Pro-sharpeners

I have cut myself twice while cooking, both times with a sharp blade. I’ve also cut into a fingernail once or twice, but the nail did it’s job and protected the finger… Once was deep enough that i considered seeing a doctor (decided not to) and it left a scar. The other i treated with a bandaid and forgot about

I think it is a little easier to carelessly drift into skin with a sharp blade. But it’s SO much more pleasant when the blade glides through the meat, and when i effortlessly remove the strawberry hull, and when i can slice the tomato neatly, and when the skin lifts off apples in a clean ribbon… I guess it doesn’t matter that much chopping carrots.

So I guess it depends both on what you tend to cook and on your preferences.

We get our knives done once a year. I don’t know what it costs, my wife Venmo’s the guy.

It’s the guy who sharpens the blades for the barbers at the local shop.

The French Chef - SNL - YouTube

Also: Cutting yourself with a dull knife does more damage (as in, greater healing time with a higher probability of having a noticeable scar) than a sharp knife.

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I’m now anti-sharpener

I actually had a dull-knife injury yesterday. I just never think about sharpening them.

I was cutting the end off an ear of corn and the knife was having trouble getting through the cob. I used my other hand to push down with more force and must have curled the tips of my fingers under the blade for stability. I was very glad not to have lost 1/2 inch of finger. Apparently, the knife was so dull it barely made it into the bleedy part of my finger.

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I sharpen my own on whetstones a couple times a year. There is definitely a learning curve. I’m still on it after having done it many times, but it’s a noticable difference. I can get a sharper angle than most of the commercial sharpeners. The sharper angle’s also relevant for Japanese (to which I’m partial; I mostly use Shun) vs German knives.