Gun safe and humidity.

[jka5000]

I just bought a Liberty Lincoln safe that was installed today. I plan on storing several guns in the safe as well as important documents and an extensive watch collection in the safe as well. I dont think I am going to use the dehumidifier that was included because I think the temperature may damage the wood on some of the shotguns I inherited and dry out some of the leather bands on irreplaceable watches. So if I use several moisture absorbing desiccants instead, will that keep the wood and leather in good shape?

 

[kirklandkie]

I have a cabelas brand gun safe where I keep a variety of items including some leather sheaths, firearms, and coins. I keep it in the basement and pack it with desicant packs. When I shipped to basic training and tech school for 6 months I to was nervous about the contents of my safe. When I returned I was pleased to see everything was exactly as I left it. Not a spot of rust on anything or any change in the leather. Vietnam era leather, fairly heavy stuff though. (If that means anything to you)
I live in ct and the start of my away period was July
congrats on the new safe!

-Kirk

 

[runfrumu]

I'd use the golden rod. They don't get hot enough to were you can't touch them so no worries of fire, and they don't seem to increase the temp of the safe much. The Silica jail packs work fine, but you'll need alot and they need to be baked in the oven occasionally to remove any moisture.

 

[Coolbreeze8804]

I have a LARGE liberty safe and use the dessicants. ( I bought the really big dessicant packs and a mil-spec can type unit off of e-bay and have never had a problem. I like the fact that they grab the moisture and keep it. Once a year during the summer I take the packs out and cook them dry. (They never seem to have any moisture in them, but my OCD makes me follow the directions on the can...) I live in Western Oregon, so moisture is a real concern, but not a problem with these things.

I don't get the GoldenRod deal. I have a 24" on my bench, and think about installing it once or twice a year, but I've never gotten around to it. It just seems silly to me to heat the air (and the moisture up), so I can circulate it, but it still can't get out of the safe because...the door is closed! I know a zillion people swaer by them, but I just can't seem to get past the lack of "moisture removal"

 

[Lee Roder]

The goldenrod doesn't remove moisture, but it does increase the capacity of the air inside the safe to hold moisture, which is effectively the same thing. By decreasing the relative humidity inside the safe, corrosion is inhibited.

 

[Drail]

I would advise using sufficient dessicant or a Goldenrod type device, keeping the metal surfaces oiled and don't place any leather or fabric materials (like holsters) in the safe because they may be holding moisture that will evaporate into the air inside the safe. I have used just dessicant packs for quite a few years in my safe and never had a problem yet. I keep all of the metal lightly coated with Breakfree Collector.

 

[Coolbreeze8804]

Thaks Lee. That makes sense to me. I'll stick the darned thing in the safe now just because it finally makes a bit of sense...