There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Also as far as honing you can use one of those pull through sharpeners (NEVER THE COARSE SIDE) on the "fine" side, or ceramic side. Very lightly no pressure just pull the knife through and the ceramic rods will fix any rolled edges and maintain the edge about as well as a steel does.
@namhod I will admit I have done that a few times before I realized it wasn't a very good idea on so many levels. I still see my mom scraping the sharp side across the boards sometimes. ;_;
Regarding grabbing a chef's knife for everything, it isn't really a bad tendency. Its the right tool for the job probably 90% of time in the kitchen. Though if bones or frozen meats are an issue, a Cleaver is really the only option. Have the cleaver be the damage sponge while the chefs knife stays the scalpel for precision cutting work. If its a good bit heavier than the chefs knife, that might help convince that its the correct tool for the harder jobs, and keep the chef's knife waiting for the other stuff.
You can always google knife sharpening in a big town near you. Send em in one at a time so you still have knives to work with. Then work on changing habits and learning to maintain.
Like @AngryAccountant said, just grab a Lansky kit. $30 on Amazon. Then sit down and watch some YouTube videos. You will be getting professional results in no time.
That is the route I would go. Especially since it sounds like your moms habits will be virtually impossible to fix. So learning how to sharpen yourself is the best bet.
@namhod It's a little strange I've seen professional chefs also that with the knives. Use the sharp edged side to slide the cut veggies into their hand. I suppose maybe they aren't scraping it against the board but there is no way to really tell in most tv shows and stuff. So it doesn't help young chefs or people actually interested in cooking understand how to maintain the knives. Not that a show for entertainment is supposed to do that but I've seen it from chefs even on youtube cooking in a professional manner.
@ChefMitch1138 I did notice a nice looking set from them. Victorinox. Cheaper on amazon than here oddly enough.
In commercial settings the cutting board can be very large and heavy, which means you're scooping up the ingredients you chopped and not sliding them off the edge of the board like some might do at home.
Scraping/scooping up with the spine not only doesn't work very well, it's also less safe especially when you're not the only one in the kitchen.
This is a relatively new complaint from home chefs with OCDs, as I've never once met a professional chef from Japanese to Western cuisine that doesn't scrape(and even twist/pry) with the edge in the kitchen. Chefs are worried about getting meals out to customers in a timely fashion, not preserving the edge for the sake of not sharpening as often. Most chefs will sharpen the edge before their shift begins anyway.
Sharpen a knife when it's dull, but don't be afraid to use a knife as it needs to be used.
Best of luck.
I went deep into sharpening to ensure the dull knife scenario never happens again
@Fourday @Slomomofo I can say with honesty that the sink is not so much an issue. Granted she leaves the knives behind the faucet which I don't agree with but they are never in the sink getting dishes put on them or anything. I also got her to lay the knives down either on the dish rack or the drying pad thing I got. Honestly our kitchen is very small. There's just enough space for two people to cook inside and even that's pushing it. I have been looking into the magnetic wall mount for awhile but there is just no space. It's something I have to measure and put a lot of thought into it's location before I do it.
@guvnor I'm glad you came in and said that about the knife scraping. I watched some more stuff and actually paid attention to it and yes. No real chef takes the time to turn the knife around and do often sharpen the knife before use. That's from random youtube videos and stuff from TV. Their cutting boards are often just too big and heavy to lift.
I hope it's cool we are still going in this conversation thread. I'm sort of enjoying the conversation. Been meaning to look over the other threads more as well but it's a topic that's been on my mind for a few months with no real outlet.
That statement is a perfect supporting reason for not scraping with the blade edge. Most home gamers are not going to sharpen their knife frequently, hell even frequent honing is unlikely in most home kitchens. Preserve that edge as long as you can.
Safety? Kitchens are generally an unsafe place.
Nothing but an OCD mindset from collector types who don't want to use their knives in fear their resale value will drop, as they enjoy romanticizing knives more than actually using knives.
A good cutting board such as end grain hardwood or a softer HDPE isn't damaging the blade because its not moving the edge in a direction of weakness. The end grain hardwoods actually open a bit and are sliced by the knife, then "self repair". The plastics are cut minimally, hence not damaging.
Being nice to your edge means less sharpening, less sharpening means a longer life for your knife. If I invest in decent quality products I want them to last.
Yes, that is my point.
Salty, are those who need to dictate to others how a tool should be used.
Personally, I prefer umami.
Your argument is that it doesn't have a noticeable affect. Sure to someone who sharpens their knife before every use, or even hones before every use. I agree. For everyone else. Who sharpens maybe a couple times a year, the average person probably less. I think scraping blade down, say into a pot or pan from a board you are holding above, does have an affect. The first time? Maybe slightly, but the fiftieth time?
Engines will run without oil, that doesn't mean you should. You don't have to vacuum your carpet, most things will get ground into it over time and you won't notice. If a door hinge is squeaky don't bother with oil, it won't affect the performance.
That's how your argument is coming across. Immediately calling people "collectors", pretentious, or OCD, and telling people to focus on making their meal taste better when sharpening and keeping knives sharp was the discussion... Very helpful, and not making your argument seem more valid at all.
I also edit my posts to correct any noticeable grammar or spelling mistakes.
Passive aggressive much?
If you want to spend your own time for testing to validate your point, feel free to do so.
It could also be your pretentiousness. Dunno if that is a factor. Maybe you should focus on your OCD to make your collection better.