Question:
I have two sets of (3) knives, one set for milk and one for meat. In reorganizing my kitchen, I mixed up the sets and don’t remember 100% which is which. Can I kasher them and designate one set for milk, one set for meat again? If so, since they’re large knives, the only pot I have that they fit into is a meat pot – can I kasher them in that pot? (newish to kosher kitchen!) thank you!
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
You may kasher both of them, by waiting 24 hours from the last time they were used, cleaning them well, so that there is no residue, dirt etc, on the blade, between the blade and the handle etc. Then heat up a pot of water until it is bubbling, and insert the knives into it, for a few seconds, until the water starts bubbling again. Then rinse the knives off in cold water. Under normal circumstances, although the Ashkenazi custom is not to kasher utensils from milk to meat and vice versa, because a person will get confused which type it is, however in your instance it is permitted. This is because your koshering them is not in order to switch them from one type to the other rather to clarify from now on what each one is, therefore it is permitted.
It should be noted that going forward, you should make some sort of mark on the milky knives, (or on both of them) in order that this should not happen again. In fact, there is a specific halacha stating that this should be done, and precisely for this reason.
Best wishes
Sources:
Magen Avrohom 509-11, Maharash Engel 6-27(4), Shevet Hakehosi 1-221.
