Sterilizing your knife in the woods

AntDog for the win.

Actually... I just use the cuff of my hiking socks. But same idea.

Good discussion at preventing gastronomical problems in the NOLS book, "The NOLS Wilderness Guide". IIRC, people are less prone to get sick if they use their own cooking and utensils. The problems come when sharing community gear, like a shared pot of food. Soap and water is tricky as it can be difficult to rinse soap off enough.
 
Rinse with water, wipe hard on your cleanest piece of clothing, and forget about it. I've been backpacking for years and I never worried about sterilizing my knife. Only cleaning it if it had like... oatmeal or peanut butter or maybe animal guts all over it if I were hunting.

If you are really worried about it and also about weight, consider the following. Bring a small dropper bottle with bleach (real bleach, not a cheap substitute). You can use it to sterilize your drinking water and can also treat a separate, small bit of water (perhaps a little stronger) to clean any cooties off your knife.

Disclaimer: If you are going to chemically treat any water, make sure you research and know what you are using and how to use it.
 
I keep a little bottle of dish soap and a half of a scrub sponge. always works for me. I would agree on the folder for game prep if you cant field strip it go fixed blade for that task. I also like a fixed blade with either epoxied and bolted on handles or ones that can be totally removed. Its not the bacteria I worry about as much as the rust blood can cause in a hurry on some knives.
 
I use a DIY alcohol camp stove. To clean my knife, I use a splash of the stove fuel (methanol or, much less commonly, 99% isopropyl) and followed by the popular wipe on pants or bandana.
 
Where is the thread on how to create an autoclave with bushcraft skills?

http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/disinfection_sterilization/6_0disinfection.html

Wash with purified water - choose appropriate substance over-viewed in the link provided above.

Uses. Alcohols are not recommended for sterilizing medical and surgical materials principally because they lack sporicidal action and they cannot penetrate protein-rich materials. Fatal postoperative wound infections with Clostridium have occurred when alcohols were used to sterilize surgical instruments contaminated with bacterial spores.
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Sounds good guys thanks!!!

I carry Denatured Alchol for my Alchol stove and I carry a few antiseptic pads, hand sanitizer as well as a little Hydrogen peroxide in my pack. I guess for me it will be rinse in the river wipe with alchol and run through the flames for a few seconds clean with sterile water and call it done.

I carry the machete to clear camp sites as out here in texas we have to stay on the gradient barrier or on sand bars. Anotherwords I am constantly clearing thin brush and whacking at or near ground level. This fits the $20.00 S.O.G. well especially after I convexed it. The Essee is new to me and the thought of hitting it into the ground while trying to clear grases makes me kringe. The Essee is more of a self defense, wood splitting/chopping knife. The S.O.G. Can handle these chores but it dulls quickly against hard woods and since I am in the woods for long periods the machete just requires to much sharpening to rely on as my only chopping tool.

Im doing alot better now.

I used to also carry a hatchet and a kitchen knife as well as my current three knife kit of small knife, big knife, machete. Im still trying to loose weight where I can but I love the three knife set. I have yet to run into a task I coldnt handle. With the two knife set I always felt like I either had toomuch knife in my hand or not enough for certain task's.
 
cerisdevoi said:
I always have a compact first aid kit, which contains alcohol wipes. Quick and easy, but as others said. Dunk in creek, wipe on pants.
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I wouldn't want to remove them from a first aid kit for knife wiping. Also then you have the packaging to deal with. Rinse if possible and wipe on pants.

Just realized this is a 6 year old thread.
 
Start with a versatile fixed blade that's easy to clean. Your choice. Stuff a multi-tool in your pocket. Your choice. Bleach in a small squirt bottle is a good idea. 1T bleach to 1 scant cup water is an effective disinfectant.
 
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