Knife for a chemist

I've been loving my serrated H1 Manbug, I think its got a lot of great aspects for a small knife, and SE H1 is hard to beat. For a chemical environment, I think it would do the trick for most utility cases.

I have one of those benchmark style ceramics, bought it as an experiment when learning to work with hollow braid spectra. they are not good. the handle is very weak, and the design ensures that any moderate cutting pressure will crack the pivot. Its a good idea, poorly executed. Re-handling the blade would be an option, but a fair amount of work.
 
Hi all,

Thanks for your help with the thread!
After reading your messages, I ended up with a Stainless Dragonfly.
Because of ease of cleaning, a nice clip and a classier look, more suitable as a gift. Plus I planned to have it engraved.
Just got it in the mail today. It's a nice knife BUT... the SS model does not have jimping :(
Did not notice that when I ordered it. Kinda idiotic.

Not sure at this time if I am gonna keep it, or return it and get her a H1.

Anyway thanks a lot, and stay sharp!

gVpSo27.jpg
dJqITyz.jpg
 
I would check if the knife had nickel or cobalt. Both have possible radioactive problems .
Kyocera would help as they make ceramic knives
 
GWashington1732 said:
Knife + encapsulated HAZMAT= bad juju

I have HAZMAT training, you dont have much dexterity in an encapsulated suit. Usually you don't bring anyting except the suit into or out of that type of lab environment to prevent contamination. Or god forbid it tears the suit. So whatever she'll like for any other time, because its not going to be used in that type of environment.
Click to expand...
The only reason to have a knife inside a supplied air suit (moon suit) is to cut your way out of it in an emergency. But folks (company) would be very unhappy if you did this. They are loose fitting and you can move around inside.
 
22-rimfire said:
The only reason to have a knife inside a supplied air suit (moon suit) is to cut your way out of it in an emergency. But folks (company) would be very unhappy if you did this. They are loose fitting and you can move around inside.
Click to expand...

Not only that, but if you're in that suit, you're there for a good reason, if there's an emergency it's pretty much guaranteed to be just as bad or worse outside.
 
The emergency is usually the person in the suit freaks out when the air supply stops whether it be from tanks or air hoses. But you're right, you are suited up that way for a reason.
 
Golden Goal said:
Chemist here. I do research in carbohydrate chemistry at startup - when I'm in the research lab I wear normal clothes and have gloves on almost all the time but when I'm in my pilot lab that is (supposed to be) up to most food and certain pharmaceutical standards I have to gown with a lab coat, hair and beard nets, booties and gloves. None of the Walter White-style tyvek suits (yet...) but I did wear one on occasion at a previous job.

I own about a dozen folders that I actually consider bringing to work. I don't need and generally don't bring a huge blade; 50% of the time it's a small plain seb 21 and the rest of the time it's usually something of similar size (para 3, GEC 72, skyline). As long as I don't stick my knife in concentrated acid, there will be a solvent somewhere to get just about anything else off - this is why I like an all-metal folder. I find myself wary of using those knives with other handles sometimes.

Regarding your friend's attire and work-mandated usage of tools - if she's wearing a tyvek bunny suit all day, there will be no reaching into the pants pocket to get a knife. No two ways about it. By law, any work cutting tissues, other biologicals or potentially contaminated items is going to have to be done with single-use scalpels or razors.

Regarding the radioactivity, there are two situations I can think of in which radioactivity comes into play in a research lab. The less likely scenario is that the lab is using high energy radioactive decay/particles as a reagent or energy source. Don't worry about that contaminating the knife - if she's close enough for that to be an issue, a radioactive knife is the least of her problems. The astronomically more likely scenario of introducing radiation is using isotopically-labeled compounds in the lab (most likely going to be 13C, 15N or dueterium-labeled proteins, amino acids, etc). In this case, the radioactive decay isn't really harmful and the risk of contamination is the same as that of standard chemicals, and behaves as such (will be readily removable with proper solvents). In this case, I think an all-metal folder is the best option.
Click to expand...

What he said
 
A Swiss Army knife, Victorinox Compact model, is probably the most useful in a lab, or any other environment. You can cut up your lab sample, write up a report, and then after having a snack after work you can pick your teeth with the toothpick after opening your bottle of wine.


And they are even in smaller sizes.
 
The Hurricane Razor by Amsler Knives. It is an all metal neck knife she could wear outside her clean suit. And it looks like a scalpel.


il_570xN.1335545580_48b4.jpg
 
Should have got full ceramic knives. Impervious to all chemicals and radio-activity(not so sure, but it sounds good)
c55-12pcer1.jpg
 
As a dude who used to be married to a radiological controls technician (basically someone who deals with safety pertaining to radioactive materials) I can say that anything subject to radioactive contamination is tossed, even if it's only a tiny little medically insignificant bit (which is most radioactively contaminated materials, actually.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top