knives and alcohol?

res1cue

res1cue

Joined
Feb 2, 2010
Messages
2,138
Anyone know if isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) has any detrimental effects to steel..?

I have to disinfect mine pretty often, and I wouuld just like to know that it doesn't promote oxidation or something like that.

thanks
 
I'm not a metalurgist so I can't be 100% certain, but I don't think there are any worries.

Rubbing alcohol will likely have a "drying" effect, so if your blade is carbon steel, you might want to wipe it down with some mineral oil afterward.

Kevin
 
It’s unlikely that it will have any effect on the blade directly. Indirectly however…well me and my good friend Jonny Walker have messed up more than one knife.
 
Dag-nabit said:
I'm not a metalurgist so I can't be 100% certain, but I don't think there are any worries.

Rubbing alcohol will likely have a "drying" effect, so if your blade is carbon steel, you might want to wipe it down with some mineral oil afterward.
Click to expand...

This is what I've been told to do with blued double edged razor blades.
 
res1cue said:
Anyone know if isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) has any detrimental effects to steel..?

I have to disinfect mine pretty often, and I wouuld just like to know that it doesn't promote oxidation or something like that.

thanks
Click to expand...

Nope it won't damage your knife blade at all, we use it on all manner of things in the aircraft trade, test it on the handle though.

Richard
 
i use alcohol prep pads to clean my knives. the only effect they have is taking off the dirt.
 
I use rubbing alcohol or vodka on my knives all the time, including high carbon steel knives. Works well to clean it. NEVER use bleach -- very strong oxidizer. Alcohol will "disinfect" for food prep, but if you need to perform minor surgery you want a strong anti-microbal as well as other precautions. Alcohol does not eliminate everything.
 
freedoom said:
i use alcohol prep pads to clean my knives. the only effect they have is taking off the dirt.
Click to expand...

Me, too! Quick compact cleaning tools, I originally carried them as part of a mini med kit. Alcohol will take off some of the worst gunk around, including packaging tape residue. Never saw any damage to my knives, carbon or stainless.
 
Alcohol is hygroscopic - it sucks up moisture. Rubbing alcohol is generally 70% isopropyl - most of the remaining 30% is water. It has a higher vapor pressure than water, so it evaporates first - real important on a hot & humid day with a CS knife blade. It wouldn't hurt one bit to wipe a knife with a dry rag afterwards - better yet, for CS blades, an oiled rag - mineral/olive/walnut oil, if you expect to cut food.

The solvent effect of even rubbing alcohol will remove oily residue, making blue Loctite hold assembly and pivot screws hold more tenuously.

Stainz
 
Stainz said:
The solvent effect of even rubbing alcohol will remove oily residue,
Click to expand...

Which reminds me. I've used alcohol pads to clean anodized titanium handles and found the color is restored by removing grease/oils from it.
 
marcinek said:
We are on the same wavelength.

I thought it was going to be about mixing alcohol and playing with knives. Bad idea!
Click to expand...

that was my intention :p

only way to get a bunch of responses!

and thanks for letting me know, i get lots of patient's germs and sometimes bodily fluid, so i feel much more comfortable with a few wipes of an alcohol swab

and no, none of these knives will be used for food prep anytime soon
 
The alcohol itself is not the problem. The alcohol induced blood on the knife can be corrosive.
 
J.Mattson said:
It’s unlikely that it will have any effect on the blade directly. Indirectly however…well me and my good friend Jonny Walker have messed up more than one knife.
Click to expand...

My buddy Sailor Jerry gives me the same problem...

P1070100.jpg
 
res1cue said:
that was my intention :p

only way to get a bunch of responses!

and thanks for letting me know, i get lots of patient's germs and sometimes bodily fluid, so i feel much more comfortable with a few wipes of an alcohol swab

and no, none of these knives will be used for food prep anytime soon
Click to expand...

You need the Dark Ops Basal Shadow! :D

The handle is made of a low-durometer, high tensile aramid composite that is impervious to everything from aviation fuel to Al Qaeda body fluids.
Click to expand...
 
res1cue said:
and thanks for letting me know, i get lots of patient's germs and sometimes bodily fluid, so i feel much more comfortable with a few wipes of an alcohol swab

and no, none of these knives will be used for food prep anytime soon
Click to expand...

Is this a utility knife or are you actually using it for surgery?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top