Slipjoint daily use question

The hazardous 'petroleum distillates' in WD-40 are the solvent(s), which evaporate quickly upon use anyway. If drinking straight from the can, I could see that being a bigger hazard. But, it only takes maybe a few minutes for the solvent to evaporate on a knife blade, leaving just the mineral oil behind. Not as much an issue then, as an ingestion hazard. Assuming the blade is wiped down after application, the very thin layer left is so miniscule as to be irrelevant anyway. Even the characteristic smell of WD-40 goes away within an hour or two (I use it on my knives).


David
 
Last edited:
knarfeng said:
I don't use my pocket knives for food prep in the kitchen. On occasion I peel an apple at work. A quick rinse of the blade followed by drying with a paper towel is all that is necessary. Stainless steel is good. Towels are good, too. (with apologies to THGTTG.)
Click to expand...

I swipe lens cleaner towelettes out of the massive 1st Aid cabinet, or use little hand cleaner packets to clean off the sticky after effects of a juicy apple.
 
Jon you might like this:


After testing 23 methods of purifying water, NASA has chosen
silver as the purifying agent on the Space Shuttle Program.
Silver will be used in two functions that will provide
Shuttle crews with pure water for drinking, air condition-
ing, food preparation and other operations. Water wastes
will be recycled in Shuttle flights and silver's first job
will be to treat hydrogen-saturated water coming from the
Shuttle fuel cells: this water will pass through a tubular
device of palladium and silver alloy. From the silver-
palladium tubes water will flow to a purifying unit where
silver will eliminate bacteria, including Pseudomonas A
and type IIIA bacteria, NASA scientists report. By establ-
ishing 100 parts of silver in a billion parts of water as
hygenic for drinking in the Shuttle, NASA eliminates the
need for 1,000 to 1,500 parts per billion of chlorine
generally used for purification.

The unit will provide Shuttle crews with 32 gallons of
pure water daily for all uses within the Shuttle, and
for backpacks when the Astronauts work outside the veh-
icle in Space. Compared to earlier prototypes, the new
unit weighs 90% less, needs only one third the space,
doubles the production of water and simplifies the proc-
ess: it eliminates the need for mixing, metering and test-
ing water while in flight and eliminates the risk of cor-
rosion.


Also I would be careful with olive oil as it can turn rancid, but if you are using your knife often and cleaning it shouldn't be a problem , the only lubricant I've used in kitchens is high grade ( food grade ) mineral oil.
Bacteria is most active between 40-140 degrees known as the danger zone.
Pete
 
Last edited:
I dunno, guys... Pete, I believe what you've written there about the E.coli & other bacteria in our pockets, as scientifically proven, and hence truthful... But, I've always just pulled out my knife, used it (on whatEVER), wiped it on my jeans, and put it away. That is, unless it's really gunked-up, then I'll wash it and oil it again. I think maybe a little exposure to microscopic nasties is a good thing; strengthens our immune systems. I've read that allergies, asthma, and many other 'modern' ailments are possibly more prevalent these days because we've over-sanitized our world (anti-bacterial goo available for free dispensation at the entry-points to every third or fourth indoor space we occupy?). Sorry, I don't have a citation from a university source.... but I swear I read it somewhere, and it makes sense to me. ;)
Sorry to hijack the thread with bacterial activist bravado.... heh :o
 
Last edited:
^ I'm with you. I love germs.

I wear the same rarely washed jeans every day. I use my pocket knives to cut food and wipe em off on my pants. And I love the smell of WD40.
 
I will think of this thread next time I pull my knife out to cut anything I am going to eat........

But I will do it anyways, then wash with hot water and soap. I will then dry with a hair dryer and oil the pivot. I have never had an issue, but now will have pause for thought:)
 
knarfeng said:
I don't use my pocket knives for food prep in the kitchen. On occasion I peel an apple at work. A quick rinse of the blade followed by drying with a paper towel is all that is necessary. Stainless steel is good. Towels are good, too. (with apologies to THGTTG.)
Click to expand...
This is my approach as well.

I am always amazed and humbled by the gorgeous food prep pics in the "Did your Traditional get a workout" thread showing gourmet meals prepared on the fly with a simple folder.

However, when I am in the kitchen at home I have an array of knives for food prep and I do keep them sharp using the same techniques that serve me for my folders.

I carry a stainless-bladed folder in a zipped compartment of my carryall bag when I go to work for the rare food prep task that may come up, usually apple slicing duty. Once done, I rinse it off under warm running water with a little dish soap, wipe it off well with paper towels, and back in the bag it goes. Since its stainless, I don't worry too much about rust if I don't get it perfectly dry, though I do try.

If I feel the need for additional lubrication, I have some food-grade silicone spray at home that I can squirt on the joint.
 
I'm wondering how some of you all survived any camp outs?!?! ;)

I'm not using any solvents or chemicals like Windex for food stuff. I have a fairly high tollerance for bacteria though. Rinse and wipe for cleaning them off mostly. Bloody meat is another story.
 
If I use a pocket knife for cutting food, I will wash it before and after. I wouldn't use a spoon or fork that's been in my pocket without washing it first. It would be like using your cellphone as a spoon. No thanks.
 
After the blade, handle and joint are soiled from food prep/cooking, I'll flush the whole thing under a faucet or pour water on it when out in the great outdoors. Give it a shot of dish soap and rinse. Shake it out, then after wiping it down, I'll lay it on a paper towel to air dry. Then coated the blade, lubing the joint and back spring with mineral oil, which seems to get on everything else and also cures food prep/dish pan hands all at the same time. :D
 
> By establishing 100 parts of silver in a billion parts of water as hygenic for drinking in the Shuttle, NASA eliminates the need for 1,000 to 1,500 parts per billion of chlorine generally used for purification.

Thanks!
next I want to know what PPM of silver I would have in my Nalgene bottle if I drop a Silver dollar into it :-)

> I would be careful with olive oil as it can turn rancid

agreed, it can also get thick and sticky, which is cured by running under hot water. But at least Olive oil is a food oil. Mineral Oil comes in food grade, but it is a non food, it is not digested, and it is a petroleum product. I agree mineral oil is great in that it cannot go rancid, and does not get thick like old Olive oil.

I do occasionally do a smell test of my knife. It has not gone rancid on me. Most of what I smell is the steel, and occasionally I taste the patina on an apple.. Aparently it does me no harm to eat a little iron from my blade. I also like cast iron cookware.

> And I love the smell of WD40.

well, that turpentine is also a disinfectant, and apparently OK to eat. I learned something new from this thread, thanks!

> I'm wondering how some of you all survived any camp outs?!?! 

I have a very strong constitution. I grew up in Sicily and Spain, with much less sanitation than we now have in the USA. I have used the same spoon for years, in my camper van. It gets dunked in a hot tea cup and wiped down and tossed in a drawer. I basically never get sick, despite my cavalier style.

otoh, if anyone comes to me to share a cup of tea, their cup gets rinsed in boiling water, before I fill it for them. I worry more about other peoples sanitation concerns, than my own.

Now it occurs to me that those long pulls I find so attractive, for example on Stich's Owl, are prime breeding grounds for bacterial inoculation.. Reminder to self, keep the long pull cleaned out of gunk.

Oh and the windex use, ammonia is a disinfectant too, and the soap is also hostile to bacteria. Not that Im signing on to eat soap.. I will stick to Olive Oil :-)

Thanks for the very educational discussion.
 
i use my slippies in the kitchen very often (for "brettljausn"e.g.) because their blade shape is convenient for that, wash them just with water if no fat was involved, with dishwasher if there was something fatty, i take care of ALL of my knifes with ballistol only, wich is a food save oil (some people even take a shot each day) because i dont wanna think everytime im using a knife with wich oil i lubricated it, if i can use it for food and i hate handling chemicals at daily tasks, not necessary. i dont use my knifes for really dirty work though, these are no daily tasks for me (at home)and there are special tools for those kind of works. if it would come into contact with blood etc i would use first dishwasher then give it a desinfection with alcohol and then oil it...but i would use my dedicated fixed kitchen (or hunting/fishing)knifes for bloody tasks...
thanks pete for the illuminating first post, shortly considered to eat with latex gloves and desinfected surgeon knifes my nearly burnt food ;)
note to myself: should consider making a knife with silver handle and liners for all us monks out there ;)
 
Last edited:
Pretty much the pocketknives I'll use for food are SAKs (Pioneer, Spartan, etc.). I try not to get gunk or juice in the pivot, and keep the contact with food between the kick and the blade tip. Afterwards, I rinse it under running water, wipe off on a dish towel (or my shirt if away from home). I've done that for years and never had any issues.

When I was a kid, like many others, I played around in dirt, ran all over the place barefoot, and did all kinds of things I don't see kids doing anymore. Although hygiene is essential, I also believe general exposure to certain things strengthens the immune system. I already wash my hands all the time.

The rise of so many 'superbugs' has a lot to do with people over-sanitizing everything to the point of obsession.

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top