Desiccants? what are they and where to buy?

[Von Hoth]

I read there is an industrial made substance known as a Desiccants? what is it and where could small ones/amount be purchased to store a few guns with?

(it keeps the air dry)

do any gun keepers use it?

[Larry Lipps]

Desiccants, usually silica gel, is often used to keep moisture levels low in confined areas. Generally a large teabag sized packet will keep a sealed shoebox relatively low in humidity for a couple months. The more the box is opened the less effective the silica becomes. If it's not regenerated, usually in an oven on a regular basis, it ceases to be effective at all. An area the size of a gunsafe would require a considerable amount and would probably require monthly regeneration to be effective at all.

[Von Hoth]

thanks for the reply. at the moment, i only own 3 small pistols. so i was gonna store them in a smaller safe. really small by gun safe standards.

I regulary clean them, but i live in cape caveral, one of the most corrosive air environments in the world. my dad works on the shutte program and he actually showed me some data on it. anyways, i notice some small crusty orange growths like a pin head size on my pistols almost every time i take them out. even on the pistol with alot of finish left on it. I think it may have been because i was placing my mp3 player and it's case in the same drawer but not touching it. i sweat on the case so i'm gonna stop doing that. but it could still be the air. it is not unusual for a an AC unit to fail due to the air corrosion here by the beach within 4 years.

[Craigob]

I normally buy mine via ebay, Humidity here in Philadelphia during the summer is a killer and I dont have AC in my collection room. I run a small dehumidifer and some packets in my cases during the summer.

A search of "Desiccant" on ebay will yield great results

[N.C. Wyeth]

Von Hoth,

If you want to give it a try, I can send you some. Just drop me your address by e-mail at bscottlong@msn.com and I'll send you a nice sized package of "regenerative" silica gel desiccant - just let me know how big your safe is. You will have to "regenerate" it, as I have had it for quite some time stored away (I actually have about 100 pounds packaged in individual bags made just for this purpose!) - you can do a Search here to find out how to regenerate the stuff . . .

I can't promise you how good it will do where you live, but when I used silica gel packs, they seemed to work o.k. for me here in Ohio if I kept up with the regeneration requirements . . .

Brad

P.S. Make sure you buy and use a good Humidity monitor too!

P.P.S. If anyone else in the "Community" needs silica gel, feel free to contact me (at least until I run out!) - I would only ask that you pay postage if you really do have the need . . .