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How do you hold your knife? |
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pitrow 
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Joined: 22 November 2010 Location: Newberg, Oregon Status: Offline Points: 1087 |
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 Topic: How do you hold your knife?Posted: 01 October 2012 at 14:47 |
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Simple question, nothing fancy here.
Just curious how people hold knives when chopping/slicing. I know there will be different techniques for paring, filleting, etc. Just curious about general chopping/slicing. I know that for most people the "proper" grip has been taught as pinching the top of the blade between the thumb and knuckle of the index finger, in front of the bolster. such as:  While I sometimes use that grip, I often find myself using a similar grip, except pinching with my thumb and middle finger, and extending my index finger down the spine of the blade. I don't know why, just seems natural to me. Sometimes I feel like I get finer control with it that way too. Anyway, how do you hold your knife? |
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Mike
Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
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TasunkaWitko
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Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9389 |
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Posted: 01 October 2012 at 14:51 |
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for me, it's pretty much as pictured, but also sometimes as you described. there's no single factor that motivates me to do either; it's just what i'm doing at the time.
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Hoser
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Joined: 06 February 2010 Location: Cumberland, RI Status: Offline Points: 3454 |
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Posted: 01 October 2012 at 15:29 |
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I hold mine exactly as pictured above...I find it gives me the most control of any different grips I've tried, with the exception of my filet knife, which is too thin and flexible to be handled with this grip.
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Go ahead...play with your food!
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HistoricFoodie
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Joined: 21 February 2012 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 4945 |
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Posted: 01 October 2012 at 16:26 |
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The pinch grip is the way professionals hold their knives. It allows the most control, particularly when combined with the claw hold on the item being cut. FWIW, that's how I do it 99.999% of the time.
Once you're used to it, the pinch grip is the least tiring way to use a knife. That's important for professionals who are chopping and cutting all day. But is it the best for the home cook? I'm about to commit sacrilege by saying "not necessarily."
In point of fact, the semi-pinch, with extended finger is often more comfortable, and provides more control, for the home cook, particularly when slicing. You're not going to be cutting or chopping or slicing enough, at any one time, for hand fatigue to be a factor.
In short, you should be using the grip that is most comfortable in your hand, consistent with safety and productivity.
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Margi Cintrano
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Joined: 03 February 2012 Location: Spain Status: Offline Points: 6362 |
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Posted: 02 October 2012 at 03:50 |
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Good Morning Pitrow, This is a truly great question for our Fow Forum.
Pinch grip ( like photo ) ... Had learnt at Le Cordon Bleu when I had taken some culinary courses.
Kindest,
Margi.
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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.
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Lupinus
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Joined: 03 November 2012 Location: Upstate, SC Status: Offline Points: 35 |
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Posted: 04 November 2012 at 08:59 |
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Pinch as pictured.
Unless I am deboning something...there are times that calls for the crazed serial killer grip 
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pitrow
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Joined: 22 November 2010 Location: Newberg, Oregon Status: Offline Points: 1087 |
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Posted: 12 February 2013 at 17:04 |
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Found this picture of Iron Chef Morimoto cutting tuna loin for Sashimi. Seems I'm not the only one that places his index finger on the spine of the knife.
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Mike
Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
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HistoricFoodie
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Joined: 21 February 2012 Location: Kentucky Status: Offline Points: 4945 |
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Posted: 12 February 2013 at 17:55 |
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Comparing anybody's knife work to Morimoto's is just unfair. He is the master. Notice how every one of those slices is exactly the same size.
If you ever want to really feel inadequate with a blade, watch him turn a daikon into a ribbon of paper using an 18" knife. Awesome!
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