On pocket knives in the kitchen…

[bjz]

…sometimes a folder is the right choice because of a smaller more nimble blade and handle (even over a paring knife). The stretch made quick and safe work of breaking this cauliflower down into flowerettes for ferment and stock ingredients.

[u.w.]

You are far from alone.
There are many of us on here (I am one) who have stated our use of our pocket knives for "food prep".

and as is the case with, maybe everything,

there are those too, who are opposed to such practices; and they have their valid reasons.

Of course, we who do, have our "valid" reasons too

u.w.

[TheGiant80]

Very nice.

My REX45 Native Chief is an absolute beast in the kitchen!

[bjz]

It’s all about a well stocked toolbox!

[Wartstein]

...
There are many of us on here (I am one) who have stated our use of our pocket knives for "food prep".
...

... including a man going by the name of "Sal Glesser..."
So I assume it is not like Spydies were entirely NOT meant /designed for this...

(to be precise: English is not my first language, and so I am not entirely sure if the term "food prep" strictly means preparing food BEFORE then cooking it or even BEFORE (and not just WHILE eating) it... and I just recall Sal saying several times he'd be using his folders for cutting food or even carry a longer blade partly for that purpose)

[Spicy Suplex]

I tend to avoid it if possible, but I swear nothing cuts up leftover turkey for sandwiches quite like a delica ffg. It’s enough that I get special requests to make it, because mine are conveniently “better” than ones made with standard knives

I’ve got a very old Wusthof and a Z-cut as well and these generally get me by, though. Gonna be adding the spydie paring knife soon, definitely have almost pulled the trigger on a Santoku a few times.

[James Y]

Only rarely do I use folders in the kitchen. I do use a Victorinox Pioneer, mostly as my can opener, and as a light prying tool for lightly prying boxes of food open. And opening lunch meat packages without damaging the plastic.

Occasionally, I've used my Delica FFG, PM2, Military, Caribbean, Police 4 LWT, even my G10 Para 3 on food. I always choke up and pinch the base of the blade, at least on shorter blades, to avoid getting any juices into the blade tang/pivot area.

Jim

[RustyIron]

…sometimes a folder is the right choice because of a smaller more nimble blade and handle (even over a paring knife).

Right you are, sir. For cauliflower, my Police 4 is better than any of my dedicated kitchen knives.

[Kevinim82]

Well… considering I’m ridiculous. I’ve been cutting cheese with a Shaman. Not the right tool for the job, but what the cheese doesn’t know won’t kill it!

[Danke]

I'll use all my folders in the kitchen. Nothing cross hatches up pork belly like a Yojimbo 2.



And not much tops a Swayback for cocktail hour.

[spydergoat]

I never do this in my home cuz the kitchen knives are easier to keep clean. But while camping I have cut plenty of food with my Endura and it did the job fine.

[bjz]

And not much tops a Swayback for cocktail hour.

I will counter with this!

[vivi]

I never do this in my home cuz the kitchen knives are easier to keep clean. But while camping I have cut plenty of food with my Endura and it did the job fine.

Same. The geometry of most folders is much more obtuse than dedicated kitchen knives. As a connoisseur of cut, I use kitchen knives in the kitchen and at work.

I will use my folders for food prep when out and about. Hiking, camping etc. But even then I sometimes carry a Victorinox paring knife in kydex.

[Evil D]

Every new knife I get is going to get used in the kitchen at least a few times, it's all part of the evaluation process. It's not about how great a folder is for food prep or that I don't have a better option, it's about learning what a knife is capable of and you can learn a lot from slicing veggies. I can't say I go outside and do yard work with my chef's knives, so I guess I understand how some people just think this idea is crazy.

[Wartstein]

Well.since this thread is not generally about food prep with folders (I do this all the time outdoors or on the road, but particularly "in then kitchen", I will say:

- I use my Spydies in kitchens of friends where there often are no real sharp knives

- But I also use them quite a bit in my own kitchen where I´d have a few cheap, but sharp kitchen knives:

> I think cutting food with my Spydies is a great way to experience and compare them as perfect, all around (! not specialized!) "folding cutting tools":
Not only different blade thicknesses, grinds, shapes, angles, configurations (SE vs PE..) on "material" of various kinds (softer, harder, "squishy", frozen....)
..but also the ergos in prolongued use, while many other EDC folder tasks are done with 2 or 3 cuts

> I never really understood why "food prep" should randomly be excluded from the "jack of all trades, master of none" approach an EDC folder ALWAYS IS! If we´d always say "well, there actually is a better /dedicated cutting tool": Why then carrying and EDC folder at all? A box cutter will be better at box cutting, scissors better for cutting papers or a thread, a fixed blade just generally better most times and so on...

> I personally also like that food prep gives tool steel blades a nice look and patina - without really "forcing" one, just from regular use

-

[Wartstein]

Every new knife I get is going to get used in the kitchen at least a few times, it's all part of the evaluation process. It's not about how great a folder is for food prep or that I don't have a better option, it's about learning what a knife is capable of and you can learn a lot from slicing veggies. I can't say I go outside and do yard work with my chef's knives, so I guess I understand how some people just think this idea is crazy.

This!

.... I actually posted pretty much the same at pretty much the same time (before reading your post anyway...)

[spydergoat]

But even then I sometimes carry a Victorinox paring knife in kydex.

I have heard of lots of hikers carrying these as their only blade. If I had a sheath for mine I would try this. Anyways I imagine the kydex cost u much more than the knife.

[Matus]

I use my pocket knives in the kitchen very rarely, as compared to the selection of kitchen knives I got over the past few years, they perform rather poorly (as expected, of course). But it absolutely can be done and sometimes it I do it just for the kicks, or to challenge myself

[Evil D]

If we´d always say "well, there actually is a better /dedicated cutting tool": Why then carrying and EDC folder at all? A box cutter will be better at box cutting, scissors better for cutting papers or a thread, a fixed blade just generally better most times and so on...

I've seen similar arguments, "if you're cutting boxes all day why not just use a box knife" or "why not just use a hand saw for those branches". It's funny to me that even though we are generally an open minded bunch of people, some are quick to make this kind of argument and what bothers me is it's the exact mentality that anti knife people make when they tell us we don't need to carry a pocket knife. We can almost always find a better tool for the job but that's not the point of a pocket knife at all. Once we start placing limits on what we should and shouldn't use them for we've started down the same path of control where you find blade length laws and switchblade laws and all the other nonsense knife laws that control us.

[Wartstein]

If we´d always say "well, there actually is a better /dedicated cutting tool": Why then carrying and EDC folder at all? A box cutter will be better at box cutting, scissors better for cutting papers or a thread, a fixed blade just generally better most times and so on...

I've seen similar arguments, "if you're cutting boxes all day why not just use a box knife" or "why not just use a hand saw for those branches". It's funny to me that even though we are generally an open minded bunch of people, some are quick to make this kind of argument and what bothers me is it's the exact mentality that anti knife people make when they tell us we don't need to carry a pocket knife. We can almost always find a better tool for the job but that's not the point of a pocket knife at all. Once we start placing limits on what we should and shouldn't use them for we've started down the same path of control where you find blade length laws and switchblade laws and all the other nonsense knife laws that control us.

This is exactly what I tried to say in my previous post.... but you framed it much better (and added the "anti knife people" argument, which is an important one)