Pocket Knives in the Kitchen: Why?

cotdt said:
When you're at your friends' house, your pocket knife is likely to be a better meat cutter than whatever butter knife is in their kitchen.
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That pretty much sums it up for me.

I have a nice small block of Victorinox/Forschner knives that I keep very sharp. It's easier to reach over and take out a Victorinox paring knife than use my pocket knife. My go-to kitchen knife is a 7 inch Victorinox chefs knife that nobody else touches.

However, when we're over Karens sisters house, and we're doing a BBQ, my pocket knife gets used a lot. For some reason Diane will not keep anything but cheap dull knives, so it falls to me to do any thin slicing and dicing. The pocket knife of the day is put into action. I've discovered by trial and error, a sodbuster makes a decent kitchen knife. When over Diane and Roy's house, I've actually snuck out front and sharpened up a large dull butcher knife on the front steps. It actually worked well.
 
I use mine in the kitchen simply because I have only one piece of kitchen cutlery and see no reason for more (a nessmuck I didn't need as a field knife that stays there to process/slice/serve large roasts.--and for people that live/visit here hat think cutting food will gum up their folder) A knife is a knife; If I have one in my pocket that cuts and works, why do I need to have a different one for every little task in the kitchen? I guess I just don't like un-needed redundancy in whats laying around.

G.
 
We're simply being historical. In the middle ages, a person carried a knife for two reasons: 1-self defense. 2-because you had to provide your own utensils if you were invited to a friends house for dinner. On the way to their house, you may have to fight off a group of bandits. When you got there, you wiped the blood off and cut your meat and veggies. The reason our butterknives are dull and round-pointed is that a king in France was trying to dis-arm the populace, and ordered all knife-points rounded. They became cheaper, both in cost and quality, so people were able to provide flatware for guests.

If you've never tried it, there is just nothing like picking up an apple, or a sausage, pulling out a beloved pocket ornament, and easily slipping the razor sharp blade through your snack. It really connects us to our ancestors.

Or, we're all just crazy.
 
There is no better way to enjoy a knife then to use it including the kitchen! The other reason I use nearly all my knives in the kitchen is because our kitchen cutlery is crap!
 
Ice Tigre said:
I guess I just don't like un-needed redundancy in whats laying around.
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Do you have more than one similar pocket knife? ;) :cool:

For me, it's the same as with a lot of you guys (so it seems). I've got nice kitchen knives, so I don't need to use my pocket knife. Sometimes I still do, but that's mostly out by the grill (don't take my kitchen knives outside!).
In the case of going to someone else's house to cook, I invariably have a knife in my pocket that's sharper than anything in the kitchen.
 
Rick & all,this is a great thread !
I love to cook & I love knives.No matter how many custom kitchen knives I own,I'll still,every now & then,be caught,cutting something in the kitchen with a slipjoint,hunters & fillets ,too.

Is this a compromise ? A Santoku,made by a knifemaker who likes making slipjoints?

Bret Dowell Santoku,on the job

DSCF0839-2.jpg
 
jackknife said:
I've discovered by trial and error, a sodbuster makes a decent kitchen knife. When over Diane and Roy's house, I've actually snuck out front and sharpened up a large dull butcher knife on the front steps. It actually worked well.
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JK

I use the Sodbuster for preping raw food when I am out. The soddie seems to be the best slippie for food. The front steps trick is pretty slick. I just turn a coffee mug over and work work magic.;)

God Bless
 
No better way to see how well a pocket knife works than testing it out in the kitchen. If it can't cut it there, it probably won't cut it anywhere.
 
VCM3 - That santoku is gorgeous! Looks like a nice, high, deep, hollow grind. Verra nice!!! :D
 
Thanks - interesting replies!

I leave an old AG Russell ceramic rod sharpener set up in a corner of my kitchen counter and touch up my fair-to-middling quality chef's knives as needed, so they're always shaving-sharp. And while I try not to overdo it, I do occasionally Oil the Joints on my slippies, and I don't find the subtle waft of Rem Oil fragrance particularly appetizing. :barf:

BTW, Vince, that Bret Dowell Santoku is a real jaw-dropper! You always come up with such great knives.
 
Thanks for the kind word's on the Santoku.

You know,while we are talking kitchen & knives,I gotta add here....
There are so many cool straight knives,kitchen stuff,made by cultery co.'s,noted for slipjoints.
I've spyed many,on the big auction site,by Case,Queen ,Keen Kutter & others

I can see why a knife nut,would want to use his slipjoint in the kitchen,but I can't fathom,the same knife nut,not having at least,one good straight knife in his/her kitchen :confused:
-Vince
 
I've used my barehead slimline trapper to disassemble whole chickens. The blade is just so thin and sharp that it simply glided between joints with no problem. Now, I do have a Henckels Four-Star in the kitchen, but the way my girlfriend uses it, I'd be surprised if it's ever sharp. Because of this, I like to have an Opinel around for such occasions.

Gotta give that Douk-Douk a shot in the kitchen. Looks like it'd handle kitchen tasks very well.
 
Rick said:
Thanks - interesting replies!

I leave an old AG Russell ceramic rod sharpener set up in a corner of my kitchen counter and touch up my fair-to-middling quality chef's knives as needed, so they're always shaving-sharp. And while I try not to overdo it, I do occasionally Oil the Joints on my slippies, and I don't find the subtle waft of Rem Oil fragrance particularly appetizing. :barf:

BTW, Vince, that Bret Dowell Santoku is a real jaw-dropper! You always come up with such great knives.
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Olive oil works extremely well for me. Nontoxic, small enough amount that it doesn't gum up, and olive oil doesn't go rancid easily.

YayILikePie said:
I've used my barehead slimline trapper to disassemble whole chickens. The blade is just so thin and sharp that it simply glided between joints with no problem. Now, I do have a Henckels Four-Star in the kitchen, but the way my girlfriend uses it, I'd be surprised if it's ever sharp. Because of this, I like to have an Opinel around for such occasions.

Gotta give that Douk-Douk a shot in the kitchen. Looks like it'd handle kitchen tasks very well.
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The Douk makes an excellent kitchen knife. It and a Boker sodbuster are my go-to kitchen knives.
 
After working in the culinary industry at points in life, it is hard to grab any pocket knife and be efficient. Folders and food prep have pros and cons in general. My pocket knives are sharper than my parer, but it is due to my better half not treating it well. After a touch up they are about equal, and for extended use any dedicated tool wins.

I am curious about knife nuts that mention having poor quality kitchen knives. They sure get alot of use over the lifespan, and if you actually timed the amount of use, they probably trump other knives except for folks with certain professions, etc.
 
Sword and Shield said:
Olive oil works extremely well for me. Nontoxic, small enough amount that it doesn't gum up, and olive oil doesn't go rancid easily.
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My local grocery store manager looked at me like I was friggin' nuts when I asked for spec Mil-L-63460 olive oil CLP with Teflon. Maybe I'll have better luck with canola oil...

:D
 
puukkoman said:
Do you have more than one similar pocket knife? ;) :cool:
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Lol, I should'ave seen that one coming! :)
That depends on your definition of Un-needed as related to redundant.. :D

There's a diference between having several variations that get used at different times, and keeping several in one place that ain't needed because of having the other ones.


OK, so thats a little thin... But thats my story and I'm sticking to it!

:D:D:cool:

As to oiling the joints, doing food prep with mine is honestly the reason I never need to oil them; a little residue of grease when eating steaks goes a long ways towards lubrication. And like the man said, olive oil works wonders, like lately while beef is few and far between..

G.
 
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I use my knives in the kitchen simply because I like too. Sometimes, when you hold a certain knife, you are just like "Wow, I love this knife". The knife just fits your hand perfectly, responds almost to your thoughts. And you just want to use this knife. For me, its my Queen Stockman. Its not perfect, has some faults, but I love it. I actually just shaved with it :). A nice knife makes boring tasks fun.
 
Personally, I use food-grade mineral oil on all my knives. Doesn't add flavor, odor, or stomach cramps.
 
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