General Public's Knife Knowledge

Shaughnessy

Shaughnessy

Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
1,077
Here's the link ....http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/upgrade-your-life/way-load-dishwasher-173639619.html


The quote that struck me was this one. :eek:

"What Can and Can't Go in the Dishwasher
Knives: Our service man Neil Lowery from Sears says most high-end knives are made of carbon-steel and CAN go in the dishwasher, but less expensive knives have more iron and thus are more susceptible to rust. Manufacturers of knives say that technically the knives can go in (except those with wooden handles) but that the biggest issue is when the knives are placed too close to other objects that will bang into them and dull or ding the blades."
 
Once for a 5 year stint I sold guns and sporting goods at a retail outfit. Every year after an annual
elk hunt this guy would bring in 3 Buck 110's with the tip broke off. They're guaranteed for life right?
I couldn't deal with the guy after the first time, sadly management replaced them every time.
Ken.
 
He uses the knives. Dulls them. Rather than sharpen them, he breaks the tips off and returns them for new (sharp) ones. great.
 
Knowledge of how knives are made and what goes into it is quite rare. There are however many people who know about using a knife for whatever purpose. They probably don't know much about the steel, handle, or even how to sharpen it. However, if you hand them anything from a Mora to a Sebenza, they'll get done what you want, though there are those that will stand a good chance of breaking the knife. They get the Moras.
 
The general public's knife knowledge for the most part is slim and none.

Most folks know only one thing you can go to Wallyworld and buy one for $19.95. What they don't understand is why they are getting it for $19.95!:eek:

It's that kind of thinking that makes it hard to sell custom knives to someone with that way of thinking.

That is why I always try to explain in detail the process that goes into each and every piece I build, including the type of steel and the advantages of using that particular steel. Most knife makers would look at that as, "he is tooting his own horn about the steel he used" but, I look at as trying to educate John Q Public as too what they are about too pay the high price for and why.

It is only through educating one person at a time that the understanding of what is entailed in a custom knife, can be truly passed onto the general public.:)
 
I'd really like to laugh about this guy from Sears... but I was putting the dishes away the other day and right there in the utensil caddy---- is the 15N20/redwood burl Santoku that I made for Angi for Mother's day two years ago. :eek: :o

So we had the whole talk about "Dishwasher- NO, NO, NO, NO, NEVER EVER!" ;)

Then that night while we were cleaning up after dinner, I see the same knife soaking in a mixing bowl full of water in the sink with some other utensils. :eek: :o

So maybe we (and I really mean ME) aren't educating the public quite as much as we think/hope... :foot: LMAO


While this isn't a solution to the root of the problem, I'm going to just start making all stainless integrals from now on! ;) :D
 
Like any self respecting knife nut, when I was married my wife had some excellent kitchen knives (as well as a few pocket knives) some custom, some higher end production. I gave up trying to convince her they were not hammers, garden tools etc. (Not to mention giving up over the dish washer use on them.) :D.
 
NickWheeler said:
I'd really like to laugh about this guy from Sears... but I was putting the dishes away the other day and right there in the utensil caddy---- is the 15N20/redwood burl Santoku that I made for Angi for Mother's day two years ago. :eek: :o

So we had the whole talk about "Dishwasher- NO, NO, NO, NO, NEVER EVER!" ;)

Then that night while we were cleaning up after dinner, I see the same knife soaking in a mixing bowl full of water in the sink with some other utensils. :eek: :o

So maybe we (and I really mean ME) aren't educating the public quite as much as we think/hope... :foot: LMAO


While this isn't a solution to the root of the problem, I'm going to just start making all stainless integrals from now on! ;) :D
Click to expand...

teach the daughter , she will teach the mother and your butt will be safe .:cool: :D
 
We need a face-palm "smiley". At least the part about knives banging into other things in the dishwasher (silverware drawer, too) is true... I guess that's a start.
 
This is the reason I've decided that all my kitchen knives from here on out will be stainless and synthetic material unless HC/wood are requested. I am confident that the guy who buys the knife will know how to treat them, but I am also confident that everyone else in the house will put them in the dishwasher. And if not in this genration, the next will. You can be fairly confident that every kitchen knife will spend the majority of its life in the dishwasher or a bowl of water in the sink.
 
When we bought a house, in 2001, I found a Cutco 10" serrated slicing knife the previous owners left behind. It was in the dishwasher...

My wife had a nice set of forged Henckels when we married - I had crap. It only took a couple months to convince her not to put the good stuff in the dishwasher. We still have 'em, and they work great.
Our friends, though - arrgh! Now, when they house-sit, I have to put post-its up. And when people "help" clean up after a party, I re-do everything before starting the machine.
And don't get me started on her parents - Wusthof, Henkels, and (old) Gerber. All were badly chipped and dulled. At their request, I spent hours putting a gleaming edge on each one 6 months ago. I explained that it's because of the dishwasher and not using proper (wood or plastic) cutting boards. Now they need it again! I was over last week - a nearly new $100 German chef's knife, in the rack, in the dishwasher. At least these are all the stainless ones.
In just the last couple weeks, I witnessed both her and her mother cutting fruit and meat with these plain-edge knives using a ceramic plate as a "cutting board."
And she wonders why I spend so much time sharpening knives.
At least, with the Worksharp, now I can restore 'em no matter what happens.
Back to work!
 
ONeill said:
teach the daughter , she will teach the mother and your butt will be safe .:cool: :D
Click to expand...

Good advice. I'm trying to teach the daughters early. Occasionally they listen.
At least they're fascinated by Daddy's "special" Miyabi Morimoto chef's knife; nobody touches that one but me.
 
I don't know guys. My gfs are always easy to teach proper knife etiquette. They seem to want to learn, every one. That does not mean there won't be slip-ups occasionally.

Maybe your not using the right "bait".

:D
 
I got my wife to stop putting knives in the dishwasher by convincing her that I had barely 10% of all the pet peeves she has, so if I have to remember the stupid little plastic tab on bags of bread and the toilet seat thing, no dishwasher was the least she could do. My 10 yo daughter is now the enforcer, and mom's knife safety instructor (one of my other small pet peeves).
 
The worst part of that link is that it's not just the general public, the link it refers to is direct from the knife dealer/ manufacturer.
 
jawilder said:
This is the reason I've decided that all my kitchen knives from here on out will be stainless and synthetic material unless HC/wood are requested. I am confident that the guy who buys the knife will know how to treat them, but I am also confident that everyone else in the house will put them in the dishwasher. And if not in this generation, the next will. You can be fairly confident that every kitchen knife will spend the majority of its life in the dishwasher or a bowl of water in the sink.
Click to expand...

True. I've considered including a small scotch-brite pad and instruction sheet for care with every knife, but I doubt it's worth the effort and cost. It's either preaching to the choir or talking to a wall.
I wipe my feet and vacuum the sparkles off before coming back in the house. I put the toilet seat down. I put my dirty clothes in the wash, not on the living room floor. I hardly ever make rude noises during dinner. But I still cannot convince my fiance and daughter to wipe a knife clean when they're done with it, or to not grind/saw on a ceramic plate with a fine edge.
There really is a good reason that cheap knives with serrated "edges" and plastic handles are so popular. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top