Sterilising knife

[bushcraftbob]

Are there any ways of sterilising my knife blade in the woods?

Cooked up some chicken last night on the camp fire, but didnt know if it would be safe to use the same knife to carve the chicken, as i had already used it to cut up the raw meat?

How do you guys do it?

cheers

 

[basha]

Hold the blade over the fire flames for a few seconds and/or wipe the whole thing over with some meths (if you use a meths stove that is....). Not at the same time though

 

[Jay.in.the.woods]

I always take a cheap kitchen knife just for chopping meat

 

[DavidJT]

Hold the blade over the fire flames for a few seconds and/or wipe the whole thing over with some meths (if you use a meths stove that is....). Not at the same time though

Won't be doing that with my best knife!
I carry disposable sterilising wipes, wipe off with folliage first.

 

[FGYT]

I normally carry a small palm size squirty bttle od anti Back but dont use it much

if your going to cook all the stuff its not really a problem its when you do the salad or as you say carve after cooking etc with the same knife
but i do wash it normally with fairy etc after with all the other stuff so would just wash it with soap and hot water befor you use it again (same as you do at home)
i normally have the water and soap in the pot and warming on the fire as soon as the food is out so easy to give good wash as the meat is resting

or just pull it apart no knife required

ATB

Duncan

 

[John Fenna]

Use it to stirr your pot of boiling pasta/rice/tea-water .......simple realy.....

 

[bushcraftbob]

Ah, boiling water, so obvious really!!!

 

[basha]

Won't be doing that with my best knife!
I carry disposable sterilising wipes, wipe off with folliage first.

Take an appropriate knife you are prepared to use...If (as an example) you're not prepared to hold the blade of your knife over a flame for a few seconds to sterilise it perhaps it's better left at home in case you mark it ?

 

[Shewie]

I carry a Fallkniven TK4 which I use purely for food prep, mainly gutting fish and skinning rabbits or squirrels, it just gets washed at home then after a trip.

 

[DavidJT]

No, I use and abuse all my knives (battoning etc), just wouldn't risk scorching the handles though.
Don't own any "draw Queens" personally don't see the point. But each to his own

 

[Martyn]

Take an appropriate knife you are prepared to use...If (as an example) you're not prepared to hold the blade of your knife over a flame for a few seconds to sterilise it perhaps it's better left at home in case you mark it ?

A yellow flame is pretty cold and wont sterilise it. You would need to get the knife pretty hot over it's entire surface, which probably means sticking the blade in the embers for a little while. That will more than likely ruin the temper too and probably scorch the handle. Fire is not a good way to sterilise a blade that you care about or rely upon. It's either ineffective or damaging. You make a good point about being willing to use the knife, but there is no sense in inviting unnecessary damage. There is no sense in ruining even a £10 mora just for the sake of it. Use boiling water. The blade temper cannot be harmed by boiling water and the temperature is high enough to kill everything. Be aware though, that boiling water can damage the handle - it can also soften and loosen epoxy, so dont just dunk the whole knife in boiling water unless you know your knife is built to withstand it.

 

[korvin karbon]

A yellow flame is pretty cold and wont sterilise it.

Charcoal Fire 750-1,200 Methane (natural gas) 900-1,500 Propane blowtorch 1,200-1,700 Candle flame ~1,100 (majority), hot spots may be 1300-1400
i think any sort of flame should do.

I use wipes, flame,boiling water and on the odd occasion a trubo flame lighter going over the blade quckly.

How many people actually clean their sheath? I bet that is where most nasties hide out.

 

[Martyn]

Charcoal Fire 750-1,200 Methane (natural gas) 900-1,500 Propane blowtorch 1,200-1,700 Candle flame ~1,100 (majority), hot spots may be 1300-1400
i think any sort of flame should do.

I use wipes, flame,boiling water and on the odd occasion a trubo flame lighter going over the blade quckly.

How many people actually clean their sheath? I bet that is where most nasties hide out.

No, you can pass your hand through a yellow flame without burning it. Just passing a knife through a flame wont get it nearly hot enough, you would have to leave the blade in the flame to ensure it gets hot enough to burn the bacteria off and that runs the risk of ruining the temper, scorching the handle ...and your hand.

The temperature is critical - 100C will do what you want, 200C will ruin the temper. As water doesnt go above 100C, it's perfect.

 

[Wayland]

I usually have a little bottle of alcohol hand cleaner in my pocket for use when prepping food or after shovel recce.

A quick wipe with that should do the trick and not risk your blade temper.

 

[FGYT]

How many people actually clean their sheath? I bet that is where most nasties hide out.

Me me plastic clipper one goes i nthe dishwasher after every trip.

 

[BushcraftBaird112]

I had seen this video and was wondering if wiping your blade on a bit of moss would really sterilize it for safe use---- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBiaoVw8UQ0 ----the particular part is at 3:38

 

[Asa Samuel]

Won't heating it up ruin the heat treatment?

Here is a thread I posted a while ago asking pretty much the same thing, it's got a few pages to read but essentially the advice was to carry a separate food prep knife, wipe your knife on moss, don't heat up your knife in any way and just not worry too much
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41496&highlight=knife+hygiene

 

[rancid badger]

I only ever use a stainless mora clipper, for food prep outdoors these days.

I always clean it first, with whatever is to hand, then leave it standing in boiling water for a minute or so, if I've gone from meat/fish, to veg prep etc.

I never use a carbon blade, for food prep anymore.

R.B.

 

[Muddy Boots]

Are there any ways of sterilising my knife blade in the woods?

In a word no.

Sterilizing means irradicating all pathogens, bacteria, viral, fungal and now to include prions.

This would take substantional heat for a prolonged period of time.

At work we used to use bench top sterilizers to clean our instruments after use and even after a 30 minute cycle at high pressure and high temperature couldn't guarentee the sterility of the instruments to irradicate all pathogens ie prions. (CJD and all of that).

The above methods for disinfecting seem pretty good though.

Sorry don't mean to to picky but remember when I was training being shouted at because I thought disinfection and sterilization were interchangeble.

Oh and to add to this and to put it into perspective there is only one level of Sterile any thing less is considered to be disinfected - can't believe I remebered that.

 

[BushTucker]

I always take cooking knives, one for veg and salad prep, one for raw meat and one for cooked meat. I dont believe unless you take washing up liquid and a small pot to wash in that you acually clean anything properly, and you wouldnt mix raw and cooked stuffs together at home so why do it when having fun?