Smelly Tool Boxes

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tom_strickling
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Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by tom_strickling » Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:34 pm

Does anyone have a tool box, probably plastic, that smells like nasty old cheese when you open it up. I have experienced this with a couple smaller tool boxes. What's the deal??
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TRDxB2
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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by TRDxB2 » Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:36 pm

By chance do you have Sears screwdrivers with plastic handles in the box?
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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by Scott_Conger » Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:48 pm

GOOD LORD it's another set of stinky Craftsman's!!!!!

I have an old set of nut drivers that when cooped up smell like, well, I'd say that "nasty old cheese" is a very kind and not too incorrect of a description.
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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by Susanne » Sat Jun 27, 2020 7:18 pm

OMG, the amber colored c'man screwdrvers smell like this (or worse)...

I donated my old ones off, because (1) they cammed out my screws, and (2) a new set of Carslyle drivers at Napamwere all of $20 on sale. Seriously... old tools are kinda cool, but like Acetate Film, once it's gone, it's WAY gone.

Sure, it broke my heart, until the first time I used them...

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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by BE_ZERO_BE » Sat Jun 27, 2020 7:42 pm

Here is what the internet says :

The problem is that as those handles get old, they start releasing butyric acid and free acetic acid. Butyric acid, in particular, smells like smelly socks. It's a carboxylic acid, and the bad part is that it migrates within your confined toolbox, which means other tools absorb some of that nasty stink.

Xcelite nutdrivers are famous for that.
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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by HPetrino » Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:25 pm

Dang. All this time I've been searching for a pair of my grandson's gym socks. :lol: :lol:


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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by jab35 » Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:34 pm

I've had some of those stinking plastic handled tool sets get moldy too. Some types of mold love those organic acids. jb


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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by Jeff Hood » Sun Jun 28, 2020 12:37 am

Even Snap-On black handles will begin to "sweat" and shrink and finally craze and disintegrate. If they are in a drawer or toolbox the gasses given off will rust and corrode other tools nearby. I have had several nice tools ruined by disintegrating screwdriver handles of many different makes.


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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by Scott C. » Sun Jun 28, 2020 1:14 am

I have had some Snap-on handles do that while others right next them have survived just fine. Snap-on did replace them for me.

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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by Duey_C » Sun Jun 28, 2020 2:01 am

Never smelled the smell except for a new milwaukee (chink-sorry china) drill that smelled of burnt plastic as soon as ya run it.
JB, I have some of those nut drivers and a Stanley screwdriver too! They look terrible.
Scott, same here. :)
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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by D Stroud » Sun Jun 28, 2020 2:37 am

Well, that explains a lot. I have had that problem with a small plastic toolbox that I keep "household" tools in. Never could figure out why it smelled like that, never noticed that with any other box. I finally figured out how to cure the problem, I leave it open most of the time. :roll: Dave
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Re: Smelly Tool Boxes

Post by Mark Nunn » Sun Jun 28, 2020 9:58 am

Not a toolbox, but one year I opened my tackle box for the first time of the season and discovered that I forgot to toss the unused catfish bait. I haven't made that mistake since.

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