Before you head out into the wilderness for a little camping, you probably check all the essentials off your pack list—but might not think about the logistics of carrying some of them around. Knives, in particular, can dull without proper storage and care, at best, and can be dangerous without it, at worst. There are all kinds of hacks out there about how to store and transport these sharp, necessary objects, but may we suggest the humble pool noodle as the best solution?
How to store knives in a pool noodle
The best thing about pool noodles is that hole in the middle, which makes them so versatile, especially if you slice one side open. For years, outdoorspeople have relied on pool noodles to sheath their knives, but how you do it depends on the size of the hole in your noodle as well as the diameter of your blade.
If your noodle has a big hole and your blade will fit in it, shove it right up in there and then cut the pool noodle’s length so it’s about an inch over where the tip of the knife ends. Ideally, the hole will be ever-so-slightly too small for the blade, so you’ll actually cut custom-sized slits the first time you insert it. This will ensure a sturdy hold and keep the sharp part from dulling out, plus prevent it from cutting anything else. Be careful, though, that repeated sheathing and unsheathing doesn’t make the slits too wide, which could result in the knife falling out or even the whole noodle busting open to the point of uselessness.
What to do if the blade is too big for the hole
It’s understandable if you don’t want to bring your hunting knife into the local dollar store to check how easily it will or won’t fit into the center of a pool noodle. That’s suspicious. Unfortunately, unless you’re a whiz at measuring or guesstimating, you may end up with a noodle that has too small of a hole to really sheath your blade. In this case, just slice down one side of the noodle so it expands in the center and place your blade inside that way. Try to position the cut part, which will gap, along the flat part of your blade, so the sharp sides are still ensconced in foam. Wrap a chain around it to secure it. (A chain is better than, say, a rubber band because the chain can’t be sliced. They’re relatively inexpensive, too; here’s one on Amazon for about $13.)
What to keep in mind
This method is great for storing knives if you are going to pack them into something they can get jostled around in, like a toolbox or spare cooler, as the pool noodles provide a kind of bumper that keeps the blade extra safe. However, bear in mind that while this is a sturdier option than others out there—like taping paper around them—it also takes up much more space.
Try this if you plan on doing water-related activities outside this year. Whenever the knife isn’t in use, keep it in the pool noodle. Then, if it falls into the creek, out of your boat, or into whatever water you’re working with, it stays afloat instead of sinking down and becoming a major safety hazard to your feet.
Bonus tip: If you store a lot of knives in your drawers at home, consider cutting a pool noodle to the exact width of the drawer, shoving it all the way to the back, and stabbing the blade tips into it whenever you put a knife away. This will keep them from banging around in the drawer and getting dull, plus save your fingers if you reach in there without thinking one day.
