Ground Rules for Scouring a Knife
One method to halachically purge a knife is neitzah b’karka eser pe’amim (sticking its blade into the ground ten times). This method may be used, for example, when the only knife available to cut bread for a milchig (dairy) meal is a fleishig (meat) knife. The rule is: stam sakin shamnuniso karush alav (the typical knife has [a film of meat] fat congealed on it). The knife is required to be thoroughly clean, so breaking through karka kashah (hard earth) with its blade ten times—each time in a different spot—will scour it sufficiently.
There is discussion among poskim of the exact definition of karka kashah—too hard or too soft would not properly cleanse the knife. Some authorities therefore suggest avoiding this process, since it is difficult to know if we are fulfilling it properly.
In an age of abrasive cleansers, steel wool and other methods of removing a film of fat from utensils, some contemporary poskim maintain that a knife that is cleaned well is equivalent to neitzah b’karka.
However, there are additional uses for neitzah b’karka mentioned in halachah, for example: to use a treif (non-kosher) knife to cut something kosher and cold, even sharp foodstuffs—in a pinch.* By piercing the knife through unyielding earth the treif that was absorbed right under the surface of the blade is expelled; a good scrub (which only removes surface matter) may not suffice. To permit use of the knife, it must be stuck into ground that fills the conditions of neitzah b’karka kashah, or alternatively, go through proper kashering.
*It should be noted that a treif knife requires kashering if it is to be used regularly (or even once for hot food); in these cases, neitzah b’karka does not suffice.
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