Does carbon steel ever stop making food taste weird?

In short, no, what you taste is the IRON in the make up of the steel. actually, not a bad thing if you think of Asian cultures that use the WOK for cooking. as they stir the food in the Wok the steel is scratched releasing Iron, therefor Iron intake for dietary purpose.
thanks for listening, Troy
 
jc57 said:
Answering your specific questions:
Why do you like carbon steel?
- I don't in particular. It's just that some knives that I like happen to come in only that type of steel so I have no choice. Most of my pocket knife usage does not cause rust or patina so it's not a big deal, plus I don't mind occasional maintenance and oiling.

Does it ever stop making fruit taste gross?
- "Gross" is a matter of individual perspective. It does continue to impart a slight metallic tang, which you may or may not consider unpleasant to varying degrees. I have used carbon steel knives to slice apples and I eat the apples. But in general I prefer to use stainless steels for any food prep uses. But that's more for ease of cleanup by washing. When I regularly took apples to work with me, I would carry a stainless steel knife specifically for apple cutting (usually a kitchen paring knife with a plastic sheath) and not use a carbon steel pocket knife.

Why is patina considered a good thing? To my eye it just makes my pretty new knife look dull and dirty. I know that lots of people on the porch LOVE patina.
Some people like the looks of it. I generally use a metal polish and remove it when it forms. That is one reason why I prefer the highly polished blades of GEC's Northfield line over the satin finished Tidioute. My frequently carried GECs have blades that are just about as shiny as they were when they were new.

Does a good patina make the knife stop making food taste bad?
Not completely.

Note that many high-end kitchen knives used by professional chefs use reactive steels, so it's not necessarily a bad thing to use a carbon steel knife on food. It may only be foods that are acidic and sweet (like fruits) that have a taste imparted that you don't like.
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Thank you, and everyone else who has responded so far. The take home message I am getting I think I can boil down to: If I really can't stand the taste of carbon steel on my fruit then it is probably best to stick to stainless.

I can live with that. This year's knife probably won't get a ton of pocket time for me, and that's okay. I think that rather than trying to force it, I will carry the knife when it is appropriate.

Clearly, some people don't mind the taste of carbon steel. I do, and cutting fruit is one of my primary uses for a knife, so I'll stick with my CSC. The thin clip point is great for fruit cutting anyway.
 
I think the taste varies with each knife/steel also. For me a carbon opinel leaves a very strong taste when cutting apples whether brand new or heavily patina'd. However, my old hickory is used all the time for apple slicing and I cannot notice any taste change whatsoever.

It depends on the person also. In the same realm, a couple months ago, I picked up a new stainless, insulated water bottle. I absolutely love it and use it all the time. I only put water in it and the taste of the water is great, finally with no "plasticky" flavor, like my other bottles always had after a couple hours. The other day though, my wife went to get a drink while out walking, and almost spit it back out! Apparently to her, the water taste ridiculously metallic and was really gross! Who knows.....
Bruce
 
bt93 said:
One reason I prefer stainless. I know carbon steel is the old school, but there's a reason so many states have laws against restaurants using carbon steel cutlery. Pick yourself up a good stainless steel blade. Case is reliable, Trestle Pines and Northwoods are using CPM 154. Of course Victorinox is reliable. I know that 1095 is supposed to be legendary for getting so sharp and ease of sharpening, but I know my Vic can get wicked sharp and is also easy to sharpen. Years ago I was staunchly in the carbon steel corner, but got tired of polishing off rust. Too me a patina is a cop out, steel is supposed to shine.
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Can you cite your source for this info?
 
bralexander said:
I think the taste varies with each knife/steel also. For me a carbon opinel leaves a very strong taste when cutting apples whether brand new or heavily patina'd. However, my old hickory is used all the time for apple slicing and I cannot notice any taste change whatsoever.

It depends on the person also. In the same realm, a couple months ago, I picked up a new stainless, insulated water bottle. I absolutely love it and use it all the time. I only put water in it and the taste of the water is great, finally with no "plasticky" flavor, like my other bottles always had after a couple hours. The other day though, my wife went to get a drink while out walking, and almost spit it back out! Apparently to her, the water taste ridiculously metallic and was really gross! Who knows.....
Bruce
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I totally get that. I don't mind water that many might think tastes plasticky, but on the other hand I do not like the flavor of water kept in my stainless water bottles. It all depends what bothers you I guess.
 
kamagong said:
Some people are much more sensitive than others to the taste carbon steel imparts on food.
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I think this is an important point. I never notice a taste or a smell on food I've cut with a carbon steel blade. I cut up an apple most mornings, often with a carbon steel blade, and put half of it in my breakfast oatmeal (along with carrots, celery, peppers, and grapes also sliced with a carbon steel blade) and take half of it to work in a little Rubbermaid container. By the time I open the container in the middle of the day, there's visible black/gray on the cut surface of the apple, but I can only perceive it with my eyes, not my nose or tongue. I guess in that regard, I'm a winner in the genetic lottery!! :rolleyes:

- GT
 
Ramrodmb said:
Can you cite your source for this info?
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I guess you missed my later posts. It had been a few years, and was mistaken. It's often discretion of health inspectors. If they're perfectly shiny though, there isn't a problem.
 
It depends on the carbon steel sea.Unos leave flavor and not others. I now often use a knife 02 and did not notice flavored with xc75 metal.En change much. a greeting
 
I've used my big ole Queen #49 in D2 to cut up food occasionally for my now (almost, birthday Nov. 1st) 2 yr. olds food from time to time, and I've never noticed an imparted taste, nor has he complained or not eaten the food thus prepared. That probably doesn't mean others might not notice it, but...so far so good. I'm not sure what my Wusthof steel is, but it is a little easier to clean(I worked 5 years in a kitchen). I would have to agree though, that it's a very individual thing. As whomever pointed out there was no other choice up until roughly 50-100 years ago. If it was all that bad what in the world were people eating prior to it's advent? (Stainless I mean) And how were they preparing it? I at times think some of this is in people's heads. They hear no carbon cutlery in the kitchen, or whatever, and then become convinced that it imparts something that's not actually there. Shrug. Who knows. Sami-safe knives are pretty cheap, and someone could always make you a pocket sheath I guess. In fact Tom Krein was selling some reground Vic's with one for awhile. :D YMMV
Thanks,Neal
 
I've smelled the metal smell before off my 1095 knives but never ever noticed a flavor.

Hell, people cook in cast iron all the time and never a problem.
 
Hate it, I refuse to use my 1095 blades for food and won't EDC them as a result. D2 is fine though.
 
Aside from a stainless SAK that's always in my pocket everything else I own and use for hunting, fishing and kitchen duties is carbon steel and has been for the past 40 years. No one has ever commented on taste of anything that was sliced or cut up with a carbon steel knife (I've got 1/2 dozen) nor does any food taste better or worse or different because I use a carbon steel wok, cast iron frypans and an old Dutch oven.
It's worthy of notice that knives made of carbon steel (paired with wood handles or scales) thoroughly teaches you (and quickly reminds you if you don't) to take very good care of your tools!
 
I almost exclusively use carbon steel knives in the kitchen and cook with cast iron cookware. If I use a carbon steel knife on fruits before they're patina'd I notice a flavor. If I get them patina'd up on meats and vegetables first I don't. Either way, once a patina is formed I no longer notice a taste or smell. Nobody else has ever mentioned a problem with anything I cook. It's usually quite the opposite. If word gets around that I have a stew or chili on or if the neighbors get a whiff of the smoker running I end up with a small crowd of people "just stopping in" right around dinner time. :confused:

On the weekends I tend to cook in big batches. I've always assumed that that meant that my food didn't taste gross.
 
bt93 said:
I guess you missed my later posts. It had been a few years, and was mistaken. It's often discretion of health inspectors. If they're perfectly shiny though, there isn't a problem.
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No offense, but I think this is not the full picture. Sure, a knife with rust on it is going to draw lots of negative attention, as will many, many other things. Patina in the true sense of what patina is? I say no way. Bob Kramer uses carbon steel all the time in his kitchen knives. If a chef in a kitchen has such a knife, it likely will develop patina, but it will also be very well taken care of. There is no way that any inspector is going to cry "wolf" upon seeing patina on a Bob Kramer knife in a kitchen. IMO, there is a greater chance the inspector will be struck by lightning just moments after winning the Powerball jackpot. Sorry, it's just not going to happen. I think that goes for garden variety knives as well. There is just a lot more to rightfully worry about.
 
Frankly, I've never found the carbon taste or SMELL to wear off over time when cutting raw foods, even cheeses...patina seems to make no difference.

Clearly, people vary about this, some don't seem to notice it. I do, very much. I suspect that knives with brass liners are even worse offenders as it somehow combines with the carbon steel to up the taint effect :barf: I note that the OP used a carbon knife to slice a Pear, I find these ( a delicious fruit) to really darken carbon blades far more than apples for some reason. Their perfumed delicate flavour gets wrecked by carbon pocket-knives.

I also notice that pet animals I've had refuse any snack cut with a carbon knife.

Carbon steel needs constant care, patina colours can be interesting (was a blade under scalding water and it really gives a rainbow effect) but I think if it's a folding knife, the pivot, scale covers, brass liners, use of oils even 'safe' ones, enclosed space, detritus can all combine to make for an unpleasant taste - none too sanitary either. :eek: Kitchen knives are not enclosed and can be cleaned with no ill effects to the knife with boiling water in an instant. But, even these impart some flavours.

This is why stainless steel was needed, and I like it.:D Most custom knives are stainless too....
 
Rich S said:
I've used carbon steel for my kitchen knives basically forever (60+ years). Old Hickory, Sabatier, etc. and have never had any problems with strange tastes, smell or anything. Just keep them clean (no dishwashers), oil after use (food grade oil) for kitchen knives. Also have several carbon folders and likewise, no problems. They get wiped off and oiled (3 in1 ) after use. I also have several modern stainless folders that I like. While they require less "care", I don't see any significant difference in performance. All my outdoors knives are carbon (scandi types) and again just wipe them down and oil them well when I got home.

Rich
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3 in 1 must be good for food too lol
Anyways my grandma is 90 and her knives are black by now she would say it's all good
Almost forgot to add she can't smell anything
 
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Do any of you guys notice any sort of taste with foods like fried chicken or pork chops ?
Because that pretty much the only food besides garlic bread that I cut with my carbon blades and I notice no taste. Some say steels are different and both my carbon blades are old imperials, so maybe it's their particular Steel.
 
Yes, the funky taste goes away. I have a very old Dexter carbon steel kitchen knife that gets used a ton. I wash and dry it after use. I don't oil any of my carbon steel blades ..... just keep them dry.

--Mark
 
Sergeua said:
3 in 1 must be good for food too lol
Anyways my grandma is 90 and her knives are black by now she would say it's all good
Almost forgot to add she can't smell anything
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The poster (to which you replied) never said he/she used 3 in 1 oil on food-grade implements, only for purposes such as maintaining pocket knives.
You've got to go out and make a point of complimenting your grandma for not succumbing to fashion craze (for not buying into no-stain-but-never-so-sharp knives that became all the rage for housewives beginning in the 1950s) and sticking to her guns by continuing to use cutting implements that sharpen well and hold their edge.
70 years from now your sense of smell may not be all that good either but eating food prepared with 'oxidizable steel' implements won't have killed you by then either.
 
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