Grapeseed oil

GRENHOP

GRENHOP

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May 20, 2015
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Has anyone used grapeseed oil on their knives before? Is it better than mineral oil?
 
It's unlikely that food-based oils will be any 'better', for lubing/protecting knives, than mineral oil. Mineral oil is completely inert (chemically non-reactive), meaning it won't decay like food-based oils will eventually, through oxidation. When many food oils decay, they'll at least get gummy and/or rancid, and some may become more acidic as well, which isn't good for preventing corrosion (it'll accelerate it).

A food-safe mineral oil would likely be the better option, if choosing only between these two.


David
 
Are you sure of your spelling?
Rapeseed oil is commonly called canola oil. It's not a good knife lubricant/protective.
 
Grapeseed (as in from the seeds of grapes) is a good high smoke point oil, and is fantastic on your cast iron stuff. But as Obsessed has suggested, oils are pretty well all a bad idea. Just use mineral oil.
 
GRENHOP said:
Has anyone used grapeseed oil on their knives before? Is it better than mineral oil?
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A quick web search reveals that grape seed oil has a relatively short shelf-life, with some sites saying it goes rancid in as short as three months. Considering that regular vegetable oil is good for a few years, and up to a year after opening, I'd say it's a bad idea.
 
The relevant thing to consider about the 'shelf life' ratings of food-based oils is, they only apply when the product is stored as directed for it's use. In other words, as long as the oil is stored in a 'cool, dark place' in a container that's tightly closed, it'll last a while for cooking uses. Once it's 'out of the bottle' though, food-based oils start to oxidize and degrade immediately and rapidly; sometimes in just a few hours, before they start getting sticky and/or start smelling a little 'off'. All bets about 'shelf life' are off when the oil starts being bathed in a fresh and constantly renewed supply of oxygen. This is why mineral oil has a big advantage for such uses, as it doesn't oxidize and is therefore completely inert to such exposure.


David
 
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GRENHOP said:
What mineral oil brands are good to buy?
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You can go to any pharmacy. In the laxative section, they sell food grade mineral oil, which is sometimes called an "intestinal lubricant". It comes in a plastic bottle with a reasonably wide mouth.

You can also go to a big box hardware store and buy Norton sharpening stone oil. It comes in a nice can with a little nozzle on top. The oil "Meets U.S. Pharmacopeia mineral oil purity standards".

The laxative bottle is cheaper (on a per ounce basis), but I use the Norton honing oil because it's a LOT easier to dispense it a drop at a time.
 
knarfeng said:
You can go to any pharmacy. In the laxative section, they sell food grade mineral oil, which is sometimes called an "intestinal lubricant". It comes in a plastic bottle with a reasonably wide mouth.
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:thumbup:

Any pharmacy or pharmacy section of a store will have pharmacy-grade (and food safe) mineral oil for about $3 a pint.

Vegetable-based oils like *seed oils will go rancid and smell.
 
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