I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over 30
years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?

It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's dangerous!

Elaine

"elaine" > wrote in message
...
>I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
>boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
>finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over 30
>years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
>etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>
> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
> dangerous!
>
> Elaine
>

No - rust is not dangerous at all. Unsightly for sure, and maybe affects the
taste, but that's all.


--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths page at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

elaine wrote:
> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over 30
> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>
> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's dangerous!

Not dangerous but pretty disgusting. But not nearly as disgusting as
your daughter's boyfriend... were he a real man he'd have bought you a
nice shiny new stainless steel grater instead of using your old rusty
one as an opportunity to embarrass you with his disrespectful yap... I
were you I'd urge your daughter to dump the clod, fast... he probably
treats his mother disrespectfully too and will do likewise with your
daughter. This was a clue, do not ignore it.

Sheldon

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> elaine wrote:
>> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
>> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
>> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
>> 30
>> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
>> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>>
>> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
>> dangerous!
>
> Not dangerous but pretty disgusting. But not nearly as disgusting as
> your daughter's boyfriend... were he a real man he'd have bought you a
> nice shiny new stainless steel grater instead of using your old rusty
> one as an opportunity to embarrass you with his disrespectful yap... I
> were you I'd urge your daughter to dump the clod, fast... he probably
> treats his mother disrespectfully too and will do likewise with your
> daughter. This was a clue, do not ignore it.
>
> Sheldon

Too funny!

But he is helping me with my kitchen, so I tend to forgive his neat & clean
fetish thing.

Damn, and it's probably too late to have my daughter dump him. She's with
child...................

Elaine

elaine wrote:
> "Sheldon" wrote:
> > elaine wrote:
> >> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> >> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> >> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
> >> 30
> >> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> >> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
> >>
> >> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
> >> dangerous!
> >
> > Not dangerous but pretty disgusting. But not nearly as disgusting as
> > your daughter's boyfriend... were he a real man he'd have bought you a
> > nice shiny new stainless steel grater instead of using your old rusty
> > one as an opportunity to embarrass you with his disrespectful yap... I
> > were you I'd urge your daughter to dump the clod, fast... he probably
> > treats his mother disrespectfully too and will do likewise with your
> > daughter. This was a clue, do not ignore it.
>
> Too funny!
>
> But he is helping me with my kitchen, so I tend to forgive his neat & clean
> fetish thing.

Neat and clean is a good thing, it's disrespectfulness that's the
problem

> Damn, and it's probably too late to have my daughter dump him. She's with
> child...................

Oy vey! It's better to dump him now than after the marriage, IF
there's even one planned.

Sheldon

elaine wrote:
> "Sheldon" wrote:
> > elaine wrote:
> >> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> >> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> >> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
> >> 30
> >> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> >> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
> >>
> >> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
> >> dangerous!
> >
> > Not dangerous but pretty disgusting. But not nearly as disgusting as
> > your daughter's boyfriend... were he a real man he'd have bought you a
> > nice shiny new stainless steel grater instead of using your old rusty
> > one as an opportunity to embarrass you with his disrespectful yap... I
> > were you I'd urge your daughter to dump the clod, fast... he probably
> > treats his mother disrespectfully too and will do likewise with your
> > daughter. This was a clue, do not ignore it.
>
> Too funny!
>
> But he is helping me with my kitchen, so I tend to forgive his neat & clean
> fetish thing.

Neat and clean is a good thing, it's disrespectfulness that's the
problem

> Damn, and it's probably too late to have my daughter dump him. She's with
> child...................

Oy vey! It's better to dump him now than after the marriage, IF
there's even one planned.

Sheldon

elaine wrote:
> "Sheldon" wrote:
> > elaine wrote:
> >> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> >> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> >> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
> >> 30
> >> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> >> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
> >>
> >> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
> >> dangerous!
> >
> > Not dangerous but pretty disgusting. But not nearly as disgusting as
> > your daughter's boyfriend... were he a real man he'd have bought you a
> > nice shiny new stainless steel grater instead of using your old rusty
> > one as an opportunity to embarrass you with his disrespectful yap... I
> > were you I'd urge your daughter to dump the clod, fast... he probably
> > treats his mother disrespectfully too and will do likewise with your
> > daughter. This was a clue, do not ignore it.
>
> Too funny!
>
> But he is helping me with my kitchen, so I tend to forgive his neat & clean
> fetish thing.

Neat and clean is a good thing, it's disrespectfulness that's the
problem

> Damn, and it's probably too late to have my daughter dump him. She's with
> child...................

Oy vey! It's better to dump him now than after the marriage, IF
there's even one planned.

Sheldon

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> elaine wrote:
>> "Sheldon" wrote:
>> > elaine wrote:
>> >> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
>> >> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
>> >> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and
>> >> over
>> >> 30
>> >> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust --
>> >> poisoning
>> >> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>> >>
>> >> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
>> >> dangerous!
>> >
>> > Not dangerous but pretty disgusting. But not nearly as disgusting as
>> > your daughter's boyfriend... were he a real man he'd have bought you a
>> > nice shiny new stainless steel grater instead of using your old rusty
>> > one as an opportunity to embarrass you with his disrespectful yap... I
>> > were you I'd urge your daughter to dump the clod, fast... he probably
>> > treats his mother disrespectfully too and will do likewise with your
>> > daughter. This was a clue, do not ignore it.
>>
>> Too funny!
>>
>> But he is helping me with my kitchen, so I tend to forgive his neat &
>> clean
>> fetish thing.
>
> Neat and clean is a good thing, it's disrespectfulness that's the
> problem
>
>> Damn, and it's probably too late to have my daughter dump him. She's
>> with
>> child...................
>
> Oy vey! It's better to dump him now than after the marriage, IF
> there's even one planned.
>
> Sheldon

No marriage plans that I know of. Fine with me!

Elaine

In article >, "elaine" >
wrote:

> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over 30
> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>
> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's dangerous!
>
> Elaine
>
>

It's a good way to supplement a little Iron. <g>

I'd scrub it and oil it just to make it look nice, but I sure as heck
would not worry about it.
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
> elaine wrote:
>> I saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over 30
>> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
>> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>>
>> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
>> dangerous!
>
> Not dangerous but pretty disgusting.


Problem is, the old 4 in 1 graters they make today are not nearly as good as
the old ones. Same with a lot of simple kitchen tools like the cheap potato
peelers.

"elaine" > wrote in message
...
> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
30
> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?

1) Unless the rust is scrupulously cleaned, food remains in the relatively
large apsirations of the rust - so you can get poisoning, etc.- but you
woulds not be poisoned by ingesting a bit of the rust itself.

2) cleaned steel is not prone to rust - "dirt" or some other means of
adhering a carbon dioxide molecule is necessary for the iron molecule to
become iron oxide (from memory - dissolved CO2 in water gives water the
reputation as causing rust) Thus rust is usually taken as a sign of poor
hygeine, deserved or not.

To clean it, soak it overnight in diet pepsi - and then wash it and let it
dry thoroughly before putting it away.

fwiw..


>
> It works well - but what the heck, I will buy another one if it's
dangerous!
>
> Elaine
>
>

"hob" > wrote in message
...
>
> "elaine" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
>> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
>> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
> 30
>> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
>> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
>
> 1) Unless the rust is scrupulously cleaned, food remains in the relatively
> large apsirations of the rust - so you can get poisoning, etc.- but you
> woulds not be poisoned by ingesting a bit of the rust itself.
>
> 2) cleaned steel is not prone to rust - "dirt" or some other means of
> adhering a carbon dioxide molecule is necessary for the iron molecule to
> become iron oxide (from memory - dissolved CO2 in water gives water the
> reputation as causing rust) Thus rust is usually taken as a sign of poor
> hygeine, deserved or not.
>
> To clean it, soak it overnight in diet pepsi - and then wash it and let it
> dry thoroughly before putting it away.
>
> fwiw..
>

Well then - before I rush out and get a new one, I will try soaking it.
Thanks.

BTW because all my cupboard doors are temporarily off, guests, family etc.
can see what is in them. Shudder to think they might be talking about my
poor hygeine!

Elaine

elaine wrote:
> "hob" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "elaine" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
> >> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
> >> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and over
> > 30
> >> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust -- poisoning
> >> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?
> >
> > 1) Unless the rust is scrupulously cleaned, food remains in the relatively
> > large apsirations of the rust - so you can get poisoning, etc.- but you
> > woulds not be poisoned by ingesting a bit of the rust itself.
> >
> > 2) cleaned steel is not prone to rust - "dirt" or some other means of
> > adhering a carbon dioxide molecule is necessary for the iron molecule to
> > become iron oxide (from memory - dissolved CO2 in water gives water the
> > reputation as causing rust) Thus rust is usually taken as a sign of poor
> > hygeine, deserved or not.
> >
> > To clean it, soak it overnight in diet pepsi - and then wash it and let it
> > dry thoroughly before putting it away.
> >
> > fwiw..
> >
>
> Well then - before I rush out and get a new one, I will try soaking it.

Once rusted the sharp edges are eroded, all the cleaning in the world
won't make your grater sharp again... brreak down and buy a new
stainless steel one... they are not expensive.

> BTW because all my cupboard doors are temporarily off, guests, family etc.
> can see what is in them. Shudder to think they might be talking about my
> poor hygeine!

Let em look... so long as you're wearing clean undies. hehe

Sheldon

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:


> Problem is, the old 4 in 1 graters they make today are not nearly as
> good as the old ones. Same with a lot of simple kitchen tools like
> the cheap potato peelers.

That's the truth. The old "rusting" steel ones were better than the
stainless. I had an old grater that was the flat kind that went over a
bowl, coarse on one half, fine on the other. That was really good, I
used that for years until it finally just broke in half.



Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

> elaine wrote:
>> "hob" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >
>> > "elaine" > wrote in message
>> > ...
>> >> I have never really thought about this. But last week my daughter's
>> >> boyfriend - who was helping me with my kitchen (wow, will this ever be
>> >> finished!) - saw my cheese grater. Well yes, it is quite rusty and
>> >> over
>> > 30
>> >> years old. He asked me if I was worried about all the rust --
>> >> poisoning
>> >> etc. Honestly, I was not. Should I be?

Well then - before I rush out and get a new one, I will try soaking it.
>
> Once rusted the sharp edges are eroded, all the cleaning in the world
> won't make your grater sharp again... brreak down and buy a new
> stainless steel one... they are not expensive.

> Sheldon

I am now the proud owner of a shiny new grater plus a set of stainless steel
measuring cups. Here's the deal - buy one item and get the second one at
half price. I know to confirm this with the staff before lining up, because
(and it always seem to happen to me) the check out people don't know that
the item is on sale.

So I lined up. First of all no price on the grater - which was my fault -
and secondly the check out person had no idea the item was on sale. When
will these stores actually learn to communicate with the poor teller who
doesn't know that the prices have been changed? Aargh....10 minutes later
......and I was in a hurry!

Elaine

elaine wrote:
>
> Well then - before I rush out and get a new one, I will try soaking it.
> >
> > Once rusted the sharp edges are eroded, all the cleaning in the world
> > won't make your grater sharp again... break down and buy a new
> > stainless steel one... they are not expensive.
>
> > Sheldon
>
> I am now the proud owner of a shiny new grater plus a set of stainless steel
> measuring cups.
>
> Elaine

So, what material is your shiny new grater, I hope this one is
stainless steel... and your cup size?

Sheldon

Default User wrote:
> That's the truth. The old "rusting" steel ones were better than the
> stainless.

If you soak those in a solution of oxalic acid (dump in a few tbs of
Barkeeper's Friend") the rust will be chemically reduced.

--Blair