Sharp Knives

[Roll_Bones]

I cut myself yesterday. It happened when I was washing dishes.
I was using a sponge on my fillet knife that is very sharp. Little mistake and I get a fairly deep slice into my finger.
I have cut myself chopping parsley and other things as well. I would guess this happens two or three times a year. I expect it to happen sooner or later as I am exposed to knives daily.

Wife made a comment and I decided to bring this here.

My point was that anyone using sharp knives will eventually cut themselves. Even the best chefs in the world get cut now and again.
That this is a teaching lesson each time and I now will be extra careful in the future starting today as I have a lot of prep work to do.
It will happen again for sure. Its just a matter of time.

What about you guys. Does it happen to you and how often?

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I was chopping a wet bell pepper one time and my finger slipped on the pepper. I neatly sliced off the entire fingernail from my left forefinger. Not one drop of blood was lost, just the fingernail itself. Do you have any idea how sensitive the skin under your fingernail is?

 

[Addie]

I was given a 12" Japanese Chef Knife as a gift. Now I stand 4'6" short. That dang knife was almost as tall as me. I had some prep work to do. So I peel the carrots and got my new knife and took it out of the box. Lined up the carrots to slice and the first thing I sliced with it was my finger. Really good! My son now has that dang knife.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I was given a 12" Japanese Chef Knife as a gift.

12 inches? I believe you were misled. That was not a Chef's knife, it was a wakizashi!

 

[Addie]

12 inches? I believe you were misled. That was not a Chef's knife, it was a wakizashi!

What is the biggest chef's knife they make? This one to me at least was huge. Pirate says it was probably a 10"? I always thought that all professional chef's knives were 12 inches.

 

[Andy M.]

It happens to everyone from time to time.

Contrary to popular kitchen wisdom, I don't believe dull knives cause more cuts than sharp ones. I believe the sharpness of the knife doesn't matter. As you can testify it's carelessness that causes cuts. The only difference I've noticed is that cuts from dull knives hurt more.

 

[Andy M.]

What is the biggest chef's knife they make? This one to me at least was huge. Pirate says it was probably a 10"? I always thought that all professional chef's knives were 12 inches.

Addie, you can buy a chef's knife in 6", 8" and 12" lengths (and probably other sizes too depending on the manufacturer. Chef's knife refers to the shape of the blade.

 

[GotGarlic]

What is the biggest chef's knife they make? This one to me at least was huge. Pirate says it was probably a 10"? I always thought that all professional chef's knives were 12 inches.

The chef's knife that came with my knife kit from culinary school is 9 inches. I don't like it but DH does, so he uses it. I use a 7-inch Henckels Santoku.

I think anyone who works in a kitchen regularly is going to cut themselves occasionally. I do think dull knives are more dangerous because they will often slide off the item rather than cut it.

 

[Steven c]

It happens to me once or twice a year. My guess is it happens when you feel to comfortable using your knife and you start to forget giving your attention to what you doing.

Kinda like power tools, when you get to comfortable using them with out a thought of safety is when they bite you.

 

[CraigC]

Though I have cut myself with a knife, my biggest nemesis is the mandolin! Seems the two we use have it in for me. No, that was not a thin slice of garlic!

 

[Roll_Bones]

Thanks folks. Look like my thinking is in line with most of you.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Cuts on the hands have nothing to do with the knives or the skill of the chef/cook. Has everything to do with "life happens".

 

[Addie]

Though I have cut myself with a knife, my biggest nemesis is the mandolin! Seems the two we use have it in for me. No, that was not a thin slice of garlic!

Do you use the safety food pusher? I wouldn't even think of slicing a breath of fresh air without it. I have the hand held mandolin as well as the Oxo. Oh, I just had to have that Oxo one. Took it out of the box, and put it right back in. Have yet to use it. And that was more than two years ago. Maybe some day I will get up the courage to give it a go.

 

[medtran49]

It happens to me once or twice a year. My guess is it happens when you feel to comfortable using your knife and you start to forget giving your attention to what you doing.

Kinda like power tools, when you get to comfortable using them with out a thought of safety is when they bite you.

Or when you're too distracted from watching football and using something sharp. No, it wasn't me.

 

[Bigjim68]

Cuts on the hands have nothing to do with the knives or the skill of the chef/cook. Has everything to do with "life happens".

I'd have to disagree. Cuts will happen, but they happen far more often with bad tools and poor skills.

 

[Bigjim68]

Do you use the safety food pusher? I wouldn't even think of slicing a breath of fresh air without it. I have the hand held mandolin as well as the Oxo. Oh, I just had to have that Oxo one. Took it out of the box, and put it right back in. Have yet to use it. And that was more than two years ago. Maybe some day I will get up the courage to give it a go.

Mandolins scare the heck out of me to the point of avoiding mine whenever possible. Something about moving your fingers toward a very sharp blade that seems counter productive.

My knives stay extremely sharp, but they are either in the block, in my hand, or rarely laying on the cutting board with the blade pointing away from the board. And my fingers are always above blade edge level.

 

[Rparrny]

I have yet to cut myself with a knife although I put that in the category of "pure dumb luck" as I've known plenty of professionals that have. I have gotten some nasty cuts from box graters and mandolins. My own fault...I'm always so sure I can get one more pass through without using the guard.

Last year Molly showed an interest in getting her own first knife. At 12 years old she had become a very talented cook and baker and she took it all very seriously. I spoke with her mom who gave the green light and I gave molly a list of chores I needed done that could pay for her knife. Molly is quite the entrepreneur and loves earning her own money.
Less than a week she had enough for the knife. We discussed the different metals and the advantages and disadvantages to both. We talked about quality and tang length, rivets versus molded versus glued...but the one thing you can't get from the internet is balance and feel in the hand, so we headed off to the only place around here with tons of quality knives she could test out...Macys.
She darted right over to the flashiest 12 inch chefs knife. Then she saw it was all stainless...and one moment of balance in her hands and she walked away. I suggested a smaller chef's knife might feel more comfortable and she tested several. She ended up with a Swilling/JA Henkles 7" Santoku knife normally $140 on sale for about $80 because the presentation box was trashed they took another ten bucks off and I had a 20% off coupon.
Then to test it out we made one of her favorite things...Kimchi and she had to slice 8 heads of napa cabbage with that knife...her arm was sore for days...lol. One year later and she still has all her fingers...she practices safe knife techniques every time and I'm very proud of her.
Here she is loading up the crock for fermentation.

 

[Bigjim68]

I have yet to cut myself with a knife although I put that in the category of "pure dumb luck" as I've known plenty of professionals that have. I have gotten some nasty cuts from box graters and mandolins. My own fault...I'm always so sure I can get one more pass through without using the guard.

Last year Molly showed an interest in getting her own first knife. At 12 years old she had become a very talented cook and baker and she took it all very seriously. I spoke with her mom who gave the green light and I gave molly a list of chores I needed done that could pay for her knife. Molly is quite the entrepreneur and loves earning her own money.
Less than a week she had enough for the knife. We discussed the different metals and the advantages and disadvantages to both. We talked about quality and tang length, rivets versus molded versus glued...but the one thing you can't get from the internet is balance and feel in the hand, so we headed off to the only place around here with tons of quality knives she could test out...Macys.
She darted right over to the flashiest 12 inch chefs knife. Then she saw it was all stainless...and one moment of balance in her hands and she walked away. I suggested a smaller chef's knife might feel more comfortable and she tested several. She ended up with a Swilling/JA Henkles 7" Santoku knife normally $140 on sale for about $80 because the presentation box was trashed they took another ten bucks off and I had a 20% off coupon.
Then to test it out we made one of her favorite things...Kimchi and she had to slice 8 heads of napa cabbage with that knife...her arm was sore for days...lol. One year later and she still has all her fingers...she practices safe knife techniques every time and I'm very proud of her.
Here she is loading up the crock for fermentation.

Great that you are passing cooking and kitchen skills along with fiscal responsibility to your daughter. They will serve her well all through her lifetime.

 

[Rparrny]

Great that you are passing cooking and kitchen skills along with fiscal responsibility to your daughter. They will serve her well all through her lifetime.

Thank you! Molly is not my daughter but one of four girls who live across the street. She has been cooking and baking with me since she was 5...she's now 13 and we still do "projects" together.
Right now she wants to become a chef...but she is also a math wizard and at this age...who knows.

 

[Stock Pot]

Thanks for the reminder to be careful. It's true that when you get too comfortable, that's when you are in the most danger. I have a protective knife-resistant glove for my left hand that I don't wear enough. Also, curl those fingers back; bear claw grip and all that. And go slow- you are not on TV showing off your knife skills.