Maxamet and cobalt

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Ruudr
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Maxamet and cobalt

#1

Post by Ruudr »

Quick question about Maxamet; Are there any health issues when I cut food with Maxamet? Due to the large amount of
Cobalt (+9%) in it?
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Deadboxhero
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#2

Post by Deadboxhero »

Ruudr wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 12:39 pm
Quick question about Maxamet; Are there any health issues when I cut food with Maxamet? Due to the large amount of
Cobalt (+9%) in it?
It's locked in the steel with the iron in a lattice.

It's not going anywhere. I'd recommend not eating the knife though.
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Ruudr
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#3

Post by Ruudr »

Thanks for the quick answer BBB. I really like Maxamet from the start but only used it in the garden and as an edc. Was a little hasitent of using it occasionally to cut food. I also like the way it sharpens.
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#4

Post by VashHash »

Just don't sharpen it over your food and you should be safe. I know everyone likes a little extra cheese at olive garden but don't grate the steel over your meals.
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#5

Post by Marulaghost »

VashHash wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:43 pm
Just don't sharpen it over your food and you should be safe. I know everyone likes a little extra cheese at olive garden but don't grate the steel over your meals.
That's not cheese or steel if it's olive garden....
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#6

Post by BigKenbo »

VashHash wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:43 pm
Just don't sharpen it over your food and you should be safe. I know everyone likes a little extra cheese at olive garden but don't grate the steel over your meals.
Lol!
Native 5 S110V G10 and LW. S90V LW. Salt LC200N. Maxamet. S30V G10 and LW. Endura 4 ZDP-189. HAP40. VG10.
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#7

Post by The Meat man »

Knifemaker David Boye makes kitchen knives that are about 65% cobalt. (Maxamet is only 10%).
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#8

Post by jpm2 »

I take it this question stems from cobalt 60.
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Cambertree
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#9

Post by Cambertree »

I've wondered about this too with steels containing a high amount of cobalt.

My concern is not at all related to 'Cobalt 60 and radioactivity', but that it is well established that two known sources of cobalt toxicity in humans are from the grinding and fabricating of tungsten parts in industrial environments, and the minute particles released from cobalt containing steels in metal-on-metal wear in hip replacements.

Sharpening obviously leaves minute particles of cobalt containing alloy dust on the knife blade and the stone or rod you are abrading the steel against.

My laymans understanding of the danger involved in breathing in cobalt containing metal dust, is that it probably needs to happen in large quantities over a long time in an industrial environment, but I'm not a doctor.

Similarly I don't know anything about the type of cobalt content in the alloys used for hip replacements, but it would seem that the fine particles released from metal-on-metal wear are also locked into an alloy composition that may contain similar amounts of cobalt to steels like Maxamet.

Now just to be clear, I'm not concerned about the odd bit of Maxamet dust getting in your food or on your fingers, by doing a few swipes on the Sharpmaker and then slicing up something to eat.

What I'm asking about is, say you were using your Maxamet knife as your primary EDC over years, doing the normal amounts of reprofiling and sharpening which many of us do - should we exercise a more stringent cleaning of the abraded metal dust particles on the blade, stones and fingers as a basic safety measure?

I don't know, but I can tell you I do wash my Maxamet Para 3 blade off after any sharpening or touch up honing, and wash my hands, and clean the stones off and rinse away the water after use. Maybe this is way overkill, but I guess it doesn't hurt, and it's not bad practice for sharpening anyway. After washing, I give a few light passes on clean leather to pick up any residual dust. I also always use the stones and Sharpmaker rods with water on them to prevent breathing in of metal dust.

I'm sure this is all a bit excessive, but I still use my knife on food, and intend to keep using this amazing steel for years.

I know we'll all have opinions on this matter, but I'd be curious to hear the thoughts of a medical professional. :)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt_poisoning

http://toxicology.imedpub.com/cobalt-po ... ?aid=10377

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2011/194 ... prostheses
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#10

Post by Deadboxhero »

Jokes aside there are more familiar things in peoples lives that are more of a concern for heavy metal poisoning.

https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/ ... poisoning/


As a knife maker I am at a higher risk of cancer and toxicity due to the dusty environment in my shop. I do work with Maxamet and other high cobalt steels and take precautions to use the appropriate personal protective gear.


Keep in mind though that life has a 100% chance of death. That was an old EMT joke from my former career.

The very oxygen we breath gives life but also death. It essentially "rusts" us out at a cellular level and is one of the reasons why people age.

The sun that gives life and warmth also will give you cancer.

I feel as long as your not snorting the Maxamet dust off the stone after sharpening you'll be fine
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#11

Post by The Meat man »

Deadboxhero wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:40 pm


I feel as long as your not snorting the Maxamet dust off the stone after sharpening you'll be fine

And if you're doing that you probably have a lot of other problems too... :D
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#12

Post by TomAiello »

Deadboxhero wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:40 pm
I feel as long as your not snorting the Maxamet dust off the stone after sharpening you'll be fine
I feel like we need a "snorting Maxamet" meme now.
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#13

Post by Cambertree »

Deadboxhero wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:40 pm
Jokes aside there are more familiar things in peoples lives that are more of a concern for heavy metal poisoning.

https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/ ... poisoning/


As a knife maker I am at a higher risk of cancer and toxicity due to the dusty environment in my shop. I do work with Maxamet and other high cobalt steels and take precautions to use the appropriate personal protective gear.


Keep in mind though that life has a 100% chance of death. That was an old EMT joke from my former career.

The very oxygen we breath gives life but also death. It essentially "rusts" us out at a cellular level and is one of the reasons why people age.

The sun that gives life and warmth also will give you cancer.

I feel as long as your not snorting the Maxamet dust off the stone after sharpening you'll be fine
Thanks B, yeah I hear ya bro. We've come a long way since the 19th and early 20th century, when knife grinders in Sheffield would typically start to show signs of lung problems by their early 20s, and have an average life expectancy into the 30s. Never hurts to seek further info, and exercise basic safety precautions though, I guess.

As an aside - some interesting historical info on 'knife grinders asthma' and wet vs dry grinding in Sheffield, back in the day:

https://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/foru ... sheffield/
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#14

Post by SpyderSeth »

Image
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Deadboxhero
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#15

Post by Deadboxhero »

Hahaha you guys are solid gold :D
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#16

Post by Bloke »

Deadboxhero wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:40 pm
and take precautions to use the appropriate personal protective gear
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#17

Post by Deadboxhero »

Bloke wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:46 pm
Deadboxhero wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:40 pm
and take precautions to use the appropriate personal protective gear
Image
That works :D

Safety first!
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#18

Post by Cambertree »

LOL, classic! :D
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Ruudr
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#19

Post by Ruudr »

SpyderSeth wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:07 pm
Image
:D
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Re: Maxamet and cobalt

#20

Post by Sumdumguy »

Bloke wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:46 pm
Deadboxhero wrote:
Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:40 pm
and take precautions to use the appropriate personal protective gear
Image
The funniest thing about this, is that it isn't a joke. My great grandfather showed me this trick when I was a kid.

He was a real man! P.O.W. in the Philippines, "worked" on the Japanese Zeros. He said that he overwelded the s#!+ out of every part he worked on to make them brittle. He never knew if he brought any down, but he was doing his part.
The stories he had were amazing!

Im tearing up, I miss him so much. He passed at 96 and was driving up until 2 days before he died.

Sorry for the ramble.
"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."

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