Titanium question

[Snake Plissken]

Nakano, the Boker you speak of is the Boker Personal, which has an all ti blade, not cera-ti.

 

[AlphalphaPB]

Bokers literature states that its new material kills germs on contact!

N2

Boker might have toned down their original claim which called these knives "Proven killer of bacteria":

The titanium alloy composition of the blade is a proven killer of bacteria - including salmonella, staph, and strands of E Coli - within six hours of contact.

Here's what Boker currently has to say about the grey titanium carbide Titanum blades:

The bacteria resistant nature of titanium makes Titanum knives less likely to contribute to cross-contamination of bacteria including salmonella, staph and strands of E.coli, within six hours of contact.

I don't really understand this sentence. What's supposed to happen after six hours?

I know for sure that titanium dioxide, TiO2, has bactericidal properties. Titanium dioxide is also what coats the surface of the metal when titanium is exposed to air and "rusts". Anodizing (including the ever-so-popular flame anodizing) increases the thickness of this layer. So, theoretically, there might be some kind of bactericidal effect when one uses a titanium knife.

However, bactericidal properties are usually investigated in alternative preparations of TiO2, such as in a suspension or as a specifically-applied surface coating. Usually these preparations are also put under UV light because that's what drives the TiO2 to produce the bactericidal magic. My point is that regular titanium is probably not going to be significantly bactericidal, unless it's been specifically prepared with a coating. Even then, researchers are still working on making mechanically durable coatings; the durability figures in the current literature are only on the order of hundreds of rubbings (whatever rubbing might mean...).

I'm of the pessimistic opinion that Boker has heard of the bactericidal properties of TiO2 (in certain specific conditions) and decided to market their titanium knives as "bacteria killers" based solely on the fact that titanium just happens to have a thin surface layer of TiO2. I would love to be proven wrong by seeing something like actual, significant test results from Boker.

 

[Snake Plissken]

Just wondering, anyone have a Boker Cera-Ti yet?

 

[HoB]

Oh, boy....... I do my research on TiO2. Let me just say: let's stick to the cutting properties of the blade and lets just forget about the anti-bacterial nonsense.

TiO2 is indeed a very powerful catalyst that will oxidize any organic material (oil, grease, fat, you name it) eventually to CO2. And since bacteria are composed of organic compounds, the same happens to them...and, yes, they die in the process. BUT...the active species of TiO2 is an electron hole pair created through the absorption of a UV photon. So if you store your knife after cutting food under a big UV lamp, this might actually work, however, the photoefficiency of TiO2 goes down the drain, when in contact with water. Also you would need a surface with an increased area, such as a nanoparticulate thin film coating. So their statement is probably technically correct, but practically irrelevant.

Whoops, I just repeated what AlphaalphaPB already said :footinmou.

 

[J Rummerfield]

Have no clue about the biological stuff above.

As far as a Ti blade;

Very Soft compared to Steel-only Rockwells up to 46-not good on edge retention, but easy to resharpen in the field.

Very tough

Lightweight

Corrosion Resistant

Low Magnetic signature, as Mr. Dozier said, won't set off most mines with magnetic detonators.

For diving, I us an S30V Strider BD. As long as you clean it, Steel works better for a knife, but Ti knives can be useful too.

Just my .02

Josh