Knives That Stink?

R

ranchmanben

Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
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Today when as I was slicing up an apple I noticed an awful stink coming from my Boker two blade trapper. I mean bad, I had to roll the window in the truck down. I was wondering if anyone else has a problem with carbon steel smelling bad and is there anything I can do to prevent this.
Thanks in advance
Ben
 
Yes most of my Kershaw/Bucks get this way after eating meals heavy in fiber. I keep telling them to lay off but they never listen. My Kershaw boa is the WORST.
I keep a bottle of febreze handy for situations such as this.

- Kirk
 
Last edited:
Hi,

What else have you been cuttin' with your knife without cleaning it? :) But carbon steels will react with the acids found in many foods. It can cause odors that some could find objectionable. My carbon steel Boker Barlow will leave an irony taste on the apples when I cut them with it. But I haven't ever noticed any real odor.

Dale
 
Carbon steel reacts with acids in foods (especially fruit), and the reaction will definitely impart some 'nuance' to the smell and flavor of the blade and the fruit. Some have said if you let the blade patina (oxidize) for a while, the acidic reaction (oxidation) will slow down, and the associated odors & tastes will diminish. Barring that, if the smell/taste is that bad, it may be worth using a stainless blade for cutting fruit.
 
EDIT: David beat my reply by mere seconds :p

Is your Boker new? Is there a patina on the blades? I say this because will carbon blades react with fruits and veggies and can result in an unpleasant odor. It happens to me all the time with new carbon steel kitchen knives. The good news is it will stop once a patina forms.


Jason
 
Morrow said:
EDIT: David beat my reply by mere seconds :p

Is your Boker new? Is there a patina on the blades? I say this because will carbon blades react with fruits and veggies and can result in an unpleasant odor. It happens to me all the time with new carbon steel kitchen knives. The good news is it will stop once a patina forms.


Jason
Click to expand...

And Dale beat me, also by mere seconds. Good news is, the OP is getting a pretty solid perspective on answering his question, and he's getting it FAST. :D
 
The blades have pretty good patina on them. I have used this knife the cut everything from fruit and meat to removing nuts. I have never noticed a smell from it before and that's what threw me. I thought it must be the apple at first but nope, just a severe case of smelly knife. Thanks for the quick responses. I guess I'll just hope it goes away.
 
Almost afraid to ask, but what does it smell like? The steel/fruit reaction usually produces a very heavy metallic smell/taste.

If there's something else going on, it may be worth giving the knife a good bath in hot water (~120F) & dish soap. So long as the water is hot (rinse water as well), it'll evaporate off quickly during drying, and you can use a little food-safe mineral oil to treat the joints.
 
David, the smell was sort of a combination metallic smell and funk. I'm not really sure how to describe it. I gave it a good scrubbing when I got home but haven't cut anything with it yet. Tomorrow I'll post an update after lunch. Thanks again for the quick responses.
Ben
 
Ben,

May be something in the pivot. I used a carbon Opinel to cut some fruit a while back, and some of the juices worked into the pivot. The joint was quite sticky for a while. Didn't notice any smell per se, but it took a while to flush that stuff out. Couldn't help but assume it was getting kinda funky in there. The acidic reaction is doubly bad, in that the juices really almost bond to the steel, as part of the oxide layer itself. Had to use metal polish (Simichrome) to remove the stuff that I could actually reach on the tang, near the pivot.

If you give it a bath, or flush with WD-40, make sure to exercise the joints as much as possible while cleaning it. Work out as much of that stuff as you can.
 
I think just wash your knife ( not being smart here ), hot wash with detergent,compressed air blow out, wd40, blow out once more and mineral oil.
You havent told us what scales are on the knife?...I wonder if its a celluloid thats gassing off...that will do it wont it? if so, keep your knife away from the others.
 
Agree with Duncan and the others, there might be some food residuals (maybe older than the apple) stuck somewhere. I don't like using carbon blades with food (especially fruit and vegetables) but it's mainly for the taste they give to food, not for the smell the knife gets, which (in my limited experience) has always been very mild. I had the same experience David reports with his Opinel though.
If your knife stinks, I assume it's a matter of older food remnants + the reaction between carbon steel and fruit acids.
I have found that compressed air works fine for cleaning folders from anything stuck inside the handle and in the whereabouts of the pivot. Along, of course, with washing it carefully with hot water, soap and so on.
Or, call an exorcist :D

Fausto
:cool:
 
I had a fixed blade in O1, that reacted to blood and smelled really bad for a few days. It had handled onions and fruits ok, just that little metallic tang and no noticeable odour, but we killed 2 chickens with it for christmas and the blade patinated quite deeply and smelled unpleasant for a few days after. Extensive washing didn't help that much and I had to polish all the patina off before the odour went. Difficult to describe the odour, like an equal mix of rust, copper, poo and rotten pork.
 
Parbajtor, this sound a lot like my knife. I cut another apple today and had the same problem. I think I'll take the patina off and see how it goes after that.
 
I don't have a stinky knife.

I have a whole set of craftsman tools that smell to high heaven!

It is like the manufacturer coated them in lard, and it went bad!!!

I have cleaned the tools off with WD40 and it they still stink! The case also smells like the hollow plastic was filled with rancid oil.
 
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