Knife Cleaning and Polishing

[01TheWarrior]

I've read this forum for several years, and pop in from time to time, but am still something of a newbie compared to most members I think. I started collecting knives when I was a teenager, and now (at 24) my older knives are reaching 10 years of age and such.

I've been teaching myself a little about sharpening, so that is under control. But at this point many of them need cleaning, and I keep on hearing about "steel polish" or something of that sort, but can't seem to get any good, reliable info on it.

Cleaning: Ever used your knife for a very grubby task then wondered if you'd ever be comfortable cutting apple slices with it again? Somehow dunking my knife in clorox seems ridiculous and ill-advised, but it seems a legitimate question: how to "disinfect" a blade?

Also, gunk, dirt, grime, sticky residue from cutting open boxes taped shut, what is the best way to get these off?

Polishing: Something that protects the blades for rust and all that.

I'm assuming these answers can depend on the kind of knife I have. If it isn't too much trouble I'd really appreciate it if anyone could point me in the right direction.

Thanks,
Spencer

 

[David Martin]

Alcohol on a soft cloth will sanitize or just good ole soap and water. Its not that complicated. I'd stay away from clorox. Polishing require much elbow grease while progressing up thru 300-1000 grit sandpaper. Then polish with scotchbrite, denim and a cotton cloth with a compound on it like Mothers Mag wheel polish. There are many threads here on this. DM

 

[Cynic2701]

I hate tape residue with a passion. Pick up a bottle of Goo Gone and that will get rid of it pretty easily. I'm only a third of the way through a 16oz bottle I've had for ~4 years now. Best $5 purchase I've made in a long time.

 

[stitchawl]

I use cheap lighter fluid to clean my knives when I get any adhesives on them from cutting tapes or boxes. When I'm camping, I use Coleman Fuel. It's the same thing... Naphtha.

As far as sanitizing them, soap? Alcohol? And why not Clorox? Steel absorbs very, very little liquid so even just wiping off Clorox will remove virtually all of it. On the other hand, I have an old Opinel that I picked up in France about 25 years ago that only gets used for foods. I think it's been washed a couple of times. Probably. Unless you're using your knives to disembowel diseased animals or perform autopsies on Ebola Virus victims, there really isn't all that much need to have them sterile. Clean seems to be good enough.


Stitchawl

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Chlorine in bleach (more accurately: sodium hypochlorite) is corrosive on carbon steel and other metals, and can accelerate rust in a big way. All the worse, if the steel is already pitted; the chlorides will sink into the pits and cause even more trouble, much like salt will do. In fact, sodium hypochlorite actually will break down into other corrosive components, one of which is sodium chloride (NaCl = salt). On stainless steel, it shouldn't be an issue. Otherwise, I'd view Clorox as more potentially troublesome than it's worth.

Isopropyl alcohol is the easiest way to 'sanitize' a blade, and won't harm the steel at all. As an added benefit, alcohol is a great way to displace water from the nooks & crannies in knives. I've started using it to flush the residual water out of my folders after washing them. Works like a charm.

Edited to add:
+1 to the Goo Gone. I've used it to remove tape/sticker/price tag residue, tree sap, and the 'mystery glues' often found in cardboard. I've noticed banana peels leave some particularly sticky, sap-like stuff on blades, and it works well on that also.

I wipe my blades down with a Windex-moistened paper towel every evening, which does a great job removing fingerprints and other rust-makers from the blades. Also useful for cleaning up the little bit of oily residue left from the Goo Gone.

 

[stitchawl]

Chlorine in bleach (more accurately: sodium hypochlorite) is corrosive on carbon steel and other metals, and can accelerate rust in a big way. ...... Otherwise, I'd view Clorox as more potentially troublesome than it's worth.

I can honestly say that in all these years, I've never noticed a problem with it. Probably because it's not actually left on the blade for more than a few seconds, same as water, but it's good information to know, so thanks. My dive knives are soaking in salt water for several hours every dive day, but even they seem to revive from a quick rinse in fresh water. Marine "Tuf-Coat" is a blessing.


Stitchawl

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I can honestly say that in all these years, I've never noticed a problem with it. Probably because it's not actually left on the blade for more than a few seconds, same as water, but it's good information to know, so thanks. My dive knives are soaking in salt water for several hours every dive day, but even they seem to revive from a quick rinse in fresh water. Marine "Tuf-Coat" is a blessing.


Stitchawl

I think bleach is one of those things that might not be an issue, so long as one makes absolutely sure to rinse it all away (see quoted text below). But if one doesn't, bad news for carbon steel. I'd known for a while that, in industrial environments, chlorine or other chlorinated solutions are notorious for rusting/corroding out metal storage tanks & associated plumbing, and anything else contacted even by the vapors given off. So for me, if given a choice between using it to kill a few germs on a blade, and then having to 'clean' the bleach away, OR using a quick wipe of isopropyl alcohol (which evaporates completely and leaves nothing of itself behind), then to me, it becomes an easy & worry-free decision.

For what it's worth, in my uses of my knives for food, just dish soap & water, or a Windex wipedown is sufficient, if I get to it in a timely manner (I do). I use the isopropyl alcohol (after washing) when the blade gets used for 'other' dirty jobs, just to be sure.

(quoted text from -->: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite#Disinfection )

"A 1-in-5 dilution of household bleach with water (1 part bleach to 4 parts water) is effective against many bacteria and some viruses, and is often the disinfectant of choice in cleaning surfaces in hospitals (primarily in the United States). The solution is corrosive, and needs to be thoroughly removed afterwards, so the bleach disinfection is sometimes followed by an ethanol disinfection.

 

[stitchawl]

My kitchen knives only get soap and water, and 'mine' get dried and hung up. My wife (who also uses just soap and water) insists on leaving her knives in the dish drainer to dry. We both use the same brands, German and Japanese, but different blade shapes. She's afraid of 'points.'

It's my hunting/fishing knives that get a more sanitizing job. I figure there are a lot more nasties inside a deer or a salmon than there are inside a cow, but that's probably just wishful thinking on my part. I figure bleach can kill West Nile virus, Ebola, Smallpox, Typhoid, Rabies, Anthrax, and even Rhinovirus. That's strong enough for me.

For sticky stuff... glues, gums, saps and resins, etc., it's always lighter fluid or Coleman fuel to remove it, and water to wash... if I remember to.


Stitchawl