Cleaning your knife in the field

[Scuba Pete]

I was just wondering whats the best way to clean your knife when you are between jobs like cutting wood, skinning a rabbit, cutting up food, eating etc. Its not like I have a washing up bowl about.

I usually just wipe it with something. I have not been ill yet but you never know.

 

[mark a.]

If the ground's not too rocky (so I don't blunt anything too badly), I sometimes stick the knife into the earth - that tends to cleans off most of the gunk. Then it's just a case of brushing off any remaining crumbs of mud.

 

[BorderReiver]

Wipe on grass or moss,then if preparing food,pass the blade through a flame a few times.
DON'T let the blade get hot though,you just want to bbq any germs on the blade,not ruin the temper.

 

[snock]

Carry some of those lemon hand-wipes you get from places that sell food.
Failing that just spit on it and wipe it on your trousers.

Works for me.

I wouldn't suggest stabbing the blade into the ground, as you only need to hit a stone and the edge has gone.

 

[Graham_S]

if i'm using it to prepare food, i give it a wipe with antibacterial hand cleanser, then wipe it off.

 

[snock]

if i'm using it to prepare food, i give it a wipe with antibacterial hand cleanser, then wipe it off.

Agreed.
You can buy alcohol based gel in Superdrug. I use it after I have prepared rabbits etc.
It evaporates away leaving your hands/equipment pretty much sterile.

 

[pothunter]

I try to use a progresion from foods that will remain uncooked to raw meat then the blade will only require cleaning once. To clean it iether boiling water with a little washing-up liquid, alow to stand for about 5 mins. or a flame.
Inbetween times I use Autosol to keep the blade polished this makes cleaning easier as the nasties dont have ruff surfaces to cling to.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Sounds good. I will have to get myself some hand wash.

The last thing I want to be is ill.

 

[snock]

It's about a quid for a small bottle, Pete, but it will last you a fair while.
Worth stocking up in my opinion.

Pete.

 

[Mat]

I use the Milton handwash stuff. It doesn't need water and apparently even kills MRSA. Comes in a small bottle and is ideal for keeping hands clean.

 

[Hoodoo]

I like to carry a small bottle of mineral oil with me. It does a nice job of removing stuff, plus providing protection to the knife from rust. And it's food safe. Sometimes I will just carry a rag in a plastic bag saturated with mineral oil. Failing that, I will wipe it down on a piece of split wood and dry it on some cloth. However if you are spending time in a lot of rain, you really need something like mineral oil to protect the knife from rust--if it is carbon.

 

[Squidders]

Spitting on the knife is actually a very good way to clean it.

Our mouths are full of bacteria that is quite nasty and much of it exists because its nastier than a lot of bacteria our bodies aren't used to.

I don't usually bother with cleaning fluids, if I have a fire going and a little water i'll boil some up and give my knife a rinse.

As with all things, take care, hot water can warp and lift scales as well as making epoxy unstable... running the blade over a flame can coat it in carbon (or devalue it by £1million if its an AW Woodie) and sticking it in the dirt could dink the edge.

 

[spamel]

I think we shouldn't get too hung up on in the field hygiene. I'm not saying we should run around looking like Stig of the Dump, but a quick wipe with a cloth on eating utensils with a bit of hot water will be fine. Sterilising stuff doesn't let your body build up an immunity to nasties, so a bit of gunk now and then can't be too bad a thing. It will only make you stronger in the long run!!

I agree with not sticking your knife in the ground, unless it is a butter knife in which case it is already blunt!

 

[markw]

Agree with Spamel on this one. Having said that if I've preped any bunnys or pigeon then it gets a cleaning.

M

 

[addyb]

I totally agree. When you're out there there's really only a small number of things that a person can do to maintain hygeine. Obviously you can't just stop skinning your rabbit and go take a Hollywood shower. I never shave when I'm in the bush, I think a bit of beard tends to protect a face from becoming too weatherbeaten. The army would make you believe otherwise.

And as for cleaning a knife...I'd go with the washing up approach. Waving a blade under a naked flame involves a certain amount in inherent risk I think! Why risk ruining a temper?

Adam

 

[GearGuru]

If the ground's not too rocky (so I don't blunt anything too badly), I sometimes stick the knife into the earth - that tends to cleans off most of the gunk. Then it's just a case of brushing off any remaining crumbs of mud.

The soil has Staphylococcus aureus in it which can give you a right dose of the s s better to leave it.

 

[Rebel]

Cleaning my knife in the field is something I've often wondered about too.

Usually I can find some grass or leaves or something similar to wipe it on until I can get to some water and clean it properly.

The question I have is that the knife often gets wet and dirty and it can be a pain to keep cleaning and drying it because I'm actually still using it off and on. So I've got this dirty knife in my hand and I want to briefly put it away. If I put it in my leather sheath then my sheath is going to get disgusting and that is really difficult to clean. I often leave it on the ground but I don't like doing that because it might get lost or hurt somebody (like myself) or something (like my dog).

So maybe I should get a plastic/kydex sheath that I can wash. Anybody got any other ideas?

 

[addyb]

I've got a fantastic idea!

Why don't we all call up His Royal Highness Mr. Ray Mears and ask how he cleans his knife?

Adam

(I jest, I jest)

 

[Longstrider]

I'm with the school that says "Wipe it on yer trousers, and spit on it first if it's really mucky". I keep my knives pretty well cleaned between trips so they tend to be polished steel which wipes clean easily. There is an old saying that goes "You have to eat a peck of dirt before you die". A peck is not how much a bird might pick up in its beak as you might imagine, but is actually a measure of about 2 gallons.

There is however one trick more cunning than a cunning fox with lessons in cunning when it comes to needing a clean blade after doing a mucky job with your knife. If you promise to keep it under your hats I'll let you all in on a secret....

I carry more than one knife...

 

[Hoodoo]

I carry more than one knife...

But of course! The real question though, is how many more.