How to make a POINT ?

[Johnch]

And a Ball Bat might be a bit to much
MIGHT Be

OK I had friends over tonight and I made corn bread with peppers and bacon in cast iron frying pans

One of the ladies took the corn bread to the table and cut it up
But she grabbed a GOOD and ( IT WAS ) sharp knife to cut it up :sad:

She had the corn bread cut up before I saw the knife she had
So I just put that knife in the dirty dishes and didn't say anything
But she saw I wasn't happy

After eating she ask what was wrong and I tried to explain what cast iron pans do to the blade of a knife

But IMO she had no clue

So now I will re sharpen that knife


Any good ways to HELP people learn what type of knife to use ?

Thanks
John

[Hamish]

You just cannot leave knives that you value where anyone can touch them.....

Wife has her drawer of knives, I have mine, and she no touchee my knifes! (caught her using my many years old favorite paring knife as a screwdriver one time and bent the tip). And yes, I've caught her using cutting knives in metal/cast iron pans. :shock:

[MaryB]

My good knives only come out with a warning mat under them to not touch or you may lose a finger... for something in a cast iron pan I make sure to have a plastic pie spatula laid on top to cut and serve with so the cast iron doesn't get scratched either.

[44man]

I keep mine in an ammo box in the basement. I have to sharpen Carol's all the time and then she will complain that they are too sharp!!!
Cutting on dishes sure does them in.
Hers are in a wood rack and she pits them in upside down as if the wood will dull them.

[jsizemore]

I got a plastic coffee can on the kitchen counter full of knives to cut whatever on whatever. The easier it is to find the more likely it is to be used, drank or eaten. The path of least resistance thingy.

[mold maker]

To a craftsman, sharp tools are the means to a way of life. To most, they only represent a way to separate something into more manageable size pieces, the importance is in the object and not the means.
Our disposable society has intensified that mindset.
To me, carrying a sharp pocket knife is a way of life and I feel naked without one. In the kitchen, a cook can be judged by his/her knives, and a carpenter by his cutting instruments. Even a writer is judged by the sharpness of their words.

[crowbuster]

The knife is bad enough. But to think what she did to the seasoning of the frying pan makes me cringe

[JSnover]

During my domesticated years I learned it wasn't worth it to buy good cutlery for my wife. Couldn't manage to convince her or my daughters that there are right ways and wrong ways.
Now the kitchen is mine, the knives are sharp and the cookware is safe.

[GhostHawk]

Agree with Hamish, anything that you are emotionally attached to or kept with a precision sharp edge should be out of sight, not within reach of those who do not respect them.

I first started carrying a knife a bit over a year ago. In that time I have moved from Opinel #8 to a Kershaw built Ken Onion design Scallion with speedsafe opening to a Ganzo chinese sorta copy which is a little bigger blade but would cost me half as much to replace. Currently 14.50$ at Amazon. It came sharp, perfectly tuned, blade centered, operation is smooth and easy.

174657

Essentially you pull the knife from your pocket where it rides secured by the pocket clip. Reach your forefinger forward to where the base of the blade protrudes from the back of the handle. Give that a pull and the knife snaps open. Liner lock inside the handle keeps it open till you disengage it to close.

Mine arrived sharp enough to cut paper nicely and I have been polishing the edge on a leather strop every day or 2 since it arrived. Blade is 440c Stainless, and I normally prefer high carbon, stainless does have advantages for an EDC. Blade is just under 3.5 inches so legal in most places. I could be wrong here but I think someone figured out the legal language used in many knife laws to prevent people from carrying switchblades, or automatic knives. I think they knowingly built the mechanism so that the person who opens it is touching the blade as the first action taken. You actually open the knife the first third of its travel. Then the spring assist gives it a small boost which carry's it around to lock position.

All I know is that in less than 5 seconds at need I could go from both hands clear and open to having a solid 3.5" knife in my hand, blade open and locked ready to use. I think in most cases I could do it in 2-3 seconds. Much faster than an opinel. Blade is much sturdier.

https://www.amazon.com/Ganzo-G728-BK-Folding-Knife-Handle/dp/B015XXUK4E/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1471523885&sr=1-1&keywords=Ganzo+G728-BK


(https://www.amazon.com/Ganzo-G728-BK-Folding-Knife-Handle/dp/B015XXUK4E/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1471523885&sr=1-1&keywords=Ganzo+G728-BK)

[bedbugbilly]

Grin and bear it . . . it's not worth loosing a friendship or having hurt feelings over it. You don't say the "age" of the person who did this . . .but perhaps they are too young to have grown up with cast iron and let's face it . . . in today's world, many use a knife util it is dull and then they throw it away. My mother had several cat iron frying pans that she used when we were growing up . . they were her pride and joy and only she could use and clean them - they were well seasoned. When she passed, I was hoping my nieces would want them but they had no intention of taking them as they thought they were "old" . . . they wanted the new fangle dangle aluminum cookware . . . and let's not eve talk knives . . . they turned their nose up at their grandmother's best knives as the handles were "old" and "wood".

[DerekP Houston]

Sigh, no clue. I still catch my wife doing it with my expensive knives and don't get me started on the cast iron seasoning. I think she got it this last time when the "soaked" knife handle cracked and is now visibly darker than the others in the set. We have "her knives" and "my knives" but.......whichever is clean and closest typically gets grabbed.

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Had to have this discussion with youngest daughter and fiance after they cut pizza on the cookie sheet with my ulua. Left pizza wheel alone and cut hard enough to deny cookie sheet.
She is moving out today, closer to Western Carolina University for her last semester.

[StolzerandSons]

And a Ball Bat might be a bit to much
MIGHT Be

OK I had friends over tonight and I made corn bread with peppers and bacon in cast iron frying pans

One of the ladies took the corn bread to the table and cut it up
But she grabbed a GOOD and ( IT WAS ) sharp knife to cut it up :sad:

She had the corn bread cut up before I saw the knife she had
So I just put that knife in the dirty dishes and didn't say anything
But she saw I wasn't happy

After eating she ask what was wrong and I tried to explain what cast iron pans do to the blade of a knife

But IMO she had no clue

So now I will re sharpen that knife


Any good ways to HELP people learn what type of knife to use ?

Thanks
John
If it was your house and you were hosting then you should have been responsible for the food service. If you wanted to delegate that or not is up to you as the host but it is still your responsibility to see that all utensils and service are presented the way you want.

It's just good etiquette, that way you aren't upset with your guests for making a mistake with your good knives. You don't need to train your guests about appropriate knives to use, you need to treat them like guests.

If you want to teach people about knife use then you should do that some other time when you aren't having friends over for dinner.

[Blackwater]

Our forebears USED knives, and had to maintain them, so they learned to do so judiciously. Today? It's all about convenience. "Well, that was the closest one to me so I just used it" is a typical answer to your question. My wife will NEVER understand that using a sharp knife on a hard surface is NOT very judicious. It's mostly, I think, just a matter of mood. When "moderns" just aren't in the mood to "sweat the small stuff," they just don't. And to so many, "it's all small stuff."

My grandfather used to save nails from old, rotting lumber before he burned it! Anyone doing that today would be regarded as having a "mental disorder!" Everyone expects everyone else (among the "moderns" at least) to adopt the same, near universal attitude, and any who have differing values and perspective, even with great explanations to accompany them, are regarded as "daft!" And the attitude is spreading like a creeping crud! Soon, I fear, we won't be worried about gun control any more, but about those darn sharp knife control issues! Can you imagine eating meat with a spoon???

[bob208]

my wife can take the edge off a knife just by holding it I believe. I have old hickory knives . I hide them so I do not have to sharpen them when I need one.

[montana_charlie]

Had to have this discussion with youngest daughter and fiance after they cut pizza on the cookie sheet with my ulua.

Ulua:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Silvermouth_trevally.jpg/250px-Silvermouth_trevally.jpg


Ulu:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/West_Greenlandic_Ulo.jpg/220px-West_Greenlandic_Ulo.jpg

[montana_charlie]

My wife has adjusted to my ideas well enough that she does her kitchen cutting (mostly) on a wooden block, or one of those space-age 'plastic' things.
She will use a steel-bladed knife from the kitchen set when she needs a 'big' knife, but she uses a paring knife much more than any other style.
So, I bought her a paring knife with a ceramic blade, and she learned a lesson when she chipped the blade on that first one.
But now she knows what not to do, and her second ceramic blade has lasted real well without resharpening.

Using a ceramic blade is a pleasure. But, using it without damage is a good way to learn how to handle any good knife.

[xs11jack]

Charlie, can you sharpen a ceramic knife and if so, how? always be tempted to buy one except for the sharpening thing.
Ole Jack

[OnHoPr]

It all has to do with evolution. Blame it on Campbell's and Armour firstly. Sarah Lee and Banquet came next. Lean Cuisine is one of the newer ones. Finally, pizza home delivered and precut within 30 min from the hard day on the blog.

[dubber123]

Charlie, can you sharpen a ceramic knife and if so, how? always be tempted to buy one except for the sharpening thing.
Ole Jack

Charlie may have a better answer, but I managed to sharpen one with a belt sander. Didn't do the belt any favors, but worked.

[DerekP Houston]

Charlie may have a better answer, but I managed to sharpen one with a belt sander. Didn't do the belt any favors, but worked.

I only tried a single ceramic knife....it chipped and lost its edge the same as any metal knife so I didn't bother getting another.

I fixed the cutting board solution in our house too....there are 3 small ones for "meat", everything else is cut on a giant wooden board that stays put on the counter. And if it ain't chicken or fish...it gets cut on that same board. Lil vinegar spray every now and then and sand it down a tad each year then soak in mineral oil. ~14 yrs old now? bought at my first apartment IIRC and still works like a champ.

[montana_charlie]

Charlie, can you sharpen a ceramic knife and if so, how? always be tempted to buy one except for the sharpening thing.
Ole Jack
I should simply say, "I don't know", but that would be too easy.

I always thought that it required something special in the hands of a professional to return a ceramic blade to sharpness ... and that might be the truest thing that can be said.
But, I spend time occasionally watching the crew at Cutlery Corner selling knives on TV.
That's where I bought both of these ceramics, by the way.

So, one night Sheila is talking about the hardness of the ceramic blades when Tom pipes up and says that you have to use a diamond stone ... because diamonds are harder than ceramic.

That second knife I bought for my wife was sharp, but it wasn't SHARP! ... know what I mean?
I was disappointed in the edge, but the wife was happy and I didn't want to admit to buying a second rate blade for her.


Well, Tom's claim stuck in my mind because we have a diamond 'steel' in our kitchen knife block.
I picked a time when Missus MC was in town, and I gave her ceramic paring knife a few judicious swipes on that 'steel'.

The edge was improved.

I didn't keep going in a search for perfection because I wanted to quit while I was ahead.
But, if this knife ever begins to dissatisfy it's owner, I will risk ruining the diamond 'steel' in an attempt to put a real good edge on the ceramic blade.

[Garyshome]

Some people just do NOT understand good tools. They go down to Sams Club and buy Hinkle knives made in China and think they got the good stuff. The ex daughter in law gave the wife and I a set of those POC knives, they are all gone now. We use Warther knives out of Dover Ohio.

[MaryB]

I was at my sisters for Christmas and was helping chop stuff for the stuffing. After 2 minutes with one of her dull knives I went to my truck and grabbed my knife set(if I am going to either of my sisters or mom's where I know I am going to end up cooking I bring it with). She looks over and says my knives are perfectly sharp, you are just showing off.

So I grabbed a stalk of celery and held her knife edge up. Dropped the celery on the blade where it proceeded to bounce off and not even but the skin.

I repeated it with my chefs knife and the stalk of celery was cut in half. Then I told her that her dull knives are dangerous, take more effort and when you are cooking for 50 people that extra work WILL wear you out. Then I taught her how to properly chop so she would lose a finger and let her try my knife. She chopped the onions we needed and finished the celery in 1/3 the time. She now owns a good set of knives and twice a year she brings them to me for sharpening. She won't let her husband use them either, he had to buy his own set of knives!

[victorfox]

what about people who drive screws with knives? my mother in law is one of tbese. Also she thinks rapping the edge of a perfectly sharp knife against the granite sinker is sharpening. Her knives are ugly, most wooden handles are swollen ... I used to sharp them for her every now and then but I gave up and only do when she asks.

I grinded an old bread knife and sharpened it for the wife to use. My knives are locked in my cave with the reloading stuff and tools...

[Wayne Smith]

John, if she is truly a friend, smile and offer to teach her to sharpen a good knife and know the difference.

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Ulua:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Silvermouth_trevally.jpg/250px-Silvermouth_trevally.jpg


Ulu:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/West_Greenlandic_Ulo.jpg/220px-West_Greenlandic_Ulo.jpg
Yeah, that. Never claimed I could spell.

[DerekP Houston]

I was at my sisters for Christmas and was helping chop stuff for the stuffing. After 2 minutes with one of her dull knives I went to my truck and grabbed my knife set(if I am going to either of my sisters or mom's where I know I am going to end up cooking I bring it with). She looks over and says my knives are perfectly sharp, you are just showing off.

So I grabbed a stalk of celery and held her knife edge up. Dropped the celery on the blade where it proceeded to bounce off and not even but the skin.

I repeated it with my chefs knife and the stalk of celery was cut in half. Then I told her that her dull knives are dangerous, take more effort and when you are cooking for 50 people that extra work WILL wear you out. Then I taught her how to properly chop so she would lose a finger and let her try my knife. She chopped the onions we needed and finished the celery in 1/3 the time. She now owns a good set of knives and twice a year she brings them to me for sharpening. She won't let her husband use them either, he had to buy his own set of knives!

HA! I'm not the only one that always ends up on cooking duty. I keep my knife roll around for just these reasons. Nothing more frustrating than trying to prep for a large group with dull/carpy tools. I ain't trying to show off...I just want the proper tools for the job instead of it taking all day.

[KCSO]

Or cutting up frozen food with a good knife, being pounded through with a meat tenderizing hammer?

[robg]

At a bike rally years ago guy making chilli forgot his knife ,had my seki bladed pocket knife, used that, he was amazed how sharp that little knife was and how easily it did the job.a blunt knife is just a club!

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

The lady in the OP was not the sharpest knife in the block.

[Smoke4320]

Ulua:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Silvermouth_trevally.jpg/250px-Silvermouth_trevally.jpg


Ulu:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/West_Greenlandic_Ulo.jpg/220px-West_Greenlandic_Ulo.jpg

You use a Ulu to cut your Ulua so it doesn't stick on your Uvilia .. :) :)