Knife Skills. How much do you know?

buckytom said:
I learned very quickly to respect very sharp knives when I bought a set of Henckels Twin Four star knives. The very first time I used them, I was trying that speed chopping thing with my bird's veggies.
I looked away for a second and took the tip of my left thumb off clean. It took a long time to grow back to normal looking, however, I still have very little tactile sensation in that tip.
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I have a finger that the tip doesn't bleed. It was over 20 years before it got any feeling back in it.
That wasn't a knife accident but a cousin and a door.
 
Morning Glory, mash a long, thick knife straight down through the onion then work your way all around in a circular motion while leaving the tip of the blade still on the cutting board.
 
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I know enough to be careful lest I hurt myself. I know it, but I don't always do it. Therefore, I know when you stab the pad of your thumb with a Zwilling Four Star paring knife you don't notice it until you do something with acid or soap. :eek:

I know you have to find a way of safely holding it so that the knife is comfortable in your hand, practically becoming an extension of it. Hubby bought me a nice 10" chef's knife that I feared - I'm only 5' 6" and I thought I was wielding a machete.Our 6' 1" son got it. The knife from my Mom's set is 9". Never used since she was 5' even. Our 5' 8" daughter got it. She also got the 8" Dexter-Russell one I picked up at their 2nds store for $4. I'm happy with my 6" chef knife. I use a pinch grip and can compete with the best of the culinary school rejects. Hey, I'm good enough in my kitchen!

classic33 said:
Look at the "Bolster", the direction it's throwing the cut food off to.
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I have a Wüsthof Classic 6 inch Chef's knife that looks identical the one in Shermie's post. I thoroughly examined the shape of the bolster from bottom, top, and each side of the blade and handle. With the naked eye (OK, they weren't completely naked since I do wear glasses on occasion) each half of the blade/handle/bolster/etc looks perfectly symmetrical. I'm right-handed and can handle my knife with no problems, so I guess my knife is ambidextrous. :wink:
 
My husband chose our knives, he is left handed and likes the knife to feel 'right' when in use. I am very careful as they are sharp and I am a bit clumsy.
 
Ken Natton said:
I don't even have a decent set of knives, let alone any kind of knife skills. No, ingredient prep is, for me, a slow and laborious process.
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You don't really need a set IMHO - but one reasonable quality sharp knife is an essential. It makes chopping so much easier. This is the one I use nearly all the time:

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Lullabelle said:
My husband chose our knives, he is left handed and likes the knife to feel 'right' when in use. I am very careful as they are sharp and I am a bit clumsy.
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Could he shave with them if he so desired?
My mom has 4.5 months until her knives get sharpened.

I like some of the others have one knife I really like.
 
We both still like a couple of old serrated knives we got from a charity shop when we were first married [not much cash spare back then] Not as quick perhaps [although we do have one heavy chefs knife] but they cut anything and if you do hit you finger it HURTS straight away so any cuts tend to be painful but not deep
 
To be fair we do have a couple of sharp knives in good old fashioned steel - I sharpen them regularly on a very fine oil stone. It's not 'modern' but it is effective [but it's best to wash them twice afterwards as the oil dose tend to leave some interesting flavours otherwise].
 
I use the same knife for peeling/chopping garlic or dicing beef and everything in between. It has a 200 mm blade. I am no expert but also I am in no hurry. I "sharpen" it about every third use.

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I have a separate serrated knife for cutting bread.
 
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