Sterilize Knife

Thomas J Ekman

Thomas J Ekman

Joined
Jul 29, 2000
Messages
555
If I want to sterilize a knife with lets say a cigarette lighter, will it destroy the temper of the blade?
 
To affect the temper, you have to raise the temperature of the steel above the final heat-treatment temperature. Very few heat treatment methods have a final temperature below about 300F. Water boils just a bit over 200F (depending on environment, etc.). So, unless you get the blade so hot that a drop of water sizzles on it, your ok.

The amount of thermal power produced by a lighter is small. A typical knife blade has a rather large mass. Metal is quite thermally conductive. So, you'd really have to hold the blade in the lighter for a long time.
 
I would think that a lighter would be pretty darn effective. Flame tends to burn a surface of contaminants, so it would easily decontaminate a knife of bacteriological issues. The conductiveness of the metal on a blade would help to draw heat away so that temper would be less affected. Viral contamination may be harder to deal with, but can be fixed with boiling water or an open flame.

Do not use bleach or hydrogen peroxide. Both are effective oxidizers. Rubbing alcohol may be a choice.
 
Don't park the flame under the edge. It is thin enough to overheat. Pass the flame back and forth. The edge heats the fastest and needs less time to sterilize.
 
try denatured alcohol
you won't be tempted to put THAT anywhere near your mouth :)
 
I'll refrain from any of the humor I thought of, cuz there's enough hysteria about knives as it is...

unless you're in an emergency, I'd not use a lighter. You prob won't destroy the temper if you're careful, but maybe the blade's finish.

Maybe you didn't know common rubbing alcohol will sterilize well enough for any but the most critical things. It will certainly destroy, say salmonella and so on.

Boiling a blade for 1 minute is also fine, it won't harm the blade at al l but will kill bacteria. Bleach, straight or cut quite bit will work fine, but (like alcohol) must be rinsed thouroughly before using for say surgery- chlorine is very bad for you.

Lasty, a high proof alcohol beverage can be used in a pinch! If your goal is food preperation, this might be a best option!

Tee hee!
Bill
 
If you want to sterlize the knife with a flame, the blade has to be literally red hot. In other words, the metal must have that orange color when heating it with a lighter.

An easier way to decontaminate a knife would be to dip it in alcohol and burn the alcohol off with your lighter. Putting a knife in boiling water is also an effective way to decontaminate a knife.

Note that these procedures kill most bacteria, but not all. Certain bacteria are endospore forming (like Bacillus Anthracis), so don't get too confident about these methods.
 
I use Zippo fluid for sterilizing... always have some in my pack, and the small can is always on the counter at home.

small squirt, rub with finger, and light it up. Burns out in about 10sec.
 
If you have one knife I would just boil it. I dont know if i would use bleach ,always thought that was bad for the metal or steel.If you want a sterile knife to say go camping with I would use a pressure cooker ,This would be the best way to sterilize a knife!
Wrap the knife in aluiminum foil , But in pressure cooker for like 10 -15 minutes at 200 - 250 degrees . Then its surley sterilized!
In my opion flame on the blade would not work . It may help, but your blade wont be steril :) Alcolohol is a second choice . But a pressure cooker is the best way , You will know the whole knife is steril and it wont be all wet as if you had boiled it.
 
I would guess that some things may melt at high temps so be carful. If you think it may melt , i would then recommend alochaol!
 
Bleach, and you don't need to cut it with water. Household bleach is about 3% or so. Bleach is used for sterilizing a great deal, such as low temp dishwashers and food plants, where a 6-9% or better is used. I used to sell the stuff by the 55 gal drums, and did you know it is classified as a insecticide because it kills germs? At least that is what my food chemist boss used to tell me when I worked for Belle Applications Corp. And a gallon of storebought is cheap. And don't boil it, heat will ruin the chlorine(bleach) strength.
 
I use chlorine bleach to sterilize the inside of drinking bottles, especially military canteens where you can't see what is inside the bottle. In the restaurant business, 50/50 bleach and water solution is used to wipe down food preparation surfaces to prevent bacterial contamination. In water bottles, it cleans, sterilizes as well as gets that "taste and smell" of the previous contents. The thing is... it will cause carbon steel, as well as a lot of high-carbon stainless to stain very quickly.

I've read that "underground" surgeries are performed with instruments that were boiled, or sterilized in alcohol, but never with chlorine. Bleach is more of a food preperation and container cleaner ... a small bottle of 200 proof everclear can be used for emergency sterilization, alcohol fuel stoves, or diluted and consumed as a beverage.
 
Originally posted by MelancholyMutt
or diluted and consumed as a beverage.
Click to expand...

best argument i've heard all day :D
200 proof is absolute ethyl alcohol, i presume?
 
a small bottle of 200 proof everclear can be used for emergency sterilization, alcohol fuel stoves, or diluted and consumed as a beverage.
Click to expand...

Do you think it would work well for cleaning/flushing wounds in the field as well? I LOVE it when my gear multi-tasks! :)

-- Dizos
 
Originally posted by DEA
best argument i've heard all day :D
200 proof is absolute ethyl alcohol, i presume?
Click to expand...
Yeah, 200 proof is 100% alcohol. Actually, it's more like 95%/190 proof because moisture from the air dilutes it somewhat.
 
Originally posted by Thomas J Ekman
If I want to sterilize a knife with lets say a cigarette lighter, will it destroy the temper of the blade?
Click to expand...

Just idle curiosity, but under what circumstances would you feel it necessary to do this?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top