How do you store your extra plane blades?

[Jason White]

I see Lee Valley sells some plastic cases for both bevel-up and bevel-down blades. Any other suggestions?

[Scott Clausen]

I first need some extras but I would think a container the locks out moisture with a good oil coating on the bales should work. Maybe a slot for some moisture absorbing packs could be an extra thought.

[Jack Dover]

I just stuck mine into a thick piece of rigid foam insulation, cleaned and waxed. They live in a cardboard box on a shelf. These irons are being used more or less regularly.

There's a pack of older tapered blades, they're well waxed, wrapped in oiled brown paper and stored in a tight wooden box. They are not used regularly, and wait for the next plane restoration, etc.

[Scott Winners]

I am looking forward to hearing some good answers. About to bring in a spare iron for #5 so I can have a straight with rounded corners and a bit of vamber on the other one. Mine I will probably have a pair of chipbreakers too, so ic an just switch back and forth.

[Rob Luter]

I use the plastic cases for my LV irons. My LN spares sit in a felt lined drawer with the edge protected by the congealed goo it ships with. Others (plow plane irons) just sit in a drawer. Everything is treated with oil when stored.

[steven c newman]

They are resting comfortly in a drawer, or 2.....figure I need to sharpen them up, before using, any way. Stanley, Millers Falls, Sargent...about all there is to stow away..

[Scott Winners]

I use the plastic cases for my LV irons. My LN spares sit in a felt lined drawer with the edge protected by the congealed goo it ships with. Others (plow plane irons) just sit in a drawer. Everything is treated with oil when stored.

I think I am happy with the canvas roll-up for plow plane irons from LV, though mine is pretty new. Not sure if it would fit irons from other makers, but probably at least some overlap.

[Ben Ellenberger]

I have my plow plane blades loose in a little box in a drawer. I figure as long as they aren’t getting banged against other things they are ok. I’ll probably do something fancier one day, but it is pretty far down my list.

[steven c newman]

Plough plane irons for my 2 Stanley #45s...are in the holders Stanley made for them ( copied by me)

That reminds me...need to get one set up to plough a groove, next time I'm IN the shop...

[Jim Koepke]

This depends about which extra blades you are inquiring.

Extra blades for bench planes are stored in a box with chip extra breakers. The box includes a till above the blades to hold auger bits.

Blades for a wood body plow plane are held in a box that is mostly holding chisels. Both boxes can be seen in this image:

OilStone & Tool Bench.jpg

The box for the #55 holds blades for it. Directly below it and under the ellipse template and shallow box is the box with bench plane blades. To the right is a box of chisels & gouges that also holds blades for a wood body plow plane.

Then all the way back to the left is a cabinet with plastic drawers. There are a lot of blades for Stanley #45 & #50 stored in there.

Next is the plane wall:

Plane Wall.jpg

A few changes since, these images are about 4 years old.

The drawer on the left holds spare blades for block planes and other shop tools. The box under the shelf of combination planes holds a complete set of all the cutters made for a Stanley #45. The box was given to my grandson to house his #45. The blades are now on the shelf.

There are also a standard set of cutters for the #45 to the right of the top shelf of the molding planes:

Stanley 45 Blade Boxes.jpg

The straight line on the ends and is to signify plow blades. The line with a bump, beading blades. This makes it easier to pick which box of blades is wanted.

There are aslo a couple more boxes with #45 blades stowed in them on these shelves.

That is about all that come to mind at the moment. there is a 2-3/8" blade in the tote in the first image, but that belongs to a friend who asked me to sharpen it pre-pandemic. Maybe he should be given a call.

jtk