Does a blunt knife cause more accidents than a sharp knife?
Does a blunt knife cause more accidents than a sharp knife?
Yes!
My college lecturer always told us that a blunt knife is a higher cut risk than a sharp one. If you think about it, a sharp knife does what the hand asks, whereas a blunt knife can react differently because its blunt blade will deviate off course or not break through the surface of the food been cut. Forcing a blunt blade is also the largest cause of cuts and not undermining the noun, a blunt blade can still cause horrific cuts requiring hospital attention. So keeping your knives sharp is a professional responsibility for all kitchen staff.
A kitchen knife is a loaded weapon waiting to bite someone, so their correct use, cleaning and storage is of paramount importance. I was Head Chef at a Hotel in Oxfordshire and noted day one, the porter simply threw clean chef knives into a drawer containing ladles, spoons etc. This was a bad accident waiting to happen and a guaranteed trip to A & E. The practice was stopped immediately. I made chefs responsible for washing their own knives, and all knives including peelers were put away by the chef that owned them. It was changing a bad habit that no one had realised was a risk. That was in the mid 80’s and I suppose without realising it, what I did was a forerunner of a HACCP action. I saw a risk, I set in place actions to stop the risk of injury and made staff accountable and mindful of the risk to themselves and others.
How I sharpen my knives.
Aside from the traditional swiping action of a knife against a sharpening steel, I also re ground a fresh blade by placing my steel into a hole in a block of wood screwed to the wall. This allowed me to hone a new blade slowly and methodically by judging the blade angle and pressure applied. It always worked.
The traditional knife swipe along a steel isn’t about speed, it’s about accuracy. We all want to sharpen a knife at 100 miles an hour but if you’re not doing it correctly, you’ll simply wear down your knife to nothing and increase the odds of an accident……
This take a lot practice and to date is still the most efficient means of knife sharpening at the work bench.
Electric sharpeners.
There are quite a few electric blade sharpeners on the market. Most will have different grade stones to grind a new blade, then sharpen and lastly polish out the burred edge. These are safe and easy to use but can be expensive. I would recommend the kitchen has one for all chefs to share. I now use a high-end domestic machine at home and that can handle all my knives, some of which are 14 inch blades.
Other brands are available!
Pull Through Sharpeners are very good too.
These have developed into very effective sharpeners and there are many different styles to buy. I would advise the better ones have a 2 stage sharpening system and have a broad handle to hold it steady.
Other brands are available!
Buy Wisely.
Not wishing to spend your money, but my mantra is “Buy Cheap and Pay Twice” and I realised that cheap chef knives don’t last and blunt quickly. Chefs should buy the best they can afford because a good knife will last a lifetime. 4 of my knives were purchased in 1984, are still used and still very sharp.
Contact our sister company, Catering Equipment Solutions and ask about their range of knives and sharpeners. 0800 8787030. Option 1
I hate knives with a curved flat shank separating the handle and the blade. All my knives have a 90 degree neck at the shank. Some of the worst accidents I’ve seen are caused by a chefs hand continuing forward when the knife suddenly stops. With nothing to stop fingers and hands travelling forward the injuries can be pretty horrible. I’ve actually stopped customers in shops and told them about the risks of a knife without this protection.
Here at Caterquip, we don’t sell knives but we occasionally get in electric sharpeners. By registering into our Earlybird subscriber program, you get exclusive access and early heads up to newly arrived equipment. Just send me your first name and email address and I’ll get you registered.
My lecturer also drilled into us that our hands are the best tools we have, so happy chopping and take care of those fingers!!
Thanks for reading.
Paul
