Cleaning knife for/after food prep
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Having spent much of this week doing a passable impression of the Trevi fountain, I've taken an interest in food hygiene...
Usually grass followed by a wet wipe, if I'm feeling fancy. As the saying goes, "clean food never fattened a pig"
I've mentioned on here a couple of times before, my concern about repeatedly using my knife on my fire steel, followed by a quick wipe and prepping food with it.
I'm sure there's all sorts of metals like magnesium and such that it's not good to ingest in relatively large amounts on a regular basis
Never received any knowledgeable replies though. Maybe third time lucky?
I'm sure there's all sorts of metals like magnesium and such that it's not good to ingest in relatively large amounts on a regular basis
Never received any knowledgeable replies though. Maybe third time lucky?
Had look on wikipedia
A modern ferrocerium firesteel product is composed of an alloy of rare earth metals called mischmetal (containing approximately 50% cerium, 25% lanthanum, and small amounts of neodymium and praseodymium), plus iron and a small amount of magnesium[1]:
Iron: 19%
Cerium: 38%
Lanthanum: 22%
Neodymium: 4%
Praseodymium: 4%
Magnesium: 4%
Sounds yummy, I won't be worrying.
A modern ferrocerium firesteel product is composed of an alloy of rare earth metals called mischmetal (containing approximately 50% cerium, 25% lanthanum, and small amounts of neodymium and praseodymium), plus iron and a small amount of magnesium[1]:
Iron: 19%
Cerium: 38%
Lanthanum: 22%
Neodymium: 4%
Praseodymium: 4%
Magnesium: 4%
Sounds yummy, I won't be worrying.
That can't all be good for you.
As you say though, not going to loose any sleep over it mind. Should just take along another stainless knife for food only use.
if you or some one here could find a very accurate set of scales you could strike it and then see by how much the knife increases in weight as to see how much is deposited, then again to see hw much is left after a trouser wipe
That would be very scientific.
i just thought its a topic / concern no one had raised. Who knows, ingesting all those rare earths make have weird effects on you, like maybe, making you grow a beard, or wear a kangaroo leather hat, or obsessively sharpen things.
Seriously though, i dont think it can be that healthy, but I just like the lightweight idea of one trusty knife to cover all tasks.
i just thought its a topic / concern no one had raised. Who knows, ingesting all those rare earths make have weird effects on you, like maybe, making you grow a beard, or wear a kangaroo leather hat, or obsessively sharpen things.
Seriously though, i dont think it can be that healthy, but I just like the lightweight idea of one trusty knife to cover all tasks.
I'm with the dirt eaters on this one, I recon the immune system is like your brain or muscles- use it or loose it.
I did food hygiene back in the mid 90's and it was cook the centre to 72 for 3 mins then but only for chicken or re-heated stuff, is it across the board now? What about eggs, steak etc, are we doomed to overdone food in the future?
The claim for chemical bacteria killing is normally 99.9%, they do kill everything but they can't prove it so they can't claim it, there's also an insurance risk too; so I have been told by food inspectors anyway.
I did food hygiene back in the mid 90's and it was cook the centre to 72 for 3 mins then but only for chicken or re-heated stuff, is it across the board now? What about eggs, steak etc, are we doomed to overdone food in the future?
The claim for chemical bacteria killing is normally 99.9%, they do kill everything but they can't prove it so they can't claim it, there's also an insurance risk too; so I have been told by food inspectors anyway.
Most of what you want to know about any element is on Wikipedia. Iron and magnesium are pretty well harmless. Cerium, lanthanum, neodymium and praseodymium are 'rare earth' elements and not so harmless. From the Wikipedia page on cerium:
"Cerium, like all rare-earth metals, is of low to moderate toxicity. Cerium is a strong reducing agent and ignites spontaneously in air at 65 to 80 °C. Fumes from cerium fires are toxic. Water should not be used to stop cerium fires, as cerium reacts with water to produce hydrogen gas. Workers exposed to cerium have experienced itching, sensitivity to heat, and skin lesions. Animals injected with large doses of cerium have died due to cardiovascular collapse. ..."
Personally I prefer to use some sort of striker on a ferro rod rather than a knife blade. It's safer, it works better, and it won't damage the knife. Having said that I don't think you're going to die of rare earth poisoning from the tiny bits of metal contamination that you will pick up on your knife. Food poisoning from the bugs is another issue.
I am glad I generally use a flint and steel!Most of what you want to know about any element is on Wikipedia. Iron and magnesium are pretty well harmless. Cerium, lanthanum, neodymium and praseodymium are 'rare earth' elements and not so harmless. From the Wikipedia page on cerium:
"Cerium, like all rare-earth metals, is of low to moderate toxicity. Cerium is a strong reducing agent and ignites spontaneously in air at 65 to 80 °C. Fumes from cerium fires are toxic. Water should not be used to stop cerium fires, as cerium reacts with water to produce hydrogen gas. Workers exposed to cerium have experienced itching, sensitivity to heat, and skin lesions. Animals injected with large doses of cerium have died due to cardiovascular collapse. ..."
Personally I prefer to use some sort of striker on a ferro rod rather than a knife blade. It's safer, it works better, and it won't damage the knife. Having said that I don't think you're going to die of rare earth poisoning from the tiny bits of metal contamination that you will pick up on your knife. Food poisoning from the bugs is another issue.
I have ferro rod spark sticks ... but rarely use them ... not primitive/earthy enough for me "If you buy it it is just a tool - if you make it is is YOUR tool"
It seems to me that with all the sterile environments that people live in these days that people are more prone to problems when they encounter non sterile environments.
Building a natural resistance to bugs is a natural defence that deals with problems naturally
I have a ceramic tile on my wall at home (it was a wedding present - the tile not the wall) that reads "This house is clean enough to healthy - and dirty enough to be happy" - same goes for my knives realy
Dirt eater team here too...
Stopped wiping at my trouser leg since one of my Mora's sliced right through it and knocked me a bit (too much pressure from me I), so now it is the bandana or some leaves or moss.
Grtz Johan
Stopped wiping at my trouser leg since one of my Mora's sliced right through it and knocked me a bit (too much pressure from me I), so now it is the bandana or some leaves or moss.
Grtz Johan
While outwardly seeming to be a dirt-eater, I do try to convince myself that I employ a proven strategy of cascading cleaners.....
Meaning I'll wipe any big lumps of goo off on anything handy, then more carefully wipe any remaining "ick" on a flat piece of wood to more closely follow the blade profile. Next would be a scrub with ashes and abrasive foliage (taking Wayland's lead on school boy chemistry) and then wipe the nearly clean blade on my (probably filthy) trousers!
Voila, a clean-ish knife!
Ogri the trog
Meaning I'll wipe any big lumps of goo off on anything handy, then more carefully wipe any remaining "ick" on a flat piece of wood to more closely follow the blade profile. Next would be a scrub with ashes and abrasive foliage (taking Wayland's lead on school boy chemistry) and then wipe the nearly clean blade on my (probably filthy) trousers!
Voila, a clean-ish knife!
Ogri the trog
Whats in your food that will harm you really? Lot of people eat raw or barely cooked meat without harm, eggs these days are salmonella free they say (I make mayonaise with raw egg no problems). I only use stainless steel knives these days so a quick wipe on trousers/tissue/baby wipe works for me. Heat to 80c and its safe. I do use a little plastic chopping board these days and that gets hot water/scrub and fairy liquid if I've cut up cooked or raw meat on it.
I also either buy pre diced or will dice meat at home and pack ready to use so really you should not need to go cutting up raw meat on your trips if you plan ahead a little and you should be able to joint a bunny without a board if you kill one for the pot (or cook it whole).
I've not had a dose of the Jaipuri Jitters in 46 years of camping apart from once in France and I think that was down to drinking several litres of rough red the night before
I also either buy pre diced or will dice meat at home and pack ready to use so really you should not need to go cutting up raw meat on your trips if you plan ahead a little and you should be able to joint a bunny without a board if you kill one for the pot (or cook it whole).
I've not had a dose of the Jaipuri Jitters in 46 years of camping apart from once in France and I think that was down to drinking several litres of rough red the night before
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