TiCN/DLC food safety

[Bloke]

I couldn’t say for sure but I don’t think TiCN and DLC are food safe in California.

[sethwm]

Isn't there a bigger risk that you have some residual bacteria on the blade from edc use or just having it in your pocket when cutting up your apple than any coating releasing something?

I saw a post on here the other day about someone who uses his knife to prepare food for grilling, but also uses the same knife to cut calluses off his foot. Still having nightmares about that one...

[JSumm]

Isn't there a bigger risk that you have some residual bacteria on the blade from edc use or just having it in your pocket when cutting up your apple than any coating releasing something?

I saw a post on here the other day about someone who uses his knife to prepare food for grilling, but also uses the same knife to cut calluses off his foot. Still having nightmares about that one...

It is recommended that you clean in between uses.

[Manixguy@1994]

I couldn’t say for sure but I don’t think TiCN and DLC are food safe in California.

[metaphoricalsimile]

Im going to say DLC is. That stuff just does not come off. You pretty much have to scratch it with metal or sand it or something.

Ticn, I want to say no.
I was cleaning a new ticn pac salt with a wet paper towel and there was definitely a small amount of the coating that transferred over. As in, the paper towel got a dark color.

Residual un-bound coating from the manufacturing process doesn't mean that there will always be a transfer of coating material when you use the knife. I would be surprised if you were able to continually wipe the blade and darken a paper towel.

[sethwm]

Isn't there a bigger risk that you have some residual bacteria on the blade from edc use or just having it in your pocket when cutting up your apple than any coating releasing something?

I saw a post on here the other day about someone who uses his knife to prepare food for grilling, but also uses the same knife to cut calluses off his foot. Still having nightmares about that one...

It is recommended that you clean in between uses.

That's not making it any better

[James Y]

When you eat at a restaurant, the stainless steel forks and spoons have all been in hundreds to thousands of other people's mouths. That's gross, too, but countless people eat at restaurants every day without a second thought.

Jim

[RustyIron]

Government bureaucracies and the media get rich by convincing the public that there is a bogeyman lurking behind every corner. We’re left wondering whether it’s safe to cut your lunch with a knife. Let me assure you, the knife won’t hurt you as long as you don’t accidentally stab yourself and sever your carotid artery. That Big Mac you plan to eat is FAR more hazardous. Use the knife, skip the Big Mac.

[Ez556]

As a few others have stated, I'd be more worried about residual bacteria stuck in the coating than the coating itself. TiCN is pretty smooth, but as already stated the DLC is kind of "rough", it holds oils and people have shown time and time again that what appears to be scratches in DLC is usually just metal embedded in the coating from what was cut rather than the coating itself being damaged and the "scratches" usually come out with good scrubbing. Both these points would lead me to think that if you were to cut something like raw chicken and just clean it under a faucet with soap and water, there may still be chicken residue and bacteria left on the blade within the pores of the coating. Obviously just because people who've used DLC blades for food prep haven't gotten sick before doesn't mean the bacteria isn't still in there and it's not a possibility.

[RamZar]

ESEE Knives has these Legal Warnings on its website (https://www.eseeknives.com/notices-warnings):

FOOD USE WARNING:

Many coatings used in our industry have never been certified "food safe" by FDA, and most likely they never will be since cutlery companies generally don’t apply for certification on coatings (kitchen cutlery companies excepted). Depending on the model, our knives may feature a cold process black oxide coating (copper/selenium (CuSe) process), or an industrial powder coating. Our hardware also features a black oxide coating. Every knife is also treated with Tuff Glide before being packaged. As far as we know, none of these coatings have been certified “food safe”. It should also be noted that the Micarta handles used on many of our knives are porous and may retain bacteria.

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING:

WARNING! This product can expose you to chemicals including Sulfur, Nickel, Chromium, Vanadium and Lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, and Sulfur, Nickel, Chromium, Lead and Iodine, which are known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. (California law requires this warning to be given to customers in California).

Although ESEE Knives is not required by California law to provide a warning due to our small business size (less than 10 employees), our products are now labeled with the following label for the convenience of ESEE retailers and consumers:

[sethwm]

When you eat at a restaurant, the stainless steel forks and spoons have all been in hundreds to thousands of other people's mouths. That's gross, too, but countless people eat at restaurants every day without a second thought.

Jim

Let's agree to disagree... on whether we want a food prep utensil that's been previously used for surgery on someone's foot.

[James Y]

When you eat at a restaurant, the stainless steel forks and spoons have all been in hundreds to thousands of other people's mouths. That's gross, too, but countless people eat at restaurants every day without a second thought.

Jim

Let's agree to disagree... on whether we want a food prep utensil that's been previously used for surgery on someone's foot.

It’s all good to me. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything, and I’m not saying that I think it’s a good idea to use the same knife for that or not. Just sayin’.

There were (and may still be) many old-timers who cut and ate fruit with the same slip-joint pocketknives that they used to field dress game (after rinsing, of course). Mostly small game, but sometimes deer, too. Any of which can carry parasites.

My own OCD would never allow me to do that.

Jim

[JSumm]

ESEE Knives has these Legal Warnings on its website (https://www.eseeknives.com/notices-warnings):

Not sure what stands out to me more, that I take my Esee AGK camping and may end up around food or that Esee only has 10 employees.

[prndltech]

ESEE Knives has these Legal Warnings on its website (https://www.eseeknives.com/notices-warnings):

Not sure what stands out to me more, that I take my Esee AGK camping and may end up around food or that Esee only has 10 employees.

I don’t see an issue with either. You don’t live in California so it can’t hurt you.

[BornIn1500]

The Ti is pretty inert, and your food and air are largely made of carbon and nitrogen.

Like Giygas pointed out, chemistry isn't that simple. Here's a good example. Anise (licorice) gets it's flavor from Anethole (C10H12O). It's an organic compound of only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that lots of people eat/drink. However, if you take those same atoms and just rearrange them slightly, you get what is called an isomer. In this case, it becomes Estragole (still C10H12O) and there is evidence that it is carcinogenic. There are lots of harmful ways to combine elements that are normally harmless.

[Danke]

[Bill1170]

As a few others have stated, I'd be more worried about residual bacteria stuck in the coating than the coating itself. TiCN is pretty smooth, but as already stated the DLC is kind of "rough", it holds oils and people have shown time and time again that what appears to be scratches in DLC is usually just metal embedded in the coating from what was cut rather than the coating itself being damaged and the "scratches" usually come out with good scrubbing. Both these points would lead me to think that if you were to cut something like raw chicken and just clean it under a faucet with soap and water, there may still be chicken residue and bacteria left on the blade within the pores of the coating. Obviously just because people who've used DLC blades for food prep haven't gotten sick before doesn't mean the bacteria isn't still in there and it's not a possibility.

The obvious solution is to keep handy a small bar of pure elemental silver. Rub the silver onto your DLC coated blade to embed thousands of tiny silver particles in the carbon. Naturally bacteriostatic, the silver will keep the blade sterile. As an added bonus, the knife is now effective against vampires.

[TkoK83Spy]

Isn't there a bigger risk that you have some residual bacteria on the blade from edc use or just having it in your pocket when cutting up your apple than any coating releasing something?

I saw a post on here the other day about someone who uses his knife to prepare food for grilling, but also uses the same knife to cut calluses off his foot. Still having nightmares about that one...

Hahah, it was only to open the packaging!! Not actual food prep. I also wiped it down with a Lysol wipe after each of those things. I'm not totally feral

[SG89]

Isn't there a bigger risk that you have some residual bacteria on the blade from edc use or just having it in your pocket when cutting up your apple than any coating releasing something?

I saw a post on here the other day about someone who uses his knife to prepare food for grilling, but also uses the same knife to cut calluses off his foot. Still having nightmares about that one...

Hahah, it was only to open the packaging!! Not actual food prep. I also wiped it down with a Lysol wipe after each of those things. I'm not totally feral

Does your wife know you use your foot knife on her food? Lol

[Danke]