DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
There's probably a bit of variability for how well-coordinated each person expects themselves to be, and how many excuses for sharpening they'd like to have. In both cases, it partly depends on the amount of practice.
Scooping/Scraping with your Knife
- Thread starter Konig9402
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KenHash
Senior Member
Practice of what? Coordination? Sharpening?
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
You're better at both scooping and sharpening than I am. Maybe partly due to coordination, but definitely due to practice.
I always cut each garlic clove into 1024 regular tetrahedra.
That must take a lot of coordination and practice.
The sharper corners make for a more penetrating mouth feel.
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
"Toren" is an old-fashioned German word for "idiots". Maybe that was the plural form you were looking for?
The dangers of scooping and scraping are mostly a matter of technique IMO. Maybe scraping is an exception... even saying the word "scrape" sounds abrasive. But I scoop and move product around on the board with the blade, though I use very light pressure and use wood and soft synthetic boards. I cringe when I see/hear people abuse their edges to do this in cooking videos, but I think the dangers of responsible scooping are overstated. One of the glories of Chinese cleavers and taller gyutos (like Takedas) is that you have a built in bench scooper (if not scraper).
Tetrahedra are where it’s at. Name me one person who cares about Durer’s solid.
(heh heh)
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
You guys have a distinct lack of ambition.
The real skill with the knife is to start with cubes, then to cut a sphere out of the centre of each cube. And to keep all the cube-shaped "frames" intact.
The real skill with the knife is to start with cubes, then to cut a sphere out of the centre of each cube. And to keep all the cube-shaped "frames" intact.
No one learned the Fruit Ninja method? Works exceptionally well when used over whatever container or pan you want your ingredients in. No need for cleaning a cutting board much less fretting over what type to use either. And no nails on chalkboard scraping.
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
I've never met or even seen a fruit ninja. Maybe some ninja fruits, but that's quite different.
As previously stated, the kitchen knife is a tool and should be treated as such. I you cringe at the thought of using it to scrape up minced or diced produce leave the kitchen for a moment, go sit on your plastic covered couch, and consider alternatives to your OCD condition -- like trusting your decent or better knife skills. However, I do find those inexpensive stainless bench scrapers extremely useful when doing a lot of prep.
For me, to many times of lending a knife out, hearing that scraping, getting said knife back and looking at the edge and exclaiming "Aye pendejo!" And/or "No mames!"
I also have learned from it. Now only German knives get lent out.
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It’s not that I think my knife is a precious gem that should live on the wall, it’s that I know that certain secondary uses for a knife aren’t good for the edge and make it so that I have to sharpen more often to keep the super keen edge I prefer, which is a waste of steel... It takes a quarter of a second to flip it over and scrape with the spine.
I do scoop with the edge, though.
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If I'm transferring food, I do use the blade, but I push the food onto the blade, rather than pushing the blade under the food. When I get round to getting a cleaver, I'll probably use that for transferring, as I can't carry much on a Gyuto or Nakiri.
DavidPF
Likes Boring Knives
When I use your knife to cut open cans and get tires off their rims, I'm sure you won't mind - it's a tool after all.
"It's a tool" only counts when the tool is being used as intended. I guess the scooping is an "edge case" (ha) where there isn't 100% agreement over whether it's an intended use for a knife.
Personally, I don't care what's intended by the maker. I like a sharp edge so I don't do stuff that dulls the edge faster than necessary.
I recently snagged one of these for home. I’m converted.
Carl Kotte
Senior Member
I usually sharpen the spine on my knives to make sure that no matter how much I flip, I always dull my edges through scraping.
Jovidah
I'll make you a sponsor offer you can't refuse...
Actually I do deliberately leave the spine 'sharp' on boning knives and my honesuki to scrape bones with. Haven't yet gone as far as to actually sharpen it, but I'm definitly not easing or rounding it.
Here's what I use. The upper one is made from a fish (scallops, actually) box; just cut to fit with an exacto knife and a straight edge.) I use it at home.
The bottom is an 'Ateco' bench knife/board scrapper bought from Amazon for 2 bucks. I use it all day at work.
Both worth their weight in gold, IMHO.
The bottom is an 'Ateco' bench knife/board scrapper bought from Amazon for 2 bucks. I use it all day at work.
Both worth their weight in gold, IMHO.
I got no problems with scraping or scooping. If your bevel can't handle it then your bevel isn't tough enough for general food production in my opinion. But I had a guy at the last place who would scoop the food up on the knife and then bang the knife edge first into the lip of a metal hotel pan to knock the food off. It was never any problem with the soft stainless 80 grit belt ground 45 degree inclusive edges he was used to. Not so great for my near zero edges with nano micro bevels. He knew it too and felt bad but it was too hard of a habit to break. I would be doing prep or punching orders in the office and then hear a clang and the dude saying, "Oops, sorry buddy." Only cook I ever hid my knives from.
I may have done that in my ignorant days. I rarely have food on the blade flat but if I do I tap the spine, lightly, over the container.
