The "Ask Nathan a Question" Thread

Jason M D. said:
Nathan (or #notNathan šŸ˜)
I have a difficult time sharpening knives, even using a KME sharpening system.
Do you recommend any simple hand held device that even I could use.
I am one of the unteachables.
Thanks
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I never got good with freehand stones and don't like resorting to power tools for sharpening. I want to have the most control when removing metal on pricey knives. I used a Lansky system and could produce usable edges. Last year I got a TSPROF K03 Pro Hunter sharpening system. For most people, this is just a stupid and expensive purchase. But I can put the scariest V edges on a blade using this system. Plus, the measurement cube makes it easy to always be on whatever angle degree per side you want. You have very fine control with any system like this or yours.

I should also note most (not all) knives I plan on using a lot. I'll put on my V edge before it is needed. That way, it is easy to touch up since it follows my system from then on.

But yes, I recommend using a blue sharpie until the edge is completely uniform.
 
I'm checking in for the first time in 2023. have any of the DEK1s shipped? I'm looking forward to mine but am not sure when. As I use most of mine for camping/bushcraft, I would love to see a ferro steel notch if possible or a 90deg spine somewhere along the spine, haha!
 
spyken said:
I'm checking in for the first time in 2023. have any of the DEK1s shipped? I'm looking forward to mine but am not sure when. As I use most of mine for camping/bushcraft, I would love to see a ferro steel notch if possible or a 90deg spine somewhere along the spine, haha!
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Some have shipped.

We are working out some kinks transitioning to the optimized Magnacut heat treat into commercial production. It is demonstrably better, the juice will be worth the squeeze, but it is taking some time. There's a lot of work ready to go just waiting on this refinement before we ship. Soon.
 
Hey Nathan,
I have a ā€¦buddyā€¦ who has had a lot of health issues and is super concerned about mold, dander, and just about everything.
He read somewhere that some knives shouldnā€™t be used around fires due toā€¦ off-gassing(?) or something carcinogenic.
I told him that wasnā€™t real unless chinesium from alibaba.
Any thoughts on carcinogens from knives around heat/ food prep?
Thanks.
 
SwarthyGnome said:
Hey Nathan,
I have a ā€¦buddyā€¦ who has had a lot of health issues and is super concerned about mold, dander, and just about everything.
He read somewhere that some knives shouldnā€™t be used around fires due toā€¦ off-gassing(?) or something carcinogenic.
I told him that wasnā€™t real unless chinesium from alibaba.
Any thoughts on carcinogens from knives around heat/ food prep?
Thanks.
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How would he be holding the knife, that the handle could possibly absorb enough heat without cooking his fingers?
 
Blues said:
Sounds like the old celluloid handled knives.
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That was my first thought too. It's the only case I have ever heard of knives "out-gassing" and it doesn't have anything to do with the steel or heat, if I recall. When it "decides" to out-gass, it certainly makes the steel rust in an expedited manner (I can't imagine it's too healthy šŸ˜)
 
SwarthyGnome said:
Hey Nathan,
I have a ā€¦buddyā€¦ who has had a lot of health issues and is super concerned about mold, dander, and just about everything.
He read somewhere that some knives shouldnā€™t be used around fires due toā€¦ off-gassing(?) or something carcinogenic.
I told him that wasnā€™t real unless chinesium from alibaba.
Any thoughts on carcinogens from knives around heat/ food prep?
Thanks.
Click to expand...

I certainly wouldn't be worried about out gassing from the steel. When you consider all the things that happen to steel during its creation and the construction of the knife, you'll see that there is nothing in your use or in your kitchen that comes close to the temperatures and pressures and environment it was exposed to before you got it. That would be like trying to squeeze water out of a piece of glass. Just because it was made of sand that came from the ocean doesn't mean you're ever going to squeeze water out of it. That's not going to happen.

There is perhaps some danger of outgassing from the handle material, depending on what that is. But I wouldn't think anything significantly toxic is going to out-gas from anything that someone would use for a handle but leaching could be a concern. I would not want scales made out of poison ivy wood for example...

I think the most significant concern would be the knife construction and contamination risk rather than the materials.

Generally speaking, in a commercial kitchen, the knives are built to be easily and effectively sanitized. An overmolded plastic handle is pretty easy to clean. And they are usually stainless steel which does not require any kind of substance to be applied to reduce corrosion. I certainly wouldn't want to eat after a knife that was coated with engine oil as a rust inhibitor, for example.

I would not be overly concerned with toxins or carcinogens coming out of a knife unless it is of a weird handle material or shoddy construction. I would be more concerned about sanitation issues.

A long time ago, some steel was given corrosion resistance by being buffed on, and mechanically plated with, black lead. That might not be a great material to use in the kitchen, but no modern kitchen knife is going to be coated with something that toxic.

I would stay away from anything with a teflon coating. Bare metal would be best.
 
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