knives in the dishwasher

[allenC]

Does anyone here wash their pocket-knives or multi-tools in the dishwasher?
If so, has it ever damaged the knife?

 

[Gollnick]

I've found my dishwasher to be a very through way to clean out a gunky knife.

Some dishwasher soaps are very harsh. They can damage, pit, and stain some common knife materials and leave others distressed. G10 will come out with a gray cast. It can be restored by treating it with a spray of WD40.

Water and heat together can accelerate rust on rust-prone alloys.

Many dishwashers can get very hot too which can be problematic for knives. I recommend top-rack only so that the knives aren't so close to the heating element. Some washers have an "energy saver" setting which disables the heating element dry cycle which would be a wise move for washing knives.

Other than that, must be sure that you dry the knives out throughly and then reoil them immediately.



------------------
Chuck
Balisongs -- because it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!
http://www.balisongcollector.com

 

[allenC]

Thanks for the info. I was alittle worried about the heat damaging the temper of the blade.

 

[JOCKO]

I know someone's wife that put his stag handled Cold Steel Trailmaster Bowie in the dishwasher.Not only did the blade rust but the stag came out chaulky white.
One of his friends from Camillus Cultery
had the blade reground and the handle polished.It almost looks good as new.

 

[mike45]

I often put any of my knives with synthetic handles (fixed or folder) in the diswasher. Dry 'em off put some oil on and back in service.

 

[Richard]

Its the easiest way I have found to clean my knives. However, I dont put any knives in the dishwasher if they have natural handle materials.


------------------
Richard Todd - Digital knife photography
icq 61363141
My WebSite
Do your site a favor, get quality digital images!!!
New photos added!!!

 

[Jeff Clark]

The elevated temperature and harsh detergent in a dish washer are very hard on anything but 100% stainless steel. The washer and detergent system are optimised for ceramics, aluminum, stainless steel and glass. There are chemicals in the detergent to try and reduce etching of these materials; anything else is subject to being etched.

 

[Alan2112]

The only knives I wash in the dishwasher, are our butter knives. I clean my knives like a fine firearm, although water is needed ocasionally. Then I clean them in the sink by hand, like our fine steak knives. RKBA!