Toilet Paper MultiTool & Knife Storage Solution

[gerleatherberman]

O.K.
If you're like me, you have tried a lot of things to safely store your knives, multitools, and SAKs. None have proven to be safe (keeping tools from touching/scratching) without actual effort to keep them apart. I personally have tried paper towels to wrap them up. Plastic compartment storage just gets too expensive when storing hundreds of tools. Tackle boxes are pricey and offer limited storage for the money. Tool cabinets are expensive and take up a lot of space. Machinist chests are expensive and the drawers sag with lots of knives/MTs in them. Most storage methods are not stackable. And the stackable methods are expensive.
I generally store my MTs in the sheaths. It gets tiresome taking them out and putting them back up everytime. Also, tools should not be stored in leather sheaths anyway. And we don't need to wear out the sheaths if we aren't carrying the tools. And if you have original boxes/packaging, you don't want to damage that stuff by storing the MTs, knives, or SAKs in the OG box.

I was cleaning out the bathrooms in my house today and started throwing out empty TP rolls. Something dawned on me. These are pretty close to the size needed to store MTs, folding knives, and SAKs.
I thought about putting the rolls vertically in a cheap cardboard box and storing knives/MTs/SAKs in them. They don't touch or rub at all. Turns out it works perfectly. 
The system can be adapted to same-size cardboard boxes to be stacked up in the closet or under the bed as well. Just make sure the boxes are pretty strong. I have attached pics of what I came up with. Costed nothing to make, as I use TP (save the empty rolls) and order stuff off of Amazon (save boxes). So the materials were laying around anyway. I used my entire SOG collection (minus the Baton) as a demonstration. The rolls can even be flattened to hold something like the Sync II.
Hopefully this isn't a rehashed idea, but it is honestly something I have not seen before. Hopefully this will help some of y'all here on MT.o. 

[Alan K.]

Way ahead of you.  Been doing this for some years now and I agree with your assessment.  It works great.  You can also use the TP rolls to store cables for your computers and electronics, labeling the tube so you know what is in it, and preventing all those cables from becoming a tangled birds nest.

[gerleatherberman]

Way ahead of you.  Been doing this for some years now and I agree with your assessment.  It works great.  You can also use the TP rolls to store cables for your computers and electronics, labeling the tube so you know what is in it, and preventing all those cables from becoming a tangled birds nest.

Awesome!
I am looking forward to getting the MTs organized this way. Looks like it works for you, Alan! That is good to know.

[kaput]

Wait. I have to ask, why aren't all of those empty TP rolls going straight in the trash can? 

But yeah, makes sense. GREAT EASTER CUTLERY ship all of their traditional folder knives in what they call "tubes". Similar idea, little heavier construction with lids. 

[Alan K.]

I don't know what inspired gerleatherberman, but in my case I was saving them for crafts or the recycle bin and I got the idea to use them to organize my cables.  That worked so well that I got to thinking what else would fit in them and I thought of using them to keep the knives and MTs divided in a crate.

[Poncho65]

 Great idea to recycle/repurpose those If/when I outgrow my current storage solution I may give this a go

[Syncop8r]

Wait. I have to ask, why aren't all of those empty TP rolls going straight in the trash can? 

Because they should go on the fire or in the recycling bin. 

[gerleatherberman]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

With pleasantries out of the way, I will honestly answer the question posted by kaput.

There are three bathrooms in the house(one is an add-on). Each one uses a similarly sized 2gallon disposal can next to the toilet.
Here is the embarassing part. I only empty them when the contents are flowing over the top (like yesterday) and onto the floor and can't be squished down anymore.  I tend to procrastinate house chores. But, it worked out well.

My house isn't cluttered or messy, but let's just say, it isn't going to get a good housekeeping award.

Note: they no longer offer recycling pickup in the neighborhood where I live, so anything that can be saved from the landfill is good. I take extra cardboard boxes I get to work for people buying glasswares. I drink coke zeros a lot, so I save the cans up for the metal recyclers.

[ThePeacent]

that is a neat idea, I never thought to do it for MTs, 

what I have been doing for years though is store my flashlights and 18650 batteries in the rolls that come with aluminum foil and wrapping plastic film for the kitchen. They are thicker in the walls but thinner overall, and fit perfectly 

[gerleatherberman]

that is a neat idea, I never thought to do it for MTs, 

what I have been doing for years though is store my flashlights and 18650 batteries in the rolls that come with aluminum foil and wrapping plastic film for the kitchen. They are thicker in the walls but thinner overall, and fit perfectly 

Now I need to start saving those rolls too.
Thank you, TP!

[ReamerPunch]

I came in here expecting a Toilet Paper MultiTool! 

[Poncho65]

I came in here expecting a Toilet Paper MultiTool! 

 

Me too actually

[magentus]

Great idea!

Isn't there an ultra rare Vic SAK with a Bathroom soap dispenser key?

[Aloha]

Neat idea. 

[ReamerPunch]

Great idea!

Isn't there an ultra rare Vic SAK with a Bathroom soap dispenser key?

Wenger.
http://www.swissarmyknights.com/articles/2007/344-collection-highlight-august-07

[magentus]

Great idea!

Isn't there an ultra rare Vic SAK with a Bathroom soap dispenser key?

Wenger.
http://www.swissarmyknights.com/articles/2007/344-collection-highlight-august-07

Good retrieval time there RP!

[Syncop8r]

Can the rolls be moulded into a square shape so there are no gaps between?

[cody6268]

When I read the title, the first thing that came to mind was that Wenger with a key to unlock the toilet paper dispensers in public bathrooms. Of course, to me, if I saw it, would seem as if it was some sort of cartridge/shell puller.

[Marc_in_NS]

Wait a minute! Where can you get Toilet Paper rolls if you don’t use toilet paper?

[ThundahBeagle]

Can the rolls be moulded into a square shape so there are no gaps between?

If they were square, they would leave no gaps, that's true, but the gaps themselves form the cushion between each roll.

[gerleatherberman]

Can the rolls be moulded into a square shape so there are no gaps between?

indeed they could, but with that much effort, I'd cut lengths of cardboard slotted across to make lots of slots. The TP roll thing is cheap and lazy. Just like me.

Wait a minute! Where can you get Toilet Paper rolls if you don’t use toilet paper?

Then you're up poop creek.

Can the rolls be moulded into a square shape so there are no gaps between?

If they were square, they would leave no gaps, that's true, but the gaps themselves form the cushion between each roll.

Indeed! I hadn't thought about that, but that makes sense!