About that food prep ...

[Matus]

Wait, I am weird that after slicing the core-less parts of the apple for my kids I eat the core? On occasion I have been seen to chew on the stalk too ... :D

[bearfacedkiller]

Am I the only adult left in the world who just eats an apple whole, without cutting it up first? I feel so alone...

Yeah, you're a weirdo, all right. But only mid-level. If you want to kick out your weirdness to the next level, don't eat your apple in the traditional orientation. Start eating at the BOTTOM of the apple. Eat it from the bottom, and there will be no core to throw away. More apple, less trash. The chickens won't be happy, but they have short memories and will get over it. No need to thank me.

I was always told to not eat the seeds as they contain arsenic. I have no idea if they really are a risk, but sometimes we just go with what we were told many decades ago. :o

The human body actually needs trace amounts of arsenic. It is only poisonous if you absorb way to much.

Apple seeds also contain a chemical that breaks down into cyanide in the body. The truth is that you would need to eat over 100 apple seeds to be poisoned by either one. Both arsenic and the chemical that turns into cyanide are common in apple juice and cider because they are pressed whole. The FDA monitors these levels and claims they are at safe levels. I pressed a couple of bushels of apples myself last fall seeds and all and I am still here to tell the story. :)

[carrot]

Food prep is such a silly task for a folding knife that picks up lint and cleans nails and opens packages and might be covered in tape residue.

However, when I travel (if I can travel with a knife!) I always bring a folder that excels for light kitchen duty. I spent a week in a cabin in the woods surrounded by terrible kitchen knives (they were all inexplicably fillet or steak knives) and my one big Opinel. That little French picnic knife absolutely saved the week.

That said, while I have my peculiarities around kitchen prep knives (and only last year invested in nice knives for the kitchen), I do test every folder that comes into the house in the kitchen, just to get a good feel for them.

I expect any folder that makes it into EDC to be able to at least peel some fruit & veg and do a decent job of chopping up an onion. It's a good way to test knives, even if that's not how we use our folders 95% of the time. I would also rather use a nice folder than any pairing knife, though.

[SG89]

The lc200n ukpk sounds like an ideal food prep for those so inclined

[Wartstein]

Several scenarios where a folder comes in handy for food prep (and already mentioned here):

- On the road, on a hike (I use my folders pretty often than for food prep, be it just cutting up a bread loaf, or cooking on the fire or whatever

- In places / kitchens where there just are no sharp knives... (pretty often the case!). An Endura or Chapfor example work great for food prep (though sure not as good as a dedicated kitchen knife!)

- And it is just another way to actually USE my beloved Spydies, which I always enjoy.

And lets be honest: What actually makes for a great EDC knife? Certainly more the "Jack of all trades, but master of none" thing, right? THIS is the enjoyable thing in Spydercos: Just that they overall work so well in such a high variety of cutting tasks that might occur, though perhaps just once or twice a year.
If we´d always argue "well, but for this or that cutting task there is an even better dedicated tool" - why then carry an EDC knife at all? A box cutter will be better at, well, cutting boxes, scissors better in cutting paper or threads, a whittling knife better for whittling... and a kitchen knife better for food prep...

And, yes, food prep is a great opportunity to "getting to know" my Spydies better and first and foremost how they compare: How ergos really are in a bit prolongued use; How much better thin blades are than thick ones; How SE compares to PE and so on...

I even started a dedicated thread in this once: viewtopic.php?t=86214
And it seems that even Sal as main designer has food prep with his folders in mind at least a bit:: viewtopic.php?p=1511984#p1511659

[RustyIron]

I pressed a couple of bushels of apples myself last fall seeds and all and I am still here to tell the story. :)

Squeezin' apples is a periodic event here at the Casa de Doghair. Besides loading up the outdoor freezer and sending a couple jugs home with everyone who attends, ten gallons is reserved for conversion into the magical fermented elixir if the gods. Apples aren't a big local crop, so just getting them requires a bit of legwork. Here's Mrs. Iron's video of one of our events. Engine is over 100 years old, and the press is 143 years old.

http://youtu.be/DtpDYFY9ijo

[GarageBoy]

Not a fan of cleaning food bits that get into pivots and locks and then rots

Cutting cheese/cured meats etc is as far as my folding knives will touch food

I'm curious how alistair phillips uses his kapara throughout the day - I know it was designed as a healthy snacks knife

[PSquared]

Biltong (dried, cured meat) tastes better when cut with a pocket knife.

[Wartstein]

Again, put briefly:

Not a must at all, but also nothing wrong with enjoying a folder, designed so very well and versatile that it also works in food prep! (Like it also works in box cutting for example, though a dedicated box cutter works even better - a good EDC knife is often about doing many tasks well, but for every single task there might be a dedicated tool that works even better)

[Wartstein]

(Inspired by another thread and ):

Looking at the new forum banner: It seems that Spyderco themselves definitely have also food prep with their folders in mind...

[Wartstein]

(Inspired by another thread and mikey177 ):

Looking at the new forum banner: It seems that Spyderco themselves definitely have also food prep with their folders in mind...

[Matus]

I get to see a rather different one ...

[ladybug93]

seriously, anyone that thinks a folder isn't any good for food prep or that long knives are unnecessary, should grab a resilience and try it in the kitchen (for science). it's cheap and it's a good knife. even if you end up not liking it for food prep or you can't legally carry a larger knife, you will be able to find some use for it in and around your home.

[Ankerson]

seriously, anyone that thinks a folder isn't any good for food prep or that long knives are unnecessary, should grab a resilience and try it in the kitchen (for science). it's cheap and it's a good knife. even if you end up not liking it for food prep or you can't legally carry a larger knife, you will be able to find some use for it in and around your home.

I think most of the point of some of us is why one would use a folder in the 1st place when they have good kitchen knives.

Seems to be most likely people looking for any reason to play with their folder.

Like someone else said to a kid with a hammer everything looks like a nail.

Now yeah if one isn't home and like at work as an example then maybe something might need to be cut.

Now there is just no way I would ever pull one out in a restaurant, and that is NEVER. That's really pushing ones luck depending on the location etc.

[ladybug93]

seriously, anyone that thinks a folder isn't any good for food prep or that long knives are unnecessary, should grab a resilience and try it in the kitchen (for science). it's cheap and it's a good knife. even if you end up not liking it for food prep or you can't legally carry a larger knife, you will be able to find some use for it in and around your home.

I think most of the point of some of us is why one would use a folder in the 1st place when they have good kitchen knives.

Seems to be most likely people looking for any reason to play with their folder.

Like someone else said to a kid with a hammer everything looks like a nail.

Now yeah if one isn't home and like at work as an example then maybe something might need to be cut.

Now there is just no way I would ever pull one out in a restaurant, and that is NEVER. That's really pushing ones luck depending on the location etc.

i mostly agree with what you're saying. i would probably use the resilience more as a camp kitchen knife than using one at home in the kitchen. i'm just suggesting to try it in a controlled environment. and i don't make a habit of using my folders in restaurants, but as i've said before, i've absolutely used my resilience in public to cut up food for my kids to share. it's a great size for cutting a large slice of sam's or costco pizza in half without gunking up the pivot.

[TkoK83Spy]

I just can't imagine eating anything with a knife I cut rubber, rope, cardboard, plastic, come in contact with nasty papermaking residue that comes in contact with who knows what chemicals to at times as well. Even giving one of my knives a cleaning and then using it with food just gives me a funny feeling, making the food less appealing.

[Ankerson]

I just can't imagine eating anything with a knife I cut rubber, rope, cardboard, plastic, come in contact with nasty papermaking residue that comes in contact with who knows what chemicals to at times as well. Even giving one of my knives a cleaning and then using it with food just gives me a funny feeling, making the food less appealing.

I know what you mean, been in the same situation.

[Ankerson]

seriously, anyone that thinks a folder isn't any good for food prep or that long knives are unnecessary, should grab a resilience and try it in the kitchen (for science). it's cheap and it's a good knife. even if you end up not liking it for food prep or you can't legally carry a larger knife, you will be able to find some use for it in and around your home.

I think most of the point of some of us is why one would use a folder in the 1st place when they have good kitchen knives.

Seems to be most likely people looking for any reason to play with their folder.

Like someone else said to a kid with a hammer everything looks like a nail.

Now yeah if one isn't home and like at work as an example then maybe something might need to be cut.

Now there is just no way I would ever pull one out in a restaurant, and that is NEVER. That's really pushing ones luck depending on the location etc.

i mostly agree with what you're saying. i would probably use the resilience more as a camp kitchen knife than using one at home in the kitchen. i'm just suggesting to try it in a controlled environment. and i don't make a habit of using my folders in restaurants, but as i've said before, i've absolutely used my resilience in public to cut up food for my kids to share. it's a great size for cutting a large slice of sam's or costco pizza in half without gunking up the pivot.

Personally I would have a fixed blade and if I had a folder with me at all it would be an SAK if I was camping etc.

[ChrisinHove]

In my mind’s eye I can just see Jim pulling out a Province in a restaurant....

[RustyIron]

Now there is just no way I would ever pull one out in a restaurant, and that is NEVER. That's really pushing ones luck depending on the location etc.

Pushing one's luck? Call me an unsophisticated lout oblivious to social norms, but I've never had a problem whipping out my knife. My luck has always held, and all I might get is the occasional inquisitive comment. Last time I was at my favorite sushi restaurant I had reason to brandish my PM2. The chef assembles and presents his creations exactly as he intends. He does this one thing with salmon, mango, avocado, and jalapeño. It's as delicious as it is beautiful. But I'm not a dog. I don't gobble mouthfuls of chow. I prefer to cut the piece in half in order to maximize the enjoyment. To cut it and not mangle it requires a VERY sharp knife. My PM2 was sitting on my plate, and the waitress commented that her brother would LOVE that. I asked if he was a Spyderco fan, or if he was just sort who took out pocketknives at restaurants. She replied that he just likes knives. That's cool; he likes knives and has a sister who works at the best sushi place in town.