Pocket Knives in the Kitchen: Why?

The very slim california-clip blade on a 3" toothpick is better than any other knife for coreing strawberries.

The exceptionally skinny 3 1/2 inch X 1/4 inch blade on my Wild Boar whittler can cut anything in my small kitchen, and if nobody's looking, it's easy to lick clean in a second.

My 4-year old grandson likes to butter and cut his pancakes with his (dulled) Opinel. It gives him experience handling a (safe) blade.
 
The folks who use folders and the ones who like their kitchen knives are all correct, of course; it is all subjective, all personal taste. I use kitchen knives in the kitchen because they work better for me than anything else there. I use pocket knives when I am anywhere that callls for one. I use a fixed blade knife when hunting (usually), because blood is highly acidic and because once you really get a folder nasty they are marginally clean and/or hygienic ever after. And of course fixed blades are stronger. For cutting boards, kitchen tool handles, anything wooden in the kitchen, and cast iron cookware, the ONLY oil to use is drug store bottled mineral oil. And it really excels. All of the vegetable oils get gummy in time, and rancid. The shop oils are poisonous to some slight degree, no doubt. I have seen a beautiful end-grain glued-up pinned-up butcher block cutting board of fantastic grained maple that someone kept annointing with some vegetable oil. It stunk so bad even after multiple deep washings that I put it into the free box. I have a set of A.G. Russell kitchen knives from Japan with impregnated slab wooden handles that I really like. Apparently they have become popular, because he now sells something the same or similar for 300% of what I paid ten years ago. My sweetheart and I use separate selections of knives:thumbup:
 
gdtrfb said:
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.
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I too am confused. It is true that the kitchen is where knives do the most work. So why not have good kitchen cutlery? You like the look and feel of your slippies? Then why not get some kitchen straights that are also appealing. Kitchen duty is about as traditional as its going to get for everyday tasks across the board. No matter what you do for a living, you gotta eat. I doubt most of the spey blades are doing the same task they were originally ground for, but a slicer in high carbon with wood slab handle will cut up veggies like it was made to do centuries ago.
 
I just use any excuse to use my knives:D It makes my slippies happy when I let them do their thing too....really they actually smile;)
 
Honestly, I have very nice kitchen knives, that take wonderful edges. Unfortunately, the wife likes to toss them in the sink, and run them in the dishwasher, so that the edges are never the way I left them. I could spend all my time at home honing those blades, just to watch her ruin them. I choose, instead, to use a nice pocket knife in the kitchen, for the most part, and occasionally re-sharpen "her" kitchen knives, when she complains about the edges.
 
Kbrasmodeler said:
Honestly, I have very nice kitchen knives, that take wonderful edges. Unfortunately, the wife likes to toss them in the sink, and run them in the dishwasher, so that the edges are never the way I left them. I could spend all my time at home honing those blades, just to watch her ruin them. I choose, instead, to use a nice pocket knife in the kitchen, for the most part, and occasionally re-sharpen "her" kitchen knives, when she complains about the edges.
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Yes! I've come across this situation,many times....:eek:
 
Partly because my kids hardly ever bother to wash the kitchen cutlery. It ticks me off to be standing there washing a bunch of dried-on crap from them, especially since I've had almost every knife in the block since before the kids were a twinkle in my eye. If I just want to slice off a bit of cheese, or whatever, the knife in my pocket or on my belt is likely cleaner than what is sitting on the counter, and is ready to go when I want to cut something. That's why I carry one there, after all.

The other interesting thing I noticed the other day when I set my Case Barehead Slimline Trapper down on the counter next to one of the aforementioned dirty kitchen knives -- that Dexter Russel paring knife has a blade exactly the same length as the one on the pocket cutlery, and the handles are about the same length, too. So I'm carrying around a folding paring knife, basically. And the paring knives are the most used blades in my kitchen. They don't intimidate the youngsters, and are just right for most of the work. That's why there's four of them -- the only redundant knives in the block.

And that's the other reason the brats feel like they can get away with being lazy and not washing them -- if there's two or three others in the block, what's the point in washing them? The next person along still has a knife to use, so who are they hurting?

Just the old man's feelings. Nothing important.


Lesson learned a while back -- be very, very careful when cutting cheese with a Peanut. Little sucker almost got thrown out the window after the stunt it pulled, twisting in my hand and tearing open my thumb.
 
Rick said:
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:
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I was in the Army too long for that smell to bother me, but ... food grade mineral oil is just the thing for oiling those joints.
 
thats a strange observation. its been my experience that tactical and fixed blade owners are -huge- on using them in the kitchen. despite the type of knife, its usually just for fun. people enjoy using their new or favorite knives to prepare veggies just to see their slicing capabilities.
 
OK.,here's why
Yesterday,my wife tells me I'm on my own Fri for dinner,as she's working.So,to me,this is a great time to cook some venison,she frowns at it & won't partake :D
My Son & I will feast
Plus,I came up with this ass kicking pepper steak deal,that I did,so now,round 2..
So at lunch yesterday,I go out to my garden & get the last of my peppers
I had two knives on me & have had them for the last few days My Hampton swayback & a Menefee modified warncliffe
The Hampton,works better than any other paring knife,I have,to "halve" the peppers ,in half The size of the knife,just makes for great control

Later on,I cut the backstrap medallions,I had defrosted,into small half finger sized pieces for this recipe I used the Menefee modified warncliffe.The reason,i used it,was ,its pretty new,I just got it & Rick hand sharpened it & I wanted to marvel at it's cutting ability
Yeah,I coulda used my custom kitchen knives,but right there & then,those seemed better choices
I'm almost all prepped up for this deal on Fri.,I just gotta get the onions done up :thumbup:
-Vince
 
tongueriver said:
I use a fixed blade knife when hunting (usually), because blood is highly acidic and because once you really get a folder nasty they are marginally clean and/or hygienic ever after.

For cutting boards, kitchen tool handles, anything wooden in the kitchen, and cast iron cookware, the ONLY oil to use is drug store bottled mineral oil. And it really excels. All of the vegetable oils get gummy in time, and rancid.
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Never seen either of those. Properly cleaned, my kitchen folder is good to go with no hygenic problems. As for the wood and iron, olive oil has always worked well for me- never seen a problem with it going rancid, and it seasons iron better than mineral oil.
 
Sword and Shield said:
Never seen either of those. Properly cleaned, my kitchen folder is good to go with no hygenic problems. As for the wood and iron, olive oil has always worked well for me- never seen a problem with it going rancid, and it seasons iron better than mineral oil.
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Olive oil does go rancid.

As excellent as olive oil is for your skin, you cannot use it as a massage oil.
It sours and smells strongly.
You have to use a much more neutral oil and add very small amounts of olive oil to the main oil.
 
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