Victim #4!

[Rob Babcock]

I'm starting to think no one I work with is qualified to run a decent knife! A lady that we recently hired was cutting buns for the bread service with the crummiest disposable serrated we have tonight, and nice guy that I am I offered her my Kershaw Pure Komachi serrated bread knife. It's a cheapie that I'm not worried about lending, but even so it's shaving sharp. Even though I always warn people that I keep serrated knives a lot sharper than they're used to seeing they either don't believe me or can't really understand just how much sharper it really is.

Anyways, I walk around the corner and she's holding a roll in her left hand and cutting it with her right, towards her palm. I almost tell her she'd best use a cutting board with that knife but I didn't want to insult her intelligence. I was in a hurry besides. Once I finish what I'm working on I decide I should try to straighten her out but by then she'd already put a pretty good slice into her palm. Nothing that needs stitches, though- she's better off than the last guy that borrowed my Tojiro gyuto...

Now she's too afraid of my knives to use them again. Oh, well. As my Grampa used to say, "That's how you learn."

 

[AMSeccia]

oh jeez, maybe they need carving gloves to cut the buns!

 

[expatgirl]

excuse me.......as someone who has had nearly 12 stitches total in her lifetime because of cutting implements......where does one get these gloves?

 

[AMSeccia]

You haven't seen them? They aren't the most tactile things to wear, but checking local restaurant supply is where I'd start ... I'm sure they're available online. Want me to look?

 

[expatgirl]

No, I haven't ever seen them but my doctors who have been wokened up at 1am in the morning (twice now) would much appreciate me having a pair---they might even chip in for the cost......if it's no trouble I would really appreciate it AM............Thanks!!

 

[Rob Babcock]

oh jeez, maybe they need carving gloves to cut the buns!

Ooops! I never thought of that- I always have a Forschner cut glove in my knife roll!

Mine is made with encapsulated steel wire. They're cut resistant, not cut proof (and I'd bet anyone $10 that I could cut the finger off of one with one of my Shun or Hattori knives- preferably without a finger in them!). I got mine at Cutleryandmore.com, but you can get 'em lots of places.

They are a bit ungainly, sort of like wearing one of those knobby jersey gloves like you wear to garden. But it beats dissecting your hand!

BTW, you normally don't buy two, just one for the off-hand. It's pretty hard to cut yourself on the hand that holds the knife!

 

[expatgirl]

As often as I use a knive a spare would probably be necessary!

 

[AMSeccia]

Here's one ... but it's not the mesh one I was thinking of. I locked up on some chef supply page with the Forschner one Rob just menteioned. I still can't load that page, so I'll ask you to poke around or Google, I think you'll find something that will at least save you some pain and blood. Be careful!

Mesh Cut-Resistant Glove - Chefs Clothing & Aprons - Housewares - Sur La Table

 

[Rob Babcock]

As often as I use a knive a spare would probably be necessary!

I doubt you'd ever go thru a cut glove under normal circumstances. Sure, I think if I tried to cut one I'd be able to but that's not what they're for. They'll definately save you from stray cuts.

 

[suziquzie]

As often as I use a knive a spare would probably be necessary!

Or maybe you could just put the both of them on the 1 hand at the same time... extra protection!!!!
The girls that make the sandwiches at work have to wear them to be allowed to use the new knives the new owners bought. I haven't played with them yet, I'm pretty safe cutting my dough. (knock on wood)

 

[expatgirl]

Ooops! I never thought of that- I always have a Forschner cut glove in my knife roll!

Mine is made with encapsulated steel wire. They're cut resistant, not cut proof (and I'd bet anyone $10 that I could cut the finger off of one with one of my Shun or Hattori knives- preferably without a finger in them!). I got mine at Cutleryandmore.com, but you can get 'em lots of places.

They are a bit ungainly, sort of like wearing one of those knobby jersey gloves like you wear to garden. But it beats dissecting your hand!

BTW, you normally don't buy two, just one for the off-hand. It's pretty hard to cut yourself on the hand that holds the knife!

you wanna bet?.......... I was scraping chicken "yechhs" off my cutting board into the loo.......sorry no garbage disposals here and have done so for 3+ years with no problems (just no bones, however) and the Wusthoff knife fell out of my slimy hand and started to fall to the hard floor---I imagined the worst and reached out with my chopping hand to catch it in midair (sometimes good reflexes are NOT beneficial) and the next thing I know I'm in the doctor's office (it's not called the SOS clinic for nothing) getting 4 stitches-------blood is everywhere....so I need double protection...

 

[AMSeccia]

you wanna bet?.......... I was scraping chicken "yechhs" off my cutting board into the loo.......sorry no garbage disposals here and have done so for 3+ years with no problems (just no bones, however) and the Wusthoff knife fell out of my slimy hand and started to fall to the hard floor---I imagined the worst and reached out with my chopping hand to catch it in midair (sometimes good reflexes are NOT beneficial) and the next thing I know I'm in the doctor's office (it's not called the SOS clinic for nothing) getting 4 stitches-------blood is everywhere....so I need double protection...

I have *almost* done that on more than one occasion ... I think it'd be easier than we think to cut the cutting hand. Maybe it's a busy mom thing, but I have darn near juggled everything in my kitchen from knives to cups to eggs (and dropped each several times, I'm sure).

 

[LEFSElover]

No, I haven't ever seen them but my doctors who have been wokened up at 1am in the morning (twice now) would much appreciate me having a pair---they might even chip in for the cost......if it's no trouble I would really appreciate it AM............Thanks!!

I'm gonna look to because I want a pair and will be near a kitchen supply store this weekend.

I have to say it was mighty kind of you Bob to even offer her your knives. I have this lady butcher here where I live and she'd done the same thing with a knife or two of hers when she saw others cutting with less quality and was concerned. Except now, all her knives have slowly been disappearing and she got wise to quit lending them out. Knives are knives and the ones worth their salt cost. We've all cut ourselves. About a year ago I called my husband crying, "I just cut off my thumb!" A slight exaggeration but blood was galore

 

[buzzard767]

I have darn near juggled everything in my kitchen from knives to cups to eggs (and dropped each several times, I'm sure).

Haven't we all? LOL

I have one of those hard to cut gloves with stainless steel mesh. I've never used it for cutting but it works great for sliding the skins off boiled beets and for shucking problematic oysters.

Andrea, I'm a Wausau boy and will likely be moving back there in a year or so do to family matters. Go Pack!!!!

Buzz

 

[DrThunder88]

...but I have darn near juggled everything in my kitchen from knives to cups to eggs (and dropped each several times, I'm sure).

You never said (or thought about saying), "______ overboard!" did you? I'm afraid my brain would come apart if that became some sort of widely-circulated phrase.

 

[kitchenelf]

OK - if my hands are slimy, or even WET, I ALWAYS wash/dry them, along with the handle of my knife before I use it to continue cooking. When handling a knife the KNIFE has to be in your thoughts at all times.

Sounds like you need to have a quick lesson on knife skills/safety for kitchen staff Rob. IMHO the reason people get sloppy with knives is because they don't use sharp ones. They get in a habit of well, slicing towards the palm, because even if the knife they are used to using touches their palm it sure won't cut them.

 

[expatgirl]

I know.........kitchenelf.......but dumb is dumber and dumbest.& dumb to the nth degree.......and I've learned the hard way...........you're absolutely right...........no excuse......but this knife was sharp.... and I was so stupid.......and I've paid for it because I have mild nerve damage......please, budding chefs, do respect your knives.......... and cut away from yourselves....kitchenelf is so right!!!

 

[Rob Babcock]

you wanna bet?.......... I was scraping chicken "yechhs" off my cutting board into the loo.......sorry no garbage disposals here and have done so for 3+ years with no problems (just no bones, however) and the Wusthoff knife fell out of my slimy hand and started to fall to the hard floor---I imagined the worst and reached out with my chopping hand to catch it in midair (sometimes good reflexes are NOT beneficial) and the next thing I know I'm in the doctor's office (it's not called the SOS clinic for nothing) getting 4 stitches-------blood is everywhere....so I need double protection...

Looks like you learned the cardinal rule of knife safety the hard way! However tempting it is to try, especially with a very valuable knife, you never try to catch a fall knife! Just let it fall and deal with the damage if there is any. You can cut yourself pretty seriously as you unfortunately found out. That's how the second guy that borrowed my Tojioro gyuto ended up in the ER- he bumped it, sending it skidding off the edge of a counter and tried to grab it. He had to get sewn up when it wouldn't stop bleeding.

You're right, Elf- they do need some knife training. But I'm not the Chef at the place. Back when I worked for my previous employer I worked as a manager & chef but I decided to go back to school to study computers. Now I work part time (well, really full time- usually about 35 hours per week with FT school). The owner of the restaurant pretty much just puts a body on a job, so a dishwasher might be on the slicer if they're not busy. Many of the workers there aren't really "cooks" in any real sense and generally don't have much culinary background. There wouldn't be much practical way for me to train them.

I guess I should just keep my knives to myself, then.

Note: I agree about knives tending to vanish. I wouldn't lend my really nice ones out, but then I don't generally take anything more expensive than a $65 Tojiro gyuto to work. The spendier stuff stays safely at home.

 

[kitchenelf]

Rob - I let a knife fall one time and the tip of it landed right between my toes the tip even broke off in the floor - I was lucky!!!!! Now I'm REALLY careful because I have a dog and she's always under foot waiting for me to drop something - I guess that's why I ALWAYS remember that knife in my hand!

expat - it's a hard thing to teach someone with personal experience being involved. Before I got good knives and kept them sharp used to slice onions the same way that lady sliced her hamburger buns - onion juice in that cut was a VERY valuable lesson

 

[expatgirl]

Thanks, RB, I think...........hahaha........jest kidding........that's a Miranda saying (my granddaughter) btw..........no, you're absolutely right.........if you're going to handle knives then you need to be respectful.......I've certainly learned my lessons I hope...........my Wusthoff can now fall to the floor and break into a hundred pieces and I'm stepping out of the way..........