How many have their knives professionally sharpened?
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
The conventional wisdom is that people get more cuts due to dull knives than cuts due to sharp knives because you have to apply more pressure to cut with a dull knife. I don't believe that's true.
If you have a sharp knife, you can feel how easily it slices through foods. As you continue to use the knife it gets dull over time and the pressure needed to slice increases gradually. As this happens, you brain/hand adjusts to that need for more pressure. It's a gradual change so you automatically compensate. You don't even know it's happening.
Going in the opposite direction, dull to newly sharpened, the change is more drastic/sudden. Still, you know you sharpened the knife so you're more aware.
I think the only difference between a cut from a sharp knife vs. a cut from a dull knife is how much the cut hurts. Cuts with dull knives hurt more.
I believe people get cut more due to carelessness/not paying attention than any other reason.
If you have a sharp knife, you can feel how easily it slices through foods. As you continue to use the knife it gets dull over time and the pressure needed to slice increases gradually. As this happens, you brain/hand adjusts to that need for more pressure. It's a gradual change so you automatically compensate. You don't even know it's happening.
Going in the opposite direction, dull to newly sharpened, the change is more drastic/sudden. Still, you know you sharpened the knife so you're more aware.
I think the only difference between a cut from a sharp knife vs. a cut from a dull knife is how much the cut hurts. Cuts with dull knives hurt more.
I believe people get cut more due to carelessness/not paying attention than any other reason.
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Just Cooking
Master Chef
I've always believed that a good quality yogurt from a high end market is best for knife sharpening..
Ross
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
I disagree. The other thing that happens when a knife is getting dull is that with increasing pressure, the knife will sometimes slip suddenly and hit a finger instead of going through the food. I think that's how cuts from a dulling knife usually happen.
RCJoe
Senior Cook
Interesting discussions I'm reading. Sorry if I wasn't so clear in post 26 but I was thinking more about the user's level of ability and how sharp of a knife should be matched to that. Not suggesting they use dull knives.
The balance implied is how skilled a user and how sharp of a knife they can use safely. If I were teaching a young person to cook, I wouldn't start them out with a knife as sharp as a mandoline.
I think we are all going to have our own opinions on this.
The balance implied is how skilled a user and how sharp of a knife they can use safely. If I were teaching a young person to cook, I wouldn't start them out with a knife as sharp as a mandoline.
I think we are all going to have our own opinions on this.
skilletlicker
Head Chef
That sounds to me like somebody saying they only let their children play with unloaded guns.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
When I went to culinary school, we were given a knife kit with quite sharp knives. One of the first lessons was knife skills (making classic knife cuts) and how to hone them to keep them sharp. Makes sense to me.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
skilletlicker
Head Chef
A mandoline isn't more dangerous because it is sharp. It is dangerous because people are less familiar with it and they either don't know how to use it safely or willfully refuse to use the food holder it came with.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
I contend that you are mistaken [emoji2] A knife that is becoming dull can slip away from the intended cutting surface no matter how carefully the person is using it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
<testing edge of knife>
I agree.
I think those cuts are worse because of the extra pressure that was being used.
RCJoe
Senior Cook
Skilletlicker wrote:
The comparison is only to the sharpness of the mandoline blade.
GotGarlic wrote:
Me too. By the time a person is admitted to culinary school the administrators there must have believed you had the requisite skills in the kitchen to be considered for entrance. It would follow that you would be trained with more advanced cutlery. Wouldn't you be considered semiprofessional at that point ?
In any case there are infinite scenarios we could debate and spin here. Similar with our views of what is and what isn't common sense.
The comparison is only to the sharpness of the mandoline blade.
GotGarlic wrote:
Me too. By the time a person is admitted to culinary school the administrators there must have believed you had the requisite skills in the kitchen to be considered for entrance. It would follow that you would be trained with more advanced cutlery. Wouldn't you be considered semiprofessional at that point ?
In any case there are infinite scenarios we could debate and spin here. Similar with our views of what is and what isn't common sense.
It's a knife that is sharp enough that it scares the person using it. Personally, I like my knives to be very sharp, but I know people that get scared by that.
pepperhead212
Master Chef
This sounds like a basis for a lawsuit: a beginner, that cuts themselves with a new, very sharp knife, could say that the company should have had a warning that it was "only for experienced knife users".
CWS4322
Chef Extraordinaire
I have only cut myself on dull knives or when I was holding the knife improperly. I prefer knives with heels, again, I have seen cuts from heel-less knives, again, because the person was holding it improperly. I am with GG on this. In a professional kitchen, you can find yourself honing your knife several times during a shift.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Um, no lol It's not difficult to be admitted to culinary school. Most of my classmates were just out of high school.
RCJoe
Senior Cook
Oh, ok I see. I have no issues with sharp knives personally. I keep mine sharp too but I think it is salient to the user in question. We'll all have different kinesthetic-spacial ability and that may influence our preferences.
skilletlicker
Head Chef
After googling kinesthetic-spa
But that cheap old Dexter knife was sharp enough to shave my face and make safe and simple work of slicing up this slippery slab of raw pork loin.
