Folders for food prep?

[steelcity16]

I don't really use my folders for food prep in my own house, but in the office, restaurants, hotels, parties, etc I will use them.

I have however always wanted a lightweight FRN folding steak knife in PE FFG LC200N. One that is literally designed from the ground up for that purpose. Feels like a steak knife in hand, cuts as good as any, folds up to put in your pocket, then into the dishwasher when you get home. All parents with young kids could appreciate the usefulness of this.

[James Y]

Using a folder for cutting some fruits and veggies can be fun, if it has good cutting geometry for the task. I mentioned earlier that I don’t always use a folder for food, and I never use one in the kitchen, but occasionally for produce slicing it can be fun.

You can have good quality kitchen knives for little money. The most expensive kitchen knife I use in cooking is my Victorinox 7” Santoku, and that was only about $40. When the edge starts losing its bite, a few easy seconds on the white rods on my Sharpmaker at 15 DPS and it’s right back to high sharpness. The same goes for my Victorinox paring and fruit knives.

Jim

[vivi]

I'm a big fan of Victorinox kitchen knives too. I've used a lot of japanese chef knives and customs in the $100-300 range, but I still use their basic chef knives at home. Very corrosion resistant, and as you noted effortless to sharpen.

[TkoK83Spy]

About the only time I use a folder on food is when I make my lemon water before bed each night. My Vic is normally sitting right there on the counter and I'll use the long blade. If not, I'll just grab an actual kitchen knife out of the drawer. I definitely don't seek out using a folder for food.

[Doeswhateveraspidercan]

Well I use all my folders in the Kitchen. Seriously a Knife is a tool. It does feeding tasks.

Before fork and spoon, Knife was used, before can opener there was the can and guess what they were opened with?

Yes the humble knife.

This is common sense use your tools accordingly clean them use them enjoy them.

[steelcity16]

Anyone run their folders through the dishwasher? I run my Salts through and they come out no worse for wear.

[Albatross]

Anyone run their folders through the dishwasher? I run my Salts through and they come out no worse for wear.

Nope, but that alone makes me want some Salts. I bought my wife an H1 Dragonfly, because she doesn't care about knives and the idea of knife maintenance is foreign to her. Been waiting for another run of the teal S30V Dragonfly, to distract her with, so I can have a turn with the Dfly Salt. That teal Dfly is one of the only knives she's expressed interest in.

[Reject]

:rolleyes: I think that comparing the Kapara and the Spydiechef to your kitchen knives is an absolutely ridiculous.

:D Let me explain why I think that.

When I get dressed in the morning a Leatherman multi tool is attached in sheath to my belt or goes in the pocket. I am never without one model or another; they have saved my butt so many times.

But if I got my tool box out and compared every tool on the Leatherman to the ones out of the tool box and took that comparison seriously. I would have to declare Leatherman a failure in every way and should throw it away immediately.

But; :) I know the Leatherman is brilliant tool and it is worth much more than the pennies you pay for them. Because I can not carry that tool box with me every where I go, like you can not carry your kitchen knives with you every where you go.

But I can carry my Leatherman and a Kapara in my pocket.

A multi tool is not carried to replace any of the tools in my tool box. I carry it for when I don’t have those tools with me and the job still has to be done. You will be surprised how many times that situation comes around.

The same thing with the Kapara and Spydiechef they are not designed to replace any of your kitchen knives. You carry one of them for when there is a job to do and you don’t have access to any of those kitchen knives or they are so blunt, that they are useless.

And the Kapara and Spydiechef will stay in the pocket because they are also an excellent EDC knives.

Again, a multi tool is not in your pocket to replace your tool box and folding kitchen knives are not in your pocket to replace your kitchen knives. They are both there for when you don’t have the right tools there with you when you need them and you need them now.

They will not be as easy to use as the correct tools, but they will get the job done and get it done better than most other folding knives you may carry in your pocket.

:D I would love to hear your excuses when a Police Officer stops you and you are carrying 10 kitchen knives.

[vivi]

Well said, reject.

[JD Spydo]

I use quite a few of my Spyders for food prep over a year's time. But the main two that I use a lot are my TEMPERENCE 1 model PE and my AUS-8 era, full SE Catcherman model. There isn't a week that goes by where I don't use both of those at least 4 times a week.

I've also got a full Spyderedged Version of the TEMPERANCE 1 model that I use to cut up poultry and for butchering game animals. Most people have no idea of how agile and convenient that any of the Catcherman models are for food prep>> but that full SE Catcherman with the AUS-8 blade steel is a gem in the kitchen. Truly I could get by with those two most of the time. But I also have a full line up of J.A.Henckel culinary/chef knives to go with those two.

[vivi]

I bet the Catcherman with its long and narrow blade is great for paring knife sorts of jobs.

[JD Spydo]

I bet the Catcherman with its long and narrow blade is great for paring knife sorts of jobs.

Vivi I challenge you to use a Catcherman model the next time your in the kitchen preparing food. Now I do like the full Spyderedged AUS-8 version the very best for certain reasons. The older AUS-8 Catcherman has a thicker and more stout blade on it which makes it great for a full Spyderedge. But all the Catcherman models I've used in the kitchen are superb knives for any type of food chores at all.

Filleting fish is only one of about 1000 food chores that the Catcherman is great at. That combo edged MBS-26 Catcherman really makes an ideal, all purpose paring knife like you spoke of.

[The Deacon]

I have a nice collection of kitchen knives, but I've used folders for food prep at various times and for various reasons. Been retired for 10 years now, but I used a folder at work for food prep because I didn't feel comfortable leaving a fixed blade knife in my desk. Haven't eaten out in years, but when I did I often used one in restaurants when the knives provided were not up to the job. At home, food prep is still a way for me to see how a folder performs and how comfortable it is for tasks that require repetitive cuts.

[Evil D]

I don't see why some of you are so hung up on the comparison. It's not about what is best, it's just about enjoyment. Is the loss of performance in the kitchen really that unbearable of a loss that you can't make it through a meal prep unless you have your kitchen knife? Are you cooking for 20 people everyday where the efficiency of dicing your veggies becomes a critical issue? I just don't get the big deal. I like using my knives. That means using them for whatever, whenever the need arises. I'm usually one for over thinking things but I think y'all are over complicating this one.

[bearfacedkiller]

Food prep? No, not usually. Definitely not at home in my own kitchen. The only thing that my folder gets used for in my home kitchen is opening packages. I do use some of my various hunting and outdoor fixed blades in my kitchen but that is mostly just out of curiosity.

I will however use my folder for impromptu food prep and I have used a folder hundreds of times to cut up food so a young child can eat it. If you have a toddler and you like to go out to eat then you will end up using your folder at some point. I have used a folder at my in-laws quite a few times as well because they haven’t sharpened their knives in decades. I keep a few knives in my truck but occasionally we are at a friend or family members house and I am not the one who drove there. Then the folder may get used. I would rather use my folder than someones 20 year old wedding gift that has never seen a sharpening stone.

This is one area of this hobby that gets divisive. Some think that folders should only be used for things that are “knife” tasks. The problem with that is that folding knives are not usually purpose built and are sort of a do it all multipurpose tool. I feel as though a kitchen knife is the correct job for food prep, a box cutter is the correct job for breaking down boxes and scissors are the correct tool for cutting paper. I never purposefully use a folder for a job when I have a better tool available but sometimes you just do not have that tool available and that is exactly what a pocket knife is designed for.

That can be taken to an extreme and that is where I don't see it the same way as others do. There is a saying, "to a kid with a hammer, everything looks like a nail". I don't personally use my knives for things just to use my knife. To each their own however and it doesn't bother me. If you want to trim your finger nails with a knife even though you have nail clippers handy then go for it. It is your knife and you are free to enjoy it anyway you wish.

[Albatross]

I don't see why some of you are so hung up on the comparison. It's not about what is best, it's just about enjoyment. Is the loss of performance in the kitchen really that unbearable of a loss that you can't make it through a meal prep unless you have your kitchen knife? Are you cooking for 20 people everyday where the efficiency of dicing your veggies becomes a critical issue? I just don't get the big deal. I like using my knives. That means using them for whatever, whenever the need arises. I'm usually one for over thinking things but I think y'all are over complicating this one.

I definitely don't enjoy using much more pressure to make the same cut, because the geometry was intended for more general purpose tasks. That can be a safety hazard. Try cutting up some squash with a folder. To me, this is the same as, "a sharp knife is a safe knife", because a dull knife, just like a folder in the kitchen, requires more pressure to make a cut, increasing the odds of slippage.

Another issue is ergonomics. Most folders become uncomfortable MUCH faster than a fixed blade. If you use a folder to cut potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery for a stew, you will most-likely have a sore hand. The design of folders(generally) doesn't allow for an even distribution of pressure, due to the scales(think PM2, with the gap between them), whereas a fixed blade excels in this area, allowing for longer periods of much more pleasurable cutting.

I have very little actual free time, between work and family, but I still need to cook a couple times each week, and I'd rather not have to rush to make a meal AND use a tool I don't prefer.

[James Y]

I'm a big fan of Victorinox kitchen knives too. I've used a lot of japanese chef knives and customs in the $100-300 range, but I still use their basic chef knives at home. Very corrosion resistant, and as you noted effortless to sharpen.

Yup. Before I got my Victorinox kitchen knives, I used a J.A. Henckels knife, which is a good knife, but since I like SAKs so much I decided to switch to Victorinox, and have never looked back.

Jim

[Hardbawl]

Blade geometry from Spyderco folders (which are more or less tactical) are diametrically opposed to my food preparations. And why should I make my live more complicated than needed, when I use a folder instead of a fixed blade, when it comes also to cleaning after food preparation?

To each his own, but for me a clear yes, I prefer fixed blades designed for kitchen uses!

Amen, Hello, Come In! Peter, you hit the nail on the head. I remember the first time I tried to slice an apple with my Endura 4. Even with the Full Flat Grind, the back of the blade is so thick that the blade acts as a wedge. A knife that can field dress a 55 gallon drum has no place in the kitchen. I love my Spyderco knives, but, they are not kitchen tools.

[vivi]

I don't see why some of you are so hung up on the comparison. It's not about what is best, it's just about enjoyment. Is the loss of performance in the kitchen really that unbearable of a loss that you can't make it through a meal prep unless you have your kitchen knife? Are you cooking for 20 people everyday where the efficiency of dicing your veggies becomes a critical issue? I just don't get the big deal. I like using my knives. That means using them for whatever, whenever the need arises. I'm usually one for over thinking things but I think y'all are over complicating this one.

I definitely don't enjoy using much more pressure to make the same cut, because the geometry was intended for more general purpose tasks. That can be a safety hazard. Try cutting up some squash with a folder. To me, this is the same as, "a sharp knife is a safe knife", because a dull knife, just like a folder in the kitchen, requires more pressure to make a cut, increasing the odds of slippage.

Another issue is ergonomics. Most folders become uncomfortable MUCH faster than a fixed blade. If you use a folder to cut potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery for a stew, you will most-likely have a sore hand. The design of folders(generally) doesn't allow for an even distribution of pressure, due to the scales(think PM2, with the gap between them), whereas a fixed blade excels in this area, allowing for longer periods of much more pleasurable cutting.

I've never had an issue with ergonomics using a folder to prep a meal for 1-3. I do it pretty frequently since I camp and hike multiple times a week.

Something full flat ground from 3mm stock with a reprofiled edge cuts just fine. If your folder is slipping cutting basic foods it simply needs sharpened.

Skip six minutes in:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=hl3n-BtLoaI

Now with a Police 4:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=1Xw4u6LMt14

Both work just fine for simple food prep tasks.

[bearfacedkiller]

It is all perspective. When camping I don’t mind using a Mora to do food prep. In my home it is only thin kitchen cutlery. I have prepped entire meals with a BK9 while camping. That is a 3/16 inch saber ground blade that is 9 inches long and weighs a pound. I am not going to use it in my home though. When camping I kind of like doing it. Environment changes everything for me.