Living with collections

[tosh]

I’m starting to become stressed out by the sight of my collection. I want it out of the house, don’t fancy putting it in the loft. I have a big 7ft high 4ft wide cabinet in the garage with lockable roller door. So tempted to empty it and use it to store my collection. I’m just concerned about humidity and vastly changing seasonal temperatures causing the cardboard packing to go mouldy. I started sealing my wengers in individual sealer bags with sachets of silica gel, the bags were heat sealed. I did around 50 individual items.
Would that be enough to prevent damp air in winter causing damage? The collection is worth a lot of money now but the thought of having it in my face for the next 20yrs doesn’t appeal in the slightest.
 

[Old Boy]

Sounds like you are doing everything you can. You can always reuse the silica by reheating it slightly.

Would it be better to find a way to make your cabinet airtight using some gaskets? Would make for a nice project and you can just toss in a few Desiccant bags ( the big ones). You can get fancy and place a hygrometer/thermometer.
Plus you can just open the cabinet and enjoy rather than taking them out of the bags.

But I am guessing if you live in hot and cold climate you might expect your tools to expand and shrink. Nothing they can’t handle unless you have something extra fragile.

Sounds like you have an envious collection

[Chako]

They sell plastic totes with gaskets on the lids that are air tight. Some dessicants in there should be good.

[tosh]

I guess so RE: envious. But the storage is a pain.
As I say, I’m fed up of it, my partner is absolutely sick of the sight of them...and they are not even on display!!
I’m wondering to reconsider and store the valuable stuff in the loft and the not so valuable in the garage or maybe just let go.
The living room is L shaped and I did suggest making it rectangle by building a stud wall thus creating a study ( man cave ) she nearly burst into tears and walked off!!
Oops

[tosh]

They sell plastic totes with gaskets on the lids that are air tight. Some dessicants in there should be good.

Are they the ones on Amazon??
It’s just the risk that’s worrying me. The packaging needs to be kept dry - as that is what will set mine apart from the millions of other collections.

[Chako]

I have my collection in several mechanic tool chest and cabinets stored in my bedroom. I still have all my boxes stored in several places upstairs etc...

I personally would never store valuables in an unheated garage. However...those air tight storage containers would be the way I would go if push comes to shove. That should keep the humidity away.

I have 4 bought at a local Staples which is an office supply chain. They do a great job of keeping humidity away so long as the rubber gasket is good.

On Amazon...these are the ones I have...

https://www.amazon.ca/IRIS-Quart-Weathertight-Storage-Clear/dp/B00CY53M4U/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=airtight+storage+bins&qid=1597602797&sr=8-5

[dks]

Anybody wanting their collection kept in a protected room in a dry climate region permanently may PM me. Prices will depend on size of collection.
For insurance purposes you will first need to sign your collection over to me, just for the eyes of the insurance company.

[tosh]

I have my collection in several mechanic tool chest and cabinets stored in my bedroom. I still have all my boxes stored in several places upstairs etc...

I personally would never store valuables in an unheated garage. However...those air tight storage containers would be the way I would go if push comes to shove. That should keep the humidity away.

I have 4 bought at a local Staples which is an office supply chain. They do a great job of keeping humidity away so long as the rubber gasket is good.

On Amazon...these are the ones I have...

https://www.amazon.ca/IRIS-Quart-Weathertight-Storage-Clear/dp/B00CY53M4U/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=airtight+storage+bins&qid=1597602797&sr=8-5

Yep, they are in my amazon basket. Just putting off buying as I need a few...ahem 

[tosh]

Anybody wanting their collection kept in a protected room in a dry climate region permanently may PM me. Prices will depend on size of collection.
For insurance purposes you will first need to sign your collection over to me, just for the eyes of the insurance company.

Are you sure you don’t mind? 

[dks]

I need the money,,,,,

[GearedForwards]

Seeing you're in the UK, honestly I think you're worrying too much about it. I've been collecting seriously for about 8 years now, have most of the boxes things came in just in a drawer under my bed and nothing has gotten mouldy etc. How I handle my collection (well over 100 tools at last count) and I'd recommend yours:
-Control the humidity in the room, I use a mixture or the refillable dehumidifiers you buy crystals for and the throwaway cheapies you can grab for a quid from Tesco, meant for caravans and the like
-Control the humidity on the local level, I don't bother looking after the boxes and they're absolutley fine, but I have a wooden tool chest I keep the bulk of my collection in and a couple of medium sized resuable dessicant sachets in each drawer (up to 4/5 for the larger ones) has always keep things nice and dry

Though if you're really very concerned about it, just throw some silica packs into those vacuumable clothes bags? They're air tight and easily controlled environments 

[hiraethus]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-effective-clutter/dp/0091955106

[tosh]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-effective-clutter/dp/0091955106

You’re not funny y’know
You’re not 

[dks]

[Aloha]

I can be hard to look at objects such as SAKs and such as investments for some.  Its can also be hard especially when those objects likely wont be sold to realize the monetary aspect.  So, I can see why your partner is not amused. 

For those who collect ephemera using polyethylene sleeves or bags is a start.  Acid free storage holders that are air tight.  You can also use acid free paper between layers of the boxes instead of staking them on top one another.  Keep the boxes free of light.  Keeping those containers in an area that is stable heat and humidity wise is important.  The collecting part is fun but I can see when the collecting has become investment grade the preserving can become a project unto itself.     

Mine "collection" fits neatly under my bed in a air tight container.  While we get humidity ( like this week ) we stay pretty dry.  If I had a larger collection more valuable collection I'd take the steps I mention. 

I know you'll figure it out.  Enjoy all that you've collected.  While it'll take a bit to get it all worked out you have to be proud of such a fantastic collection.     

     

[parnass]

I’m starting to become stressed out by the sight of my collection. I want it out of the house, don’t fancy putting it in the loft. ....
 The collection is worth a lot of money now but the thought of having it in my face for the next 20yrs doesn’t appeal in the slightest.
 

Are you stressed by seeing the collection or stressed by owning it?  I cannot tell from your post.

I collected pocket knives in the 1980s and 1990s.  When I lost interest after a few years, I kept most of them.  After it became stressful to have them, I started giving them away one knife at a time.  Still have most of them left, but I rarely look at them.

[tosh]

Oops- sorry for not replying sooner
I guess it’s the sheer bulk of it. I’ve temporarily moved everything into the loft both my extensive canon DSLR  system and my MT SAK collection. As stated in another post we have already filled 2 skips with clutter. We have decided to go back to bare bones, so sick of clutter everywhere.
The vast majority of the cheap nasty MT SAK stuff was skipped last week! There’s still a few plastic crates to sort through, but we are both going hell for leather trying to redecorate the entire house. I’m back at work next Monday so progress will take a massive hit.

[Ray S]

Some observations:
First of all I would NOT recommend storing anything of value in an unheated space! The temperature variations are essentially what cause moisture to form on just about anything(especially metal)and it does not disperse when the temperature warms up;especially in a sealed environment.
As I see it you have two options: keep it stored inside or dispense with it.
When I first moved here to Michigan(a state with wildly swinging temperatures) most of my "accumulation"(I despise the term "collection")was housed in suitcases and various other containers with dessicant bags in all and stored in the basement of our house. Even though the moisture content was low and the temperature fairly constant I still had problems with moisture forming
and in one instance ruining a very expensive Puma White Hunter.
My wife's solution was to buy me an old typographer's cabinet that I modified to store many of my knives.When that was filled(all 24 drawers),I started moving my accumulation upstairs into the spare bedroom which became the computer room.
The house has forced hot air heating & air conditioning and there is no exposure to direct sunlight so the atmosphere is very constant and I still experience the occasional rust forming on carbon steel blades resulting in an almost weekly monitoring.
Sounds fairly easy to do until you realize that we are talking a few thousand knives.I don't have an exact count but they are all catalogued and updated.
So my original premise still stands: live with them or dispense with them.

[gregozedobe]

....So my original premise still stands: live with them or dispense with them.

I've been thinking about "thinning the herd" significantly, and will probably start doing just that when (if ever) mail deliveries get back to some semblance of normalcy.   

I've enjoyed collecting, but I do really have way too many MTs and it is getting towards time to start letting others enjoy them. 

Recently my missus and I have been doing new Wills and Enduring powers of Attorney (the second is quite complex to do properly), and my usually very tolerant missus has stated quite plainly that if I die before her she doesn't want to have to deal with disposing of 1,900-odd MTs (can't say I blame her).

[Mechanickal]

My collection reached about 130 items.
SAKs, Multi's, folders and fixies all combined.

Seeing others getting issues with the numbers they own, I decided to try and stay below 150 items.

As a result, I traded a few lower valued items for a single higher value item some time ago.

So far so good!
I do have to admit my wife allowed me a mancave when we moved into our own place a few years ago, which makes storage and displaying easier.

[1386paul]

I had all my collection put away in draws but have recently moved them into one of my toolboxes. It’s the best thing for me as now I can access what ever I want and have found I’ve been using different tools more often.
I’m lucky as the climate is very mild to hot here and dry in my workshop so won’t affect the condition of my collection. It’s not as big as some members collections but still cost me a few dollars to put together.

One of 3 draws

[Legend]

Reading through this thread was fascinating as I have yet to find a system I prefer.  I’ve been close to 200 tools in the past and over the past year doing a lot of thinning.

I’ve been enjoying my collection a lot more since I’ve knocked it down to about 80 Leatherman and everything about collecting and preserving what I now have has become much more reasonable and fun again. 

[kkokkolis]

Our climate is among the driest in Europe. Still, since we live by the sea, we use electric appliances called "dehumidifiers".
I am curious, don't you use them in rainy Britain and snowy Canada?
We have one in the Salon working right now.
That's were I keep my minerals, military miniatures and other fancy items, but not my SAKs.
I throw away the boxes, anyway. But I have kept 2 from a Swisschamp and a Pocket Toolchest, over 30 and 20 years old. They are both intact.