Dishwasher proof handles

E

elasmonut

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Feb 15, 2006
Messages
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A while back I made my Dad a nice chefs knife cpm 154 with stabilized burl handle, dovetail bolsters and a large corby bolt at the rear with a few hidden pins,what I thought was a pretty solid construction and a nice piece I was very happy with and I was sure would hold up for years of use.
Anyway some muppet put it in the dishwasher causing the scales to swell and warp beyond repair, heresy I know and it was the one thing I warned it likely wouldnt hold up to ,though I did think the stabilized wood would hold up a little better but too late now.
Before I replace the scales I was wondering what material may hold up a little better to this henious abuse,I was thinking pakkawood, or maybe corian ,micarta is tough but slightly porous and I fear would suffer the same fate. I thought of aluminium or titainium but was trying to use something less sterile looking with a bit of colour. Also do you think JB weld in place of epoxy would help resist the vile torture of the dreaded dishwasher a little better?
Any advice or experience with drongo resistant handle scale choices?
 
It really depends on the quality of the stabilized wood. Where was it from or who stabilized it? I have a knife I made for my wife that I've run through the dishwasher a few times just to see how it would hold up. It's paper micarta, g flex epoxy and 2 corby bolts. It's still as good as new.
 
I get this question from time to time. While I always inform users that dishwashers not only can ruin the handle, but dull the blade and that usually takes care of that. However, to answer your question, I would go with G-10. For woods, I would also think Ipe would work well. I haven't put any through the dishwasher, but is is dimensionally very stable (it expands close to the same amount in all directions, and expands very little). Ipe is also crazy hard and oily, making it somewhat hard to work (though it shines nicely when buffed and doesn't require, nor accept any finish). I also believe it is somewhat antimicrobial. I love it for kitchen knives. Here's one I have just about finished for the KITH that is currently running. IMG_20170825_002212321_HDR.jpg
 
If the handle is wood, it won't do well in a dish washer. It may last for a while, but will slowly dull and degrade.
Even the best stabilized wood is still wood. It will get water in the pores and the water will expand when in the dry cycle. That is what warps an splits the wood.
I regularly hear that "Knives have had wooden handles for a thousand years" .... an it is true. But those knives were washed by hand, dried, and taken care of properly. Dishwashers have only been in common use for 50 years, and stabilized wood for about 20 years. I regularly re-handle a great old family knife with the cutlery plywood handle ( very common, and often mistaken for solid wood) that has started to delaminate. The customer will say, "My mother used this knife for 40 years and it lasted fine, but now the wood is worn out. " I tell them that momma knew how to care for the knife and now it gets tossed in the dishwasher three times a week. They look down ans say, "Yeah, I know that's bad, but my wife doesn't understand."

I agree with Kevin that G-10 is probably the most bullet proof handle material. Use Corby bolts and structural grade resins ( G-flex, System Three T-88, etc.)
Micarta will hold up OK, but will dull over time.

My warranty and care sheet that accompanies my knives has dishwashers clearly pointed out. That said, I still repair one or two a year that were destroyed in the dishwasher. I do this at no charge, but make it clear that the damage was done by misuse, not a defect.

Here is one of my simple knife sheets:

Knife Type - Santoku

Blade Material – Hitachi Blue #2 steel

Handle Material - Snakeskin Sycamore

Made in 2017, by Stacy E. Apelt – Bladesmith


Simple and Clear Warranty:

You do your part - Hand wash after use and dry. Do not put in dishwasher. Use for cutting veggies, meats, and fish. Don’t use as a pry bar or screwdriver. Treated right it should last for dozens of years.

I’ll do my part - If the handle ever needs re-finishing due to wear, I will gladly sand and re-buff it. If the edge gets dull or nicked due to accident, I will restore the edge. If the blade or handle breaks due to normal use, I will replace or repair the knife.


___________________________________________Date______________
 
Loctite ea120-hp is dishwasher proof. I switched to it from West systems after having a handle come loose after an accidental dishwasher ride.
If it's a knife with a chance of accidental dishwashing I personally like using a synthetic handle with no liners, that loctite epoxy, and Corby or loveless bolts. It may start looking rough after dishwasher trips, but it will never come apart. I've had a family member run their chef's knife through the dishwasher every night for two years now (don't ask....) And it looks like crap but is structurally intact
 
I give my knives an all risk warranty with only two exclusions. # 1 you may not put my knives on a railroad track just before a train comes and #2 you may not put my knives in a dishwasher. Simple and direct. Larry
 
POM is dishwasher safe, that's what many companies in Solingen and elsewhere use for knives that have attached rather than moulded on grips.
 
I have often wondered about going a different direction in relation to this topic. I was thinking about how we stress mechanical fastening because glue/epoxy cant handle the shock stress and shear loads. This made me think of epoxy and glues differently. Thy are not or should not be used to hold the scales on to the tang. Thy should be used to seal the tang as long as we have true captive hardware. I have started to move away from hidden pins because of this thinking. don't get me wrong i still use them to aline things but captive hardware for the strength. So then why don't we use something designed to seal and handle moisture and heat. I snagged a tube of high temp back silicone gasket sealant for my oven and i wonder how that would work to seal the scales and tang to each other. My dad has a hidden tang knife i made for him a very long time ago and that was back when i was using the foaming gorilla glue. If i remember correct it seamed to get a knod from the form back in the day. but this knife now has lose scales and needs to be repaired. I'm getting tired of telling people to not expose them to much water like a dishwasher. yes i can understand it destroys the wood but there has to be a way to save the joint and keep it sealed.
 
A lot of those industrial sealants are highly toxic and not suitable for anything that will be used for food processing.
 
Was thinking along the lines of silicone.
 
As I pointed out, it is almost always the wood that shears away from the glue, not the glue failing.

Toxicity in a glue joint would be a near zero issue in food preparation. Most are inert once cured. Many people confuse the ingredients with the final resin, not realizing that those ingredients combine to make a harmless substance. Hydrochloric acid and Lye will combine to make salt water. Also, contrary to what you regularly read on the internet - cyano-acrylic resins have NO cyanide in them
 
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