Acid wash blade food safe?

[Knivesinedc]

Hey all, first of all, it's been a while so hello :D I just picked up a ZT 0550 in a trade recently and the previous owner acid stonewashed the blade. I use my knives for a lot of things, food being an occasional one, bit often enough that I would be concerned about this. If the wash has been on there for a period of at least several months, would it be safe to say, cut through that tough steak that the restaurant knives just can't get through? Or maybe slice up some fruit here and there? I couldn't find anything on this elsewhere, so I figured I'd come back to the most familiar pot of knifey wisdom around. Thanks in advance for any opinions! -Jake-

[dsvirsky]

The wash has been there and gone. What you're seeing is the effect of the acid wash on the metal, not the acid wash itself. You may safely cut your food with your knife.

The real question is why you would order a tough steak in a restaurant? :p

[Doc Dan]

A lot of restaurants sell shoe leather for steaks and they are cut the wrong way on the grain that enhances the problem. A good knife is a must, plus a grinder so you can get it into a form you can actually masticate.

[demoncase]

Ferric Chloride as an acid etch is a controlled 'rusting' of the surface- the resultant surface is a dark coloured iron oxide.....None of the 'acid' remains.

If you think about this logicially:
- acid etching is forcing a natural reaction that would happen over time with the steel to happen rapidly.
-If the surface is already reacted into iron oxide, then there is less chance of reaction with the acids and salts with foodstuffs
- less availability of reaction to create the issues you worry about!

So an acid etched blade is less likely (not more likely) to transfer what it can (which is only the surface iron, by reaction with the food) than a non-acid etched steel blade.

At the very worst case scenario, a small section of the surface etching might get abraded off on a sharp bone and end up in your food.
At that point, you are eating a soft piece of iron oxide- which will do your body no harm at all.

Following that logic: how much do you worry about a non-etched blade transferring something toxic to your food? (Answer: Never!)
In that case you should as concerned or less concerned about an acid-etched blade. :)

[Knivesinedc]

Really appreciate the responses guys! It's great to get a straightforward answer. Can always depend on the spydie forums for good people and solid wisdom :D