How do you organize your x-acto blades, knives etc?

[gsgreene]

I'm trying to clean up my workbench before Christmas and I'm struggling with the numerous X-acto handles, blades parts etc. in various locations. I would like some way of easily organizing all of these but haven't got any really good ideas. I have some of the wooden box sets that hodl some items but the plastic inserts aren't very secure and fall out, plus I'd like to have everything in the same place. I'm sure many others have dealt with this so does anyone have any good ideas or pictures of how to store these?

[reklein]

I'm not too organizes but I do keep a length of clear tubing over the blades while they're in the drawer. Saves fingers and edges.

[Bob Cleek]

1 hour ago, gsgreene said:

I'm trying to clean up my workbench before Christmas and I'm struggling with the numerous X-acto handles, blades parts etc. in various locations. I would like some way of easily organizing all of these but haven't got any really good ideas. I have some of the wooden box sets that hodl some items but the plastic inserts aren't very secure and fall out, plus I'd like to have everything in the same place. I'm sure many others have dealt with this so does anyone have any good ideas or pictures of how to store these?

The old wooden box sets (which always had a lot of tools in them for which one had no use whatsoever!) had wooden separators instead of the cheesy plastic ones we see now. You might build some wooden dividers into your wooden boxes and consider throwing the plastic ones out. Good storage keeps everything in its place and makes for much more efficient working. Without it, I spend way too much time looking for a tool "I know I laid down here somewhere." I find machinists' tool chests perfect for storing categories of small tools, which makes sense because that's what they are designed for!

 

Eighty bucks at Harbor Freight:: https://www.harborfreight.com/eight-drawer-wood-tool-chest-94538.html?cid=paid_bing|*PLA+-+All+Products+-+Higher+Sales+Items|New+Products+-+(4)+Price+%2450-70|94538&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&mkwid=4mLmZpFk|pcrid||pkw||pmt|be|pdv|c|slid||product|94538|pgrid||ptaid||&pgrid=1163283597023480&ptaid=pla-4576304837641946&pcid=368003290&msclkid=bfcde081e89815480ca9bd70c4653336

 

Kennedy professional grade chest at about $300, but much better, with ball bearing drawer slides: https://allindustrial.com/99-010-520-7-drawer-machinists-chest/?device=c&keyword=&campaign=296456090&adgroup=pla-4582558307670047&msclkid=ce02091052cb141766b454e17e367e67&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=**LP Shop - Catch All&utm_term=4582558307670047&utm_content=Shopping Catch All

 

 

Tool chests come in a myriad of configurations, many "stackable" on rolling cart bases and at many price points. The good ones aren't cheap, but nothing good ever is. For modeling purposes where we aren't going to be loading them up with hundreds of pounds of steel machine tooling and the like, for which the good ones are designed, the lighter and less expensive models will serve without requiring taking out a second mortgage. (Costco sometimes has quite good stainless steel "house brand" models at excellent prices. Harbor Freight has lots of options at, well..., Harbor Freight quality, but a decent enough value at their low prices and suitable for modeling purposes.) Proper tool storage is essential to good craftsmanship and a good tool box is as important a "tool" as any. The less time "looking" and "searching," the more time working. Spending the money on a good rolling tool cart may not be as exciting as spending it on a "sexy" tool, but your tool box is the one tool you will use every time you use any other tool you store in it. And if you live with other people in your household, the locks on most tool chests come in very handy.

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by Bob Cleek

[Shotlocker]

I use a couple of wooden test tube holders, they work great for xacto knives, files, paint brushes, pencils, etc., and don't take up much space on the work bench.

Also, magnetic knife holders work well for larger tools - keeps them visible and handy if hung on a wall.

[grsjax]

I use a 3 drawer wooden art supply organizer.  Just the right size for xacto knife handles and blades.  Available in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 drawer versions.  Take the time to apply wax to the drawer runners to ensure smooth operation.

https://www.displays2go.com/P-22078/Art-Supply-Organizer-3-Beechwood-Drawers

 

Also available from Amazon and Jerry's Artarama .

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by grsjax

[Ponto]

1 hour ago, grsjax said:

I use a 3 drawer wooden art supply organizer.  Just the right size for xacto knife handles and blades.  Available in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 drawer versions.  Take the time to apply wax to the drawer runners to ensure smooth operation.

https://www.displays2go.com/P-22078/Art-Supply-Organizer-3-Beechwood-Drawers

 

Also available from Amazon and Jerry's Artirama .

 

I look at this and know I need one.... price is reasonable too.  But I live in Canada and the currency exchange is brutal. Now I can do with out.........

[grsjax]

36 minutes ago, Ponto said:

But I live in Canada

Have you looked at Amazon Canada to see if they have them?

Edited December 11, 2019 by grsjax

[Jaager]

For you workbench and ready access:

 

A block of Styrofoam 2 inches thick -  The length and depth your choice -  glued to a base of 1/2" plywood.  

Liquid Nails or maybe PVA to glue it -  I know hot glue does not work and organic solvent based adhesives may melt it.

My local Home Depot has  1' x 2' x 1"  or 2' x 2' x 1" craft and project sized pieces,  so you do not need a 4' x 8' sheet.

 

Make holes or slits = ready access,  will not dull edges  I have more than one.

[PopDavid]

How about a handle for an #11 blade that does not get loose as you use it???????

[mtaylor]

I have a set of similar to what Bob Creek showed (Gerstner branded).  One of the small drawers holds my blades (in the plastic tubes or boxes as I buy in bulk) and the handles.  I won't store a handle with a blade in it.  The only ones with blades are on the workbench with a piece of masking tape on the blade.  I've had some nasty cuts in the past storing blades on the handles. 

[Ponto]

7 hours ago, grsjax said:

Have you looked at Amazon Canada to see if they have them?

 

Yeah,... double the cost with additional shipping charges.  My  empty soup cans will for now...............

Edited December 12, 2019 by Ponto

[grsjax]

4 hours ago, Altima211 said:

Wow. 270 $ canadian box at amazon.ca. And 24 $

Hadn't realized how expensive things are in Canada.  Found a 3 drawer on Amazon.ca for Can $43 but there as an additional $25 in "import fee" and shipping.  What is an import fee?

[vaddoc]

I have a tin pot where all sharp things go upside down. Also a small cardboard box for drilling and cutting related stuff, one for general stuff, one for sanding related stuff, one for rope making and so on...An organised chaos but tidying up is quick and when looking for something I know where to broadly look. Of course from time to time I do lose things that resurface later on.

[jim Landis]

I use foamcore as a sheath for knives with mounted blades that are out on the bench.

[CPDDET]

This is the one I'm currently using. Search "bench top organizers". I think I paid around $70 for it. Check jeweler's supplies too.

[gsgreene]

Thanks everyone for your help and ideas!

[Maury S]

I use cardboard tubes or 1 1/4" PVC pipe of assorted heights, glued to a flat base.  Vertical storage takes up much less space on my limited work bench.  Cost = $0.

Maury

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

On 12/11/2019 at 11:13 AM, gsgreene said:

I'm trying to clean up my workbench before Christmas and I'm struggling with the numerous X-acto handles, blades parts etc. in various locations. I would like some way of easily organizing all of these

I had this problem ... so often!

I kept all the small tools in small different tool chests.

Finally, I decided to regroup all the small tools in the same chest.

Now, everything is at the same place in a cherry wood chest.

Xacto blades are in small plastic "pouch".

[Maury S]

ENVY!!!😂

[vaddoc]

This is how I would imagine an Elf's workshop to be Gaetan! 

Love your pliers collection! 

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

The big problem with one drawer is his height. Most of the small tools are, obviously small, often below 1/2 inch. Ideally there will be 1 layer of tools in a drawer. More than one would not be be user friendly.

 

As an example, if 1 drawer is filled with tools of 1/2 inch of height in a 2 inches drawer: it means, that for every drawer, 1  1/2 inch will be lost for every drawer.  This space is costly and it is lost!

 

With this cherry chest, 16 drawers of about 21 by 21 inches give a surface of about 50 square feet. The blue chest is for heavy metal tools and the surface is even bigger.

 

We need tools... and we also needs a lot of drawers.