I'm planning to have some shallow storage drawers built for my gun safe to store my revolvers. My plan would be to line the bottoms with some type of felt to cushion the surface as well as make it look nicer.

I've read that the synthetic polyester felt is best due to less moisture retention, so I've been researching. I've found a product that is sold as a machinist's chest liner and another that is sold by a museum/conservation company. Both are self adhesive.

I suspect that either would be fine, but have read a few comments on other sites that take the material selection to another level. They talk about analyzing the chemical composition of the fibers, the adhesive, off-gassing, etc. Is this level really necessary for a typical modern firearm? I called Browning, and they use standard auto carpet and 3M spray adhesive on their safe shelves.

Bottom line: Has anyone ever seen a blued handgun actually damaged by resting on a felt shelf, or is this Internet hyperbole? Any suggestions on a green felt material?

Thanks

I have had my guns in the safe on racks I made for the handguns covered
with plain felt you get at craft stores for 30 years with no problem, except I had one nickel gun that the nickel where it rested on the felt turned cloudy.i polished it out and moved the gun to another location.

I have used the felt-type indoor/outdoor carpet for many years with no problems whatsoever.
Available in your choice of colors, if that matters.
This isn't one of those earth-shaking decisions such as "which oil should I use?"..

__________________
-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

J.K. I've been using those brightly colored interlocking fatigue mats from H.D. I like the brighter colors to make it easier to see, not as classy as green felt though. A crafts/sewing store perhaps.

Cork gasket material with a PSA (Pressure Sensitive Adhesive) works pretty well...

I've been using the self stick felt from Hobby Lobby as the background in my shadow boxes with collections of 1 1/2"s and .32 Safety Hammerless for several years now. Doesn't seem to be any problems. I do put a couple coats of Renaissance wax on the guns before they go in the box.

__________________
H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I have a chest with shallow drawers in which my Smiths and others reside, and I found that carpet is what it takes to keep the guns in the drawers from sliding around when opening or closing the drawers even in a normal fashion.

How do you keep/store your S&Ws

I just used some nice velvet from a fabric store. I think that with my safe inside the climate-controlled house and a Goldenrod inside the safe that moisture should not be a concern. I haven't had the velvet itself react with the guns but I've only had this setup for a couple of years. However it's similar to what I've had in my safe for decades prior - regular shelves lined with fabric or carpet.

One thing I did do is that rather than attaching the velvet directly to the bottom of the drawer, I got some 1/8” thick fiberboard and cut it to fit the drawers. Then I glued the velvet to the fiberboard using spray adhesive and put them in the bottom of the drawer. That way it’s easy to change out for whatever reason.

Billiard cloth, tough and durable, plus moisture resistant. Comes in a number of colors.

__________________
Don Mundell

I made several felt lined wood racks for my safe. Used a spray on adhesive to attach the felt to the wood. Haven't had any issues. Felt was obtained from a fabric store and cost about $5 per square yard. Most textile fibers have a light oil finish which aides in processing, usually a light mineral oil. Shouldn't be a problem. I was more concerned with off gassing from solvents in the spray in the adhesive. Read the directions and didn't find anything to be worried about but I still let the rack set out and "cure" a couple days to be on the safe side. I've used the same materials to reline a wood case I found for my nickel plated 27-2. I've been storing it in the case for a year or two now and the finish is unaffected.

John

Man oh man, where do you get a safe like that?

Oh man, where did you get the guns like that!!

__________________
Endeavor to persevere. <><

Felt is too fuzzy for my likes and its threads come off on everything.

I use the thin, rubber backed carpet runner material that comes in a large roll in the carpet section at Lowe's. This is not the outdoor "grass" stuff. They have a nice "safe gray" color that matches up very well with the safe color and it is very reasonable in price.

The thin rubber backing prevents it from sliding around and I also think is serves as a pretty good vapor barrier under the fiber layer.

I use those those Hoppe's 9 gun cloths.

The yellow ones are wax treated and the gray ones are silicone treated.

I use both. I simply spread the cloths out on each shelf. All my blued handguns lay directly on these. I suppose you could line your drawers with them as well.

Been doing this for over 30 years with no negative issues whatever.


Russ

TOM K :

NICE set up you have there and it looks like an extensive collection as well.
Where did you get the draw/slide set up if I may ask?

Chief38

There's a link to the thread right under the picture, where I described building it. I posted several times in the thread so you'll want to scroll through it.