Ive never bathed by grinder in isopropyl in 6+ years and it still grinds like new every time I clean it with my pocket knife. But I did get a steel grinder to make sure I can scrape all I want without getting aluminum in my weed

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You're probably still getting some steel in the weed. It is very unlikely the knife and the grinder share the exact hardness.

[–] meekah@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

But I'd rather have steel than aluminum in my weed. Aluminum oxide fumes are carcinogenic when inhaled, so I'd rather avoid it.

I realize worrying about cancer when talking about smoking is ironic, but still.

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Personally i just use a toothpick, but i usually clean for smooth operation as I rarely run out these days.

[–] meekah@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Ice had the experience that toothpicks break too easily to clean my grinder, especially what's in the little gap between the lid and the outside of the grinding chamber if that makes sense. But glad it works for you!

I also removed my kief tray once I started earning enough to never really run out lol

[–] yngmnwntr@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Doesn't aluminum need to be heated to several thousand degrees to put off carcinogenic fumes? Otherwise cooking on aluminum foil would be deadly...

[–] meekah@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Cooking doesn't usually go much higher than 200 - 250C (400 - 500F). Cigarettes (and I assume joints similarly) reach 900C (1650F) when puffing. I'm not sure at which point aluminum produces fumes, but I dont think the cooking argument holds up.

[–] LordGimp@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago

Welder here. Aluminum oxide inhalation is correlated with an increased risk for alzheimers, not cancer. Hexavalent chromium is a carcinogen, and that comes from heating up stainless steels. So you are actively replacing a relatively non toxic oxide with the potential for an actually toxic carcinogenic gaseous metal, assuming your pocket knife is some sort of stainless steel (statistically very likely).