# What is the purpose of sticking a knife in a hot potato?



## RalphS

I have heard this more than once, but I have never asked, where it is supposed to harden the knife, make it sharper or something like that. I'm assuming its taking out the impurities? I do not know, but I heard olden folks mention it when talking about their kissing crane knifes. Why not a hot steak instead? Does the potassium in the potato have something to do with it?


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## bigdogbuc

So you don't get arrested for sticking it in your daughters boyfriend?  

Seriously, I don't know. I don't even know how to google that one. But now I need to know....If you find out, let us know.


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## RalphS

bigdogbuc said:


> So you don't get arrested for sticking it in your daughters boyfriend?
> 
> Seriously, I don't know. I don't even know how to google that one. But now I need to know....If you find out, let us know.


LOL! Classic! Reminds me of when my father took my sisters boyfriend (age 16) into his gun room and just looked at all the guns, took a 00 shot shell out of the cabinet and wrote the boys name on the shell with a marker. Put the shell up on the gun cabinet and didn't say a word. LOL! We never saw the boy since.


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## C5GUY

I ONLY stick my knife in a hot potato so that I can open it and load it with fresh cream butter. Now if my hot potato ever attacks me then it will get nasty and I will defend myself and also hit it with bacon bits and cheese. :mrgreen:


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## blazin8556

Old thread I know but http://www.knife-depot.com/blog/how-to-remove-rust-from-the-blade-of-your-knife/


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## Deebo

WOW. now I must add, that my grandfather was riding in my Datsun B-10 hatchback, and it was raining. He told me, when we get home, grab an onion and I show you a trick.
He sliced that onion in half, and applyied it by rubbing the onion on my backglass, and windshield. Man, it stunk for about a day. We didn't have rain for a while, but when it did rain, I smelled that onion, and the water RAN off that glass like it had RAINX all over it. Awesome.


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## kevincali

My grampa used to make car rims. He owned a foundry. 

Well, instead of using expensive chemicals, he would throw a potato in the aluminum or mag and it would purify it better then chemicals. According to him. But he's a cheap ass, and if it didn't work, he wouldn't waste money on it.


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## MI.oldguy

Looks like a perfect waste of a baked potato to me.rust does not taste good.


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## Blademaker

As a knife maker, I have heard and seen some weird shit.
But never this.

But I have heard, that in the days before micro wave ovens.........waaaaaaay back when.......potatoes used to be baked in a conventional oven,
and you could buy these things that looked like a nail, but were made of aluminum. 
One would impale the potato and place it in said oven and this allegedly make the potato cook quicker and more evenly.

Sticking a knife in a potato will not "remove any impurities" nor will it make it any harder or sharper.


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## GTGallop

I stick a knife in a potato BEFORE I toss it in the microwave. Supposedly keeps it from exploding.

Hmmm... Now that I think about it, how have I wasted sooooooo many opportunities to blow up a potato in the microwave.


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## jimb1972

GTGallop said:


> I stick a knife in a potato BEFORE I toss it in the microwave. Supposedly keeps it from exploding.
> 
> Hmmm... Now that I think about it, how have I wasted sooooooo many opportunities to blow up a potato in the microwave.


I never poke a hole in my potatoes and I have yet to have one explode in over 20 years of cooking them that way.


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## jimb1972

Blademaker said:


> As a knife maker, I have heard and seen some weird shit.
> But never this.
> 
> But I have heard, that in the days before micro wave ovens.........waaaaaaay back when.......potatoes used to be baked in a conventional oven,
> and you could buy these things that looked like a nail, but were made of aluminum.
> One would impale the potato and place it in said oven and this allegedly make the potato cook quicker and more evenly.
> 
> Sticking a knife in a potato will not "remove any impurities" nor will it make it any harder or sharper.


I have used a 16 penny nail to cook potatoes in a campfire, really speeds up the process. (uncoated, non-galvanized nail)


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## rickkyw1720pf

RalphS said:


> LOL! Classic! Reminds me of when my father took my sisters boyfriend (age 16) into his gun room and just looked at all the guns, took a 00 shot shell out of the cabinet and wrote the boys name on the shell with a marker. Put the shell up on the gun cabinet and didn't say a word. LOL! We never saw the boy since.


That is not as bad as the father that beat his daughter's boy friend up for pissing in the snow spelling her first name. When the boy question the father why he was so mad about him pissing his daughter name in the snow the father said it's because he recognizes his daughter hand writing.


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## PrepConsultant

I have used the potato method as a kid. If I remember correctly, it works. I still clean mine in soil sometimes when we are camping or something. If I get it dirty or bloody/greasy. I will stick it in the ground a few times and wipe it off. Cleans it ***** and span.. Dirt is also a good was to get blood or fat from your hands as well. Just pick up a handful and wipe it all over your hands. Then wash with water and you should be good to go..


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