Knife finishing/food safety

[HonzaK]

Can someone please tell me which knife finishes/steel types aren't safe to prepare food with? Please don't write essays, just steel/finish name (D2, 1095 carbon, acid wash...) and why do you think it's not safe.

 

[Danke42]

Gun blueing isn't safe. The rest is fine.

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

I'd avoid anything that can flake off into your food (e.g., paint).
The less smooth the finish, the more diligent you need to be with cleaning to avoid cross contamination.
If you're oiling a blade, use something that is specifically food safe.

 

[HonzaK]

ok thanks, just if there isn't some chemical reaction or something? like that something toxic will dissolve into food, this can be dangerous overtime

 

[Danke42]

ok thanks, just if there isn't some chemical reaction or something? like that something toxic will dissolve into food, this can be dangerous overtime

If you're eating something that will dissolve Ceracoate etc. you've got bigger problems to worry about.

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

ok thanks, just if there isn't some chemical reaction or something? like that something toxic will dissolve into food, this can be dangerous overtime

Any stonewash/blackwash/acidwash finish is just Ferric Oxide on the surface. Consuming Iron is not going to cause any problems except at very high doses (iron poisoning usually requires ingesting too many iron supplements).

 

[GatorFlash1]

Can someone please tell me which knife finishes/steel types aren't safe to prepare food with? Please don't write essays, just steel/finish name (D2, 1095 carbon, acid wash...) and why do you think it's not safe.

If you are really asking what a good chef knife or kitchen knife is,, here are some links. We have used these particular model knives with good success.

 

[Hal]

The only material I would avoid is - ceramic.
It isn't toxic, but, it does chip/break very easily

Swallow a piece of that and your day goes downhill real quick.

 

[Malty Falcon]

Both Carbon and stainless steels are safe for food. So is glass and wood. Titanium and brass, also safe. Copper and tin are fine for cutting food. Plastic and cardboard knives are very safe for food, unless you made a knife out of rat poison boxes, then not advised. Lead isn't recommended, but still safe for light vegetables and herbs, if you can even find a lead knife. Never use cyanide or strychnine blades, they are bad.

Kind of a silly question, don't put things in your mouth if you don't think it's safe. At least that's what I tell my four year old.

 

[TC]

As far as steel is concerned, it's more a matter of what the food does to the steel than vice versa. Some steels will stain or rust and need to be cared for more than stainless steel.

 

[shane45-1911]

With all the crap I've been exposed to over the last 5 decades, what finish is on my knife is the least of my worries.

 

[toker]

I would avoid knives with lead paint or handles made of asbestos. Why companies ever thought those were a good idea is beyond me.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I generally rinse off a knife before using it for food prep. Otherwise, no problem.

 

[Hashishiin]

While they do not cause physiological issues, I hear certain knives can cause addiction...

 

[dirc]

there are some who dislike nickel, (mostly due to Cali's unreasonable sky-is-falling carcinogen warnings - https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/chemicals/nickel-metallic

by their logic - they should be slapping warnings on every banana due to radioactive potassium ...

anyway, some steel has up to 2% nickel, I don't think its a problem for knives at all
if you really want to stretch it, maybe if you're baking in a steel oven pan for many hours with a lot of liquid on a regular basis

use a clean knife, without cerakote or paint finishes...
(properly applied TiC or TiCN finishes done at high heat isn't a problem imho)

 

[ShaiHulud]

deleted

 

[ShaiHulud]

As far as steel is concerned, it's more a matter of what the food does to the steel than vice versa. Some steels will stain or rust and need to be cared for more than stainless steel.

I think countless generations of people would have a rebuttal, if they could speak, using usually one knife for everything, hunting, fighting, eating, daily chores etc

 

[ShaiHulud]

Can someone please tell me which knife finishes/steel types aren't safe to prepare food with? Please don't write essays, just steel/finish name (D2, 1095 carbon, acid wash...) and why do you think it's not safe.

If it's not stone washed or bead blasted
I wouldn't use it

 

[HonzaK]

ok thank you all

 

[PRNDLtech]

Gun blueing isn't safe. The rest is fine.

I would avoid knives with lead paint or handles made of asbestos. Why companies ever thought those were a good idea is beyond me.