cabinet,. Really beautiful.

Thanks eveled

It has become my most prized piece of furniture (and most expensive). I got the idea to use one from these forums. Blueprint cabinets also look like they would work fantastic as well. I plan on designing some sort of internal mechanism(s) to allow me to lock the drawers. Possibly magnetic child latches or some sort of rod or angle iron piece with hooks that can trap the drawers from their rear panels. I need to inspect some locking desk mechanisms to see how they work.

They do make these cabinets with the drawers recessed from the main frame which would be perfect to add a rod or something in front of them to do the job. This particular one just spoke to me and I had to have it.


Right now, until I line the shelves, my collection is in a curio cabinet but is getting too large to really appreciate the knives (too congested). Besides the fact that you are advertising your full collection to any "visitors" in your house, invited or otherwise. The locks on the curio are laughable also. An 8yr old with a butter knife could likely pop it open. I figure using this, I can leave a drawer partially open if I like or change up a display on the top of it every so often. The only drawback I see is that it will hold ALOT of knives allowing my OCD completist tendencies to run wild.

[AshokaMazda]

I've used this Zerust anti-corrosion liner in my knife drawers for years and have no issues with celluloid handles.

https://www.amazon.com/Zerust-91132-Ant ... sion+liner

Dennis

Thanks Dennis, That looks like a good option as well. Have you also stored boxes or papers around the Zerust to know if the vapor could affect the printed materials in a negative way?

My plan is to store the boxes and sheaths in this as well. For some of them, I would be removing a drawer bottom and joining it with a drawer below it to form a deeper drawer.

[mrwatch]

I sort of know what you guys are talking about. I have around 10 staking metal cabinets with drawers full of watch crystals and more smaller ones of various depths. And more of obsolete packets of watch parts, that I will never use or likely be able to sell. Thinking about just dumping the parts into boxes from a couple of them as the have the part numbers on them. Then storing some of my rock and minerals collection. I do not think my wife will let me bring them into the house.

[AshokaMazda]

Well guys, based on the replies I have decided to go with cork . Still never really found out whether the cork fibers are naturally held together or if there is some sort of glue, so to speak, that holds the bits together . I know quite a while back I used to use cork from wine bottles as a stand for my knives putting the blade in it at an angle .

Here is what I have ordered to try out . At the time of my order a place via Amazon had it at $48 shipped . I figure that three of these would line all of my drawers but want to start with one just to see what I think . If the drawers weren't so shallow I would be ordering thicker than the 3 mm which is what this is .

Flipside Products 38001 Cork Roll, 3 mm, 4' High x 8' Long
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZNDJA8M/re ... 2Ab2NKVC2S

As far as for additional moisture control , I have one of these that should fit somewhere within the frame behind the drawers I believe . If it is too large I will be looking for something to rehouse the crystals inside of that maybe more like a pan. I really wanted to get the kind that changed color so that I could monitor it every once in a while and know when to re-bake it for reactivation . If using these, just make sure that before you bake it again that you take off the lid which has the plastic viewing window .
Dry-Packs 750 Gram Silica Gel Canister Dehumidifier - Moisture Indicating
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003QZ6PZ0/re ... 2AbCD6AB4B

The cork should be coming sometime this week and with any luck by the end of the weekend I will have time to at least cut some up and give it a try. I will be sure to post some pictures once I have some knives added to a drawer or two . Lately I have been on an Alcas collecting kick with their solution knife/hatchet combo being my latest acquisition.

[mrwatch]

Cork (material) - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cork_(material)
Cork is an impermeable buoyant material, the phellem layer of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber (the cork oak), which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. Cork is composed of suberin, a hydrophobic substance and, because of its impermeable, buoyant, elastic, ...

[AshokaMazda]

I received my cork roll last week and left it to flatten out prior to cutting up for my drawers. I finally got to cutting some of it a couple nights ago and am very very pleased with the results!

As good as knives look on a colored background in pictures and felt and such, I had a concern that it would seem very bland to me somehow to just have the cork color.

I have been very pleasantly surprised by the overall result. If you are looking to use cork yourself, be sure to cut it with a nice metal straight edge and a large exacto knife blade worked well for me. I cut about four drawers worth so far and think I'll need to change my blade. As you are cutting some of the fibers are like tiny sticks which I believe is what causes some of the tear out and crumbling people mention about it. Scissors might work as well but I'm much more accurate with a sharp blade.

I only have a few shelves done and have two to three times more knives to add when I have the time.

Anyway, thank you all so much for your input towards this and enough yapping from me. On with some images!

ALCAS Solution by Dan Harrison

ALCAS

CASE XX and a couple other Fixed Blades

CASE folders

CASE XX Clasp Knives and SHARK TOOTH (My CASE favorite and first knife I ever bought to collect)

[Steve Warden]

Jeremy, that is absolutely beautiful!
Got me sold on cork for lining my boxes.
Well done, sir!!

[hardman]

Nice Jeremy. I have an old Hamilton printer's cabinet that I use for knives as well. It would appear yours is a bit taller, has more drawers, and in a bit better shape though. For what its worth, I used felt for my drawer liners. It has been several years, and no moisture problems that I know of. I do have a number of those little dessicant silica gel packets in each drawer though. I may need to check out that cork though. My only issue with the felt has been that my neatly aligned knives have a tendency to slide a bit when opening and closing the drawers. Maybe the cork would keep them a little more in place.

[bladebuddy]

Jeremy, I also have green felt lined drawers in my storage cabinets and have no problems so far.
But seeing your drawers lined with cork and laid out with some really nice knives is a no brainer.
I like the look. I think the cork accents the wood of the cabinet very nicely. Looking forward to more of your pictures when your done. Thanks Steve B.

[AshokaMazda]

Jeremy, that is absolutely beautiful!
Got me sold on cork for lining my boxes.
Well done, sir!!

Thank you Steve!

I am very happy with the results!

[AshokaMazda]

Nice Jeremy. I have an old Hamilton printer's cabinet that I use for knives as well. It would appear yours is a bit taller, has more drawers, and in a bit better shape though.

My only issue with the felt has been that my neatly aligned knives have a tendency to slide a bit when opening and closing the drawers. Maybe the cork would keep them a little more in place.

You know, I was a little concerned with how they would stay in place. I originally was thinking of using those rubberized tool cabinet liners for that reason but when I happened across someone's post talking about one of their knives sticking to some kind of rubber they used, I decided that was not the way to go for me.

I would say that the cork keeps them pretty well in place. They might slide just a little bit but that's seems to be just on the drawers that are a little tighter. If I use a little soap or wax on the wood drawers where they make contact with the slide rails that may help that.

As far as being in better condition, here is what it looked like before the previous owner worked on it.

Cabinet prior to refinishing.

If any of you are interested in obtaining one of these they are constantly on eBay. I had made an 8 Hour round trip and $1700 to get mine....

This would probably shine right up like mine if some work was put into it. Good deal on it too if any of you are local to where this is at.

This one already looks pretty good and I believe it's been mainly rebuilt on the inside and the drawers themselves.

Here's another one that looks great and is ready to go. One thing I like about this design is that the drawers are tucked in a way from the front. That would make it pretty easy to add a steel rod or other mechanism in front of the drawers to lock them up if you wish.

This here looks like the Holy Grail of knife cabinets! I think you would need one of those in library ladders just look in the upper drawers.

Still trying to figure out how I can construct something to lock up the drawers. I've considered those magnetic drawer latches for kids. Also might be able to construct some kind of metal rod at the back of the cabinet with hooks of some kind on it that when rotated and pushed down could grab the back of the drawer frames.