Knife 'skills' . . .

[Woodsmoke]

I was teaching a friend how to break down a carcass yesterday, and her knife skills (or lack of them) truly terrified me. How the hell she escaped with all her fingers intact is a mystery. How the hell I escaped with all my fingers intact is a mystery, come to that. Halfway through though, it struck me that this really isn't an uncommon phenomenon in my life these days. My own wife scares the beejesus out of me when I happen to watch her do anything with a knife (even something like slicing cheese) Invariably she'll pick the first one that comes to hand, use it incorrectly, and show a cavalier disregard for the lovingly-maintained edge by chucking it into the sink once she's done with it

Seems to me it's part and parcel of an overall dearth of even the most basic life skills in a large proportion of people these days

 

[User00040]

If I am ever unfortunate enough to have children, my parenting style will be 'hands on but gloves off' ala what some Scandinavian countries practise:



I like what the lady says, they are taught that knives are tools and not weapons.

If we take the same approach to firearms then that would be good too.

Another thing, I learnt to drive a car and ride a motorbike at 12 in a rural area.

Accidents were very difficult to achieve and you had to be trying to cause one.

The idea that a 17/18 year old can hop in a car, take a few lessons, pass your test, and away you go, seems crazy to me.

 

[User00040]

I was teaching a friend how to break down a carcass yesterday, and her knife skills (or lack of them) truly terrified me. How the hell she escaped with all her fingers intact is a mystery. How the hell I escaped with all my fingers intact is a mystery, come to that. Halfway through though, it struck me that this really isn't an uncommon phenomenon in my life these days. My own wife scares the beejesus out of me when I happen to watch her do anything with a knife (even something like slicing cheese) Invariably she'll pick the first one that comes to hand, use it incorrectly, and show a cavalier disregard for the lovingly-maintained edge by chucking it into the sink once she's done with it

Seems to me it's part and parcel of an overall dearth of even the most basic life skills in a large proportion of people these days

Not to mention, it's frightening how many self-styled 'outdoor types' (think grown men with hipster beards and flashy pickups) can't sharpen a knife freehand with a stone and strop.

I taught myself at 12...

 

[tikka_madras]

My five- and six-year olds love sharpening sticks. The boy told me last week he wants to be a professional spear sharpener.

My rules are they have to be seated, not walk around with unsheathed knives, cut away from themselves and anything I see them doing I don’t like they get it taken off them immediately. Both are actually quite proficient.

 

[YoungGun]

My own wife scares the beejesus out of me when I happen to watch her do anything with a knife (even something like slicing cheese) Invariably she'll pick the first one that comes to hand, use it incorrectly, and show a cavalier disregard for the lovingly-maintained edge by chucking it into the sink once she's done with it

I have one of these at home - I feel your pain!

 

[willie_gunn]

I have one of these at home - I feel your pain!

Are they like Mrs Gunn, in that they say they actually prefer the knives when they’re blunt??

 

[Woodsmoke]

Are they like Mrs Gunn, in that they say they actually prefer the knives when they’re blunt??

That's my wife! To a 'T'. She says it stops her worrying about cutting herself . . . . . .

 

[Mungo]

My five- and six-year olds love sharpening sticks. The boy told me last week he wants to be a professional spear sharpener.

My rules are they have to be seated, not walk around with unsheathed knives, cut away from themselves and anything I see them doing I don’t like they get it taken off them immediately. Both are actually quite proficient.

Exactly this.

I gave mine his first knife when he was 5, and he’s much more careful with it than I am. He’s actually very scornful of me whenever I cut myself.

 

[The Grouse]

My girlfriend continues to shock and amaze me with her lack of ability with knives in the kitchen, which is completely at odds with her profession as a pathology technician.

She can break down and excise any component part with surgical precision from a human body, but give her an onion to chop and it's a complete disaster.

 

[gixer1]

I bought of the HME (hunting made easy) knives from the tinterweb recently, it looked like a good concept...however I did a gralloch with the the other day and managed to nick myself no less than 3 times! I just could not get along with it, the problem being it has a skinning hook but when you turn it around it your finger ends up on the main blade...I’m sure others use these with great effect but it’s not for me and I’ll go back to my Mora Clipper!

I was considering offering it free to someone starting out on here but I’d be worried they injured themselves!

 

[willie_gunn]

That's my wife! To a 'T'. She says it stops her worrying about cutting herself . . . . . .

When I cut myself I now make a point of showing Mrs Gunn how clean the incision is, and therefore how much better it will knit back together.

For some reason she’s less than convinced!

 

[Cottis]

There is a genuine lack of basic life skills demonstrated by scarily large sections of the population.

People can order a t shirt online but they cannot dice an onion accurately in 20 seconds.

They can digitally post a picture for public scrutiny but cannot check fluids in a car.

They can buy any item they want but they cannot sharpen or maintain basic tools.

It is frustrating. I like life to be simple but I also like it to efficient. I could not imagine using anything unfit for purpose.

I sharpened some knives recently for a friend who is not a complete moron. He just doesn't attach importance to sharp knives. He can enjoy them when they are sharp but will not learn or spend the time to keep them that way. He will then use them to hack and bludgeon his food in to pieces until I happen to see them and sort them out. This time round, they were so far gone it took absolutely ages to remove the requisite amount of metal to have them sharp again. Give it a few weeks and I bet he would have more luck chopping his carrots with a baseball bat.

 

[User00035]

Always makes me cringe to see someone passing a knife to someone else incorrectly.
This is the right way to do it, whether in the field shooting, in a kitchen or on a rocking fishing boat.
All kids should learn this.

 

[Puds]

I teach basic knife skills to my yr7 cookery classes, and it amazes me how many aren’t allowed to use knives at home, despite being 11/12 yrs old (apart from the farm kids, who are fine with anything sharp & pointy). A lot of parents seem to think that keeping them ignorant about knives is safer than teaching them how to use them properly.

We start off with basic safety (how to carry, don’t leave it into soapy water, don’t prod anybody with it etc) then simple cutting techniques (bridge & claw).
The older they get, the more advanced the knife skills we teach, right up to simple game butchery with yr10 & 11 GCSE students, getting them to break down pheasants, rabbits and muntjac. Basic skills for life!

 

[Cootmeurer]

I would separate basic knife skills from specific knife trained tasks

Blade selection, basic cutting motions, blade sharpening, basic safety, etc. are one thing

The ability to perform a specific skill with a knife is quite another

I say this after having taught my son, a chef, how to gralloch, skins as break down a carcass. His chef knife skills far surpass my own, yet his knowledge of anatomy made him less then adept. He did pick it up quickly

I could say the same for a good friend in the hunting lease - he is a retired special forces sniper and was trained in knife fighting- but he couldn’t skin a carcass to save his life. When I first became aware was when I watched him punch his blade into the abdominal cavity. It took two deer but I think he is on the right path now

 

[User00035]

Learning sharpening and blade care is important. The most dangerous knife is a blunt one.

 

[tikka_madras]

Learning sharpening and blade care is important. The most dangerous knife is a blunt one.

Over a lifetime of various nicks and cuts I’ve found that the most dangerous knife, to me personally, is the one I’m holding.

 

[Rory]

Learning sharpening and blade care is important. The most dangerous knife is a blunt one.

This. A blunt knife requires more force to cut, if it slips, the cut will be more severe and jagged than if using a sharp knife.

 

[Woodsmoke]

This is the right way to do it, whether in the field shooting, in a kitchen or on a rocking fishing boat.
All kids should learn this.

The majority of kids when I was growing up picked up these skills (and many others) while in the cubs, then scouts. Generally taught to us by our peers!

 

[RichardAllen]

My 12 year old asked me to show her again how to sharpen a kitchen knife with the steel. She did it herself this time, very proud Dad