Oils and cutting food?

other memory

other memory

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2012
Messages
1,881
Hello everyone.

I'm looking for a knife that would be designed for general tasks while on the trail and camping. I'm leaning towards bushcrafting(ISH) knives. It seems these types of knives tend to be made out of carbon steals that require oiling. One task that I would do is cutting meats and vegetables. If I can avoid it, I'd rather not ingest petroleum residues. Are there plant based oils on the market that are designed to maintain knives? Are there bushcrafting knives on the market that don't require frequent oiling?
 
Use a food grade MINERAL OIL Bro!!! Olive oil can go rancid, outside of the fact that when it dries on the blade it's a bugger to get off.
 
Mineral oil is what I use on my blades when they get oiled. Actually, I don't do that much anymore. I just let 'em go where they want to go with use and routine cleaning/drying.
 
I'm with dalefuller on this one - just let them build up a patina and clean them regularly - I use this one as a hunting knife on a regular basis and it works often, gutting and skinning, and as you can see, it is OK still, after almost 3 years of work. (Carbon steel from an old circular saw blade)
Frictionfolder002.jpg

Frictionfolder015.jpg

If you keep them clean and dry you should have no problem. Otherwise go the mineral oil route, or use Ballistol - in some countries it is not allowed as a "medicine" but in others it is often used as a medication for amongst others, gout.
Having said all that, I am pretty sure you could find a stainless bushcrafter, or have one commissioned, I am sure there are a good few makers here, myself included, that would be glad for the chance.
 
Seems that you can oil them when you store them, but then clean them before you start carrying and using them.

I've worked in a garage a lot and I fail to see the aversion people have to petroleum products close to their food. I can't imagine that the tiny bit that is left on your knife and transfers into your food would be an issue. But as has been mentioned there are other materials that can be used.
 
I don´t oil my carbon steel blades. I let grow a patina there. That protects the blades. But when it´s foggy or raining, I tend to use Ballistol oil. It smells, when adding on the blade, but it´s food-proof. Here in Germany, Ballistol is used in butcheries to clean and oil the meat cutting machines. So it must be food-proof.

Ballistol and patina. Nothing else.

Beware of Ballistol and brass!! Ballistol is a weapon-oil,too. It´s made to remove brass when a gun was fired. So don´t use it when the knife has any brass attachements.

If brass attachements, I use simple mineral oil (and patina) to protect the steel.

Hope, this helped a little.

Kind regards
 
@thomas Linton: Look at my post above, Sir. As I said, in Germany it´s used in butcheries for cleaning the machines. Nice stuff... and made here in Bavaria ;) :)

Kind regards
 
• BALLISTOL: INTRODUCTION
BALLISTOL has been around in Europe for over three generations. Originally invented for military use it became a household word in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Millions of users have experimented with BALLISTOL and found new surprising applications for it, some of which reach into the field of veterinary and even human medicine. In the United States the law prohibits a seller to advertise or recommend a product for use as a drug in human or veterinary medicine, unless the Food and Drug Administration have approved it for these uses. BALLISTOL has not been submitted for approval by the FDA as a drug. In Germany a modified formula of BALLISTOL, NEO-BALLISTOL, is admitted for use in veterinary and human medicine. NEO-BALLISTOL is not sold in the USA, Canada or Mexico.

WARNING: BALLISTOL MUST BE USED AS INDICATED IN THE CONSUMER INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS PAGE AND ON THE REVERSE PANEL OF ITS CONTAINER. DO NOT USE BALLISTOL AS A DRUG. BALLISTOL IS NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

BALLISTOL: COMPLETE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Click to expand...

Ballistol has been approved by the USDA for use in the Federally Regulated Meat and Poultry Industry in areas with no direct contact with food.
Click to expand...


There is a Ballistol product, "Ballistol H1," that the company claims is approved for use on food processing machinery.


USP Mineral Oil is odorless and an ingredient in many "gummy" candy products. In its scented form ("Camellia Oil") it is routinely used to protect antique Japaneses swords - by Japanese and others.

As always, it's up to you.
 
When it comes right down to it, I use whatever is handy. Militec, 3-in-1, Rem Oil, mineral oil, and Ballistol have all been used. I tend to like Ballistol or 3-in-1 the best, because they smell the best to me. I wipe the blade before I cut something, but that is it. I don't get too excited about it. I've also played with mercury with bare hands, ate food while shooting pellets in an air rifle, and I'm sure other things that I can't remember. so, I'm probably not a good one to ask, now that I think about it.
 
Food grade mineral oil. Commonly found in the laxative section of the pharmacy. :)
 
Thomas Linton said:
There is a Ballistol product, "Ballistol H1," that the company claims is approved for use on food processing machinery.


USP Mineral Oil is odorless and an ingredient in many "gummy" candy products. In its scented form ("Camellia Oil") it is routinely used to protect antique Japaneses swords - by Japanese and others.

As always, it's up to you.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the info, Sir! I didn´t know about the laws in the US. Here in Germany some guys (especially older people) swear on Ballistol when they have pain in the stomache and all these things. Sometimes a little strange. But adding it on fresh wounds (cutting or chiseling) stops the bleeding very fast. BUT THIS IS HERE IN GERMANY. If it´s prohibited in the US, don´t try it. I don´t wanna get anyone into trouble.

Kind regards
 
Mineral oil is used on gummy candies and dried fruits because it keeps them from sticking together. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top