Sterilizing your knife in the woods

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Rbpwrd240

Joined
Sep 18, 2014
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34
Howdy,

So I was wondering how yall sterilize your blades when in the bush. I have heard that running them through the fire can ruin the heat treat. I have also heard that if you just pass the blade through the orange bits of the flame for a few seconds it wont get hot enough to ruin the heat treat but it will kill the surface laden bacteria.

I have heard of just wipeing hand sanitizer or alchol on the blade will kill bacteria.

I kayak camp and weight is in issue so if I can gain some confidience in using one knife for all duties including food prep and consumption I can loose a little more weight.

Thanks in advance,
Alex R.
 
You may never get sick if you just go the quick pant leg wipe down that I'm going to say half the guys here do :) ...but let's assume you don't want to risk it...

Depending on what the nasty is, passing a knife through flame may just warm them up. It's also unlikely to do much about the bacteria that get stuck in the grooves/joins too. Holding the knife over a flame long enough to kill everything will risk ruining the heat treat - it doesn't take long for thin steel to heat up over open flame.

Depending on what your knife is made from I guess you could boil it, or boil the blade. You can't just dunk it in boiling water; boiling off bacteria takes time. And I don't really like the idea of chucking many handle materials into boiling water either (even the ones it shouldn't affect).

I would go with friction (ie scrubbing) and some kind of disinfectant, then rinsing off in clean water. The same way you do your dishes at home, just on a smaller scale. A scrub with an alcohol wipe will kill bacteria but it's those damned grooves and joins that will be a problem.

Folders can get a lot of crud in them so it's best to avoid using them for meat (especially) where possible, unless you like disassembling and cleaning a lot.

Can I ask what your one knife would be? I would always suggest carrying a second knife, even if only as a backup. A fixed blade neck knife or a SAK (with a saw to handle bigger tasks) may be a decent way to go. Is it worth a little added weight to avoid getting gastro in a kayak? :)
 
If you are really worried about it grab a handful of those rubbing alcohol wipes that are packaged for individual use. However my vote goes for the pant leg wipe. It hasn't failed me yet(just don't let anyone else see so they assume you properly disinfected it;) ).
 
I always have a compact first aid kit, which contains alcohol wipes. Quick and easy, but as others said. Dunk in creek, wipe on pants.
 
I'm using three knives now and a food prep knife.

I want to go to three knives dropping the food prep knife.

Each to fit a need.
KaBar Piggy Back Full Convex Fixed blade para frame Small Cutting/slicing/skinning/widdling Knife
Esee 6 Large Knife fixed blade
S.O.G.Machete Camp site clearing/wood processing fixed blade

I like to use the kabar for most needs as it is a para frame and it slices realy well since I put a full convex grind on it. I just want to make sure Im not going to get sick. I would be processing deer, fish, rabbit, squirrel, hog and slicing random veggies for meals as well as cutting my meat in my dish as I eat it. I would just hate to get sick as I am often times out in the bush for multiple days...

I carry alchol pads so that wouldnt be too bad.... Boiling would take longer then Id like and the fire method seems easiest. Maybe a dip in the river a good drying and a quick heating over the fire would work hugh? I coud even then wipe it down with a disenfecting pad.... If nothing else but for my own .02 :)


Any more input?
 
An alcohol-based hand sanitizer with an alcohol concentration of greater than 70% will kill 99.999% of bacteria and fungi (and some viruses). Coat the blade and let it sit for approximately one minute and then the knife is sanitized.
 
Heating over the fire is not a good idea. It's generally ineffective for killing bacteria and risks ruining your knife. Do you need both the 6 and the machete? That's two big blades. Are you sure there isn't any overlap in purpose?

...sorry I'm digressing
 
Demon613 said:
An alcohol-based hand sanitizer with an alcohol concentration of greater than 70% will kill 99.999% of bacteria and fungi (and some viruses). Coat the blade and let it sit for approximately one minute and then the knife is sanitized.
Click to expand...
The problem with most of the hand sanitizers is that it takes a good bit of soap and water to get rid of them...more so than just washing in the first place. Using a knife cleaned in that manner for food prep would leave a bad taste in your mouth.
 
You want to be careful washing eating utensils in untreated creek, pond or river water. Some places can give you a healthy dose of beaver fever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardiasis

Probably the best way to be safe is to boil the water thoroughly and then wash your blade with some soap and the hot water.
 
I have always carried my eating utensils in a container all by them selves ~ as Knife & Fork & Spoon plus anything else I think I might need ! We are talking ounces here and not pounds you know.! I would get rid of something else first before my 6 or 7 ounces or whatever of utensils <<<<< my .02 worth.!
 
Most people get by being sloppy with these sorts of things and don't have any issues. However, it's really not a good idea if you're out on multi-night trips with just what's on your back. I think that your problem is much more easily solved by changing the knives you're bringing along, rather than trying to find a suitable way to disinfect the knife.

Hang on to your Ka-Bar Piggyback and use it as you do to skin and clean game. Use it for whittling and whatever else EXCEPT eating.
Then, either choose the ESEE 6 or the Machete, and ditch the other.
Then, buy one or two of these: http://www.baryonyxknife.com/vilvikiutkn.html
They are excellent little knives. Cheap as all hell. At less than 1 ounce each, you won't even know you have them with you. Just dedicate them to eating tasks (slicing COOKED meat, etc) and you'll be good to go.

This is a safe way to solve your problem and reduce weight at the same time.

Best of luck!
 
wolf-man-12 said:
I have always carried my eating utensils in a container all by them selves ~ as Knife & Fork & Spoon plus anything else I think I might need ! We are talking ounces here and not pounds you know.! I would get rid of something else first before my 6 or 7 ounces or whatever of utensils <<<<< my .02 worth.!
Click to expand...

It is also easy to go to a fast food restaurant and ask for several spoons/forks each time you order. Then put a bundle of a dozen forks and spoons, each in their own individual wrapper, in a ZipLock bag and throw it in a side pocket on your pack. That way you can have disposable, single-use utensils and not have to worry about anything aside from your "real" knife.
 
On camping trips and out at the cabin there is always a bottle of Scotch nearby that the knife could be wiped down with assuming I need to use the knife for trail side surgery of some sort, say removing a nasty sliver. Alternatively, when nothing else is available wash the blade well and set it out in the air to dry well, many bacteria die in dry conditions and the sun helps.
 
Fire, boil or good ol soap and water. Sanitizer can be OK.

Holding a blade edge into the right part of a flame for, say, 3 to five seconds....enough time to usually singe anything living on the surface....is perfectly acceptable and will sterilize the blade. As will extreme cold weather.
 
Rbpwrd240 said:
Howdy,

So I was wondering how yall sterilize your blades when in the bush...
I have heard of just wipeing hand sanitizer or alchol on the blade will kill bacteria.
Alex R.
Click to expand...

Honestly, it's worth the weight and space to fill rubbing alcohol
In a small airtight plastic bottle with a spray applicator
M5123.jpg

Just be sure to wipe it off dry well before use on food.
Though I can't image what sorta contamination
might result from the Wiping material in use :-)
 
I may be wrong, but unless you have an extremely concentrated flame and a longer knife, I highly doubt you could ruin a heat treat without burning the he'll out of your hand.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, I don't think you should use that method anyway. I probably don't keep my knives that sanitary, so I have no suggestions.
 
The flask for "emergency use " filled with your choice of beverage will work fine !

Heating above about 400* F should be avoided !
 
You're never going to really sterilize your knife unless you carry around an autoclave. Clean water, soap and some elbow grease will get it plenty clean enough for anything short of surgery.
 
Boil would be best imo. Alcohol70%+ and just a quick flame off works in a lab setting. I don't think that would damage HT but I'mnot 100% on that. B
 
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