Carbon Steel..

A

acastell

Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
107
OK, I am the guy that wrote the thread:

The Slipjoints that changed my ways...

So, I will not rewrite my decision for buying a slipjoint. Now, my new knife has Carbon blades. I purposely looked for a knife with this steel. I figured while Stainless has it's merits, the Carbon will most replicate the slipjoints of 'yesteryear'. Again, for detail, please read the above Post titled:The Slipjoints that changed my ways...

I have user Randall with Carbon (01 steel) and I love it. It is as stained, tarnished, patina'ed as anyting I have seen and I love it. But, this is a user on the field and not really used for cutting food.

I use my ECD pocket knives almost every night to cut food. I have two kids and I am always cutting an Apple, carrot, peach etc to feed them. I use my EDC for these tasks- Sebenza, William Henry...Stainless.

So, finally my question...:
Now that I have a Carbon blade, will the tarnish that forms have any health risks to myself or my children?

I love Carbon and most certainly like the added care required to take care of the blade, but 1 cut into a peach will 'stain' the knife. Again, I DO NOT MIND HAVING A STAINED BLADE! I do care about the negatives of a Carbon blade with food prep.

I know that our past EDCers (Grandpas etc) carried these carbon blades and used them for food prep with no issues.

So, maybe a more uesful use of this thread would be to ask:
Does anyone carry a carbon blade slip as an EDC and used it for ALL TASKS, including food prep?

Thanks for reading and an even bigger thanks for responding!

Happy to own a Case slipjoint!

AC
 
acastell said:
. Does anyone carry a carbon blade slip as an EDC and used it for ALL TASKS, including food prep?
Click to expand...
I do.and I have for a good long while.
 
People have been using carbon steel and iron for thousands of years. I'm not exactly sure about the chemistry behind patina, but rust is just iron oxides. I imagine that it's a similar oxidation process.

It's worth noting that kitchen knives in 1095 carbon steel are still manufactured, and I remember a thread in the general discussion forum where several members said they used them.
 
Carbon steel Old Hickorys are some of the best and cheapest kitchen knives around. They will stain, but the stain will have no effect on their usage or safety.
 
I was using a carbon Mora in the kitchen for food prep until my wife pointed out that when I sliced apples, it left a thin grey film over the entire apple slice that you could actually scrape off / wash off down the sink. I don't care if it's harmless, I got a stainless model. Having said that, if people have been using it for hundreds of years, I seriously doubt that it will hurt you, it's just not very appetizing. If you're anemic.... :D

PS - Sounds like a great knife, enjoy!
 
I have some of those Old Hickory carbon steel (1095) kitchen knives and have never experienced or heard of any adverse health effects stemming from using carbon blades. You can be sure that if there was a problem, Ralph Nader et al. would have been all over it long before now. People have been using carbon blades for food for, well, centuries.
 
Remember we also use cast iron pots and pans....only a thin layer of cooking oil or grease between the food and the iron. And many cast iron cookware pieces get used daily for generations.
 
No, not at all. The tarnish is natural, wont hurt anything. Unless of course you let enough rust build up it may help flush your pipes out, but I doubt even that would be enough to even notice.

Also, a good ole carbon blade will give your fruit, or vegatables a nice taste! (yes the carbon steel will make the food a slightly different taste, "flavor", etc.) Much different than using a stainless blade!!
 
I'm pretty sure that if you carry around a carbon steeel blade for 80 or so years, your teeth could fall out, you could develop wrinkles, and the patina could transfer to your skin in what is known as "liver spots". Sexual potnecy could also be affected. Aside from these, I don't know of any other problems arising from using these knives.

:D
 
shaldag said:
I'm pretty sure that if you carry around a carbon steeel blade for 80 or so years, your teeth could fall out, you could develop wrinkles, and the patina could transfer to your skin in what is known as "liver spots". Sexual potnecy could also be affected. Aside from these, I don't know of any other problems arising from using these knives.

:D
Click to expand...


So thats what the heck has been happening to me! :eek:
 
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