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San Francisco Chronicle profiles life-long knife sharpener

December 27, 2010 / Tim / 1 Comment

The San Francisco Chronicle recently ran an interesting profile on life-long knife sharpener and knife expert Eric. E. Weiss. Weiss, 55, has been sharpening knives since he was five-years-old. He currently earns a living by sharpening approximately 35-40 knives per day, at $8-10 per knife.

Weiss mans a booth at the Berkely Farmer’s Market three days a week and still sharpens knives by hand. He told The Chronicle that he uses four natural stones while sharpening: soft Arkansas, medium Arkanas, red Indian and ceramic, in addition to six grades of industrial diamondstones as sharpening material.

Like many knife experts, Weiss is critical of using dishwashers to clean knives, which he calls his “No. 1 nemsis”.

People seem to think that any knife can be put in a dishwasher. But in fact it’s like sandblasting your car in order to clean it. The knife is banging against the basket, getting chips, nicks, dents, dings. And if the knife has any sort of quality steel to it, the dishwasher can remove the edge in two, three washings.

In the profile, Weiss also attempted to clear up the often repeated myth that a sharp knife is more dangerous than a dull one.

When he’s not sharpening blades, Weiss said that he is an avid reader of knife history, from tactical knives to survival knives to hunting knives.

Knife Advocates Lobby for Rights

December 6, 2010 / Tim / 2 Comments

An article in Saturday’s New York Times chronicled the recent success of knife lobbyists across the country to ease restrictions on possessing different kinds of knives.

At the centerpiece of the story was the decision by Arizona lawmakers to put all knife restrictions under control of the state legislature, who then proceeded to abolish the majority of prohibitions.

The burgeoning knife movement is championed by Knife Rights Inc., an advocacy group based in Arizona, which contends that the right to carry knives is protected by the Second amendment, alongside the right to bear arms.

The group also claims that the prohibitions against certain kinds of knives, such as switch blades and/or machetes, have no basis in the potential harm the knives could cause.

It’s ridiculous to talk about the size of the knife as if that makes a difference. If you carry a machete that’s three feet long, it’s no more dangerous than any knife. You can do just as much damage with an inch-long blade, even a box cutter,” said D’Alton Holder, a veteran knife maker who lives in Wickenberg, Ariz.

In addition to its success in Arizona, the group also aided in the overturning of a New Hampshire Law that banned switchblades.

Many of the current knife bans were passed in the 1950s as a result of movies like “West Side Story and “Rebel Without a Cause,” which featured menacing knife use.

How to pick out the right camp knife

November 10, 2010 / Tim / 1 Comment

There are a bunch of camp knives out there, often making it daunting to make a purchase. The video below, in which an old-time knife connoisseur is explaining the differences in camping knives to a knife newcomer, is a great example of the diversity of the camping knife market.

The man has stretched approximately a dozen blades across the backside of a canoe and proceeds to explain the values of each one.

He talks about the convenience of folding or pocket knives. He calls the fixed blade knife a “failsafe” because of its lack of moving parts. He describes the importance of hunting or survival knives, which can be used to gut animals, cut wood and erect shelter. And, lastly, he shows off a few boning knives and a couple of fillet knives.

Check out the video below:

Four myths about knives

November 2, 2010 / Tim / 10 Comments

For every good piece of information that exists online about knives, there are more than a few inaccuracies. So, how do you wade through the drek to find the information that’s important and accurate? You should start by not passing on these 4 popular knife myths.

#1 Stainless steel knives can be washed in the dishwasher

They can’t, or at least they definitely shouldn’t be. The force of water can decrease the sharpness of knife edges by pushing them against shelves or other utensils. In addition, the combination of hot water and the chemicals that exist in detergent can leave stains on stainless steel cutlery if it comes in contact with silver.

Secondly, washing sharp knives in the dishwasher could be dangerous to your physical safety if you or a family member reach into the dishwasher without paying proper attention.

#2 A dull knife is safer to use than a sharp one

This is another myth that needs to be busted. Though a dull knife will have less of an impact if it grazes your flesh, it’s not safer. Because of its dullness, you’ll often have to cut more vigorously, exerting a lot of force and pressure. This decreases your ability to control the knife and elevates the potential for accidents.

The best plan for cutting in the kitchen is to use a well-sharpened knife that you don’t need a lot of effort to operate, giving you maximum control.

#3 There are knives that stay sharp forever

There aren’t. Certain serrated knives are advertised as staying sharp forever, but the serrated “teeth” of these knives will eventually wear down or fail. Don’t fall for the inaccurate advertising here. Regardless of the knife you buy, it will require sharpening.

#4 It is best to send your knife to a professional to be sharpened

Though professional sharpening services can do a good job, they often use conventional grinding stones that can remove too much metal. High quality knife sharpeners are available online at affordable prices, and they’re easy to use. There’s really no reason to spend time and effort on a professional knife sharpening service, when you can easily sharpen your knives at home.

How to Hold a Throwing Knife

October 25, 2010 / Tim / 1 Comment

So you’re interested in knife throwing? Well, before you go pro, the first thing you need to do is learn how to hold a knife. There are two primary grips used by knife throwers, both of which we’ll explain below.

Hammer Grip

The hammer grip is the easiest method of holding a throwing knife and the appropriate method for beginners. As you might expect, in the hammer grip hold the knife just like you would hold a hammer. Remember to keep your wrist stiff and only grasp the knife by the handle, in order to avoid cutting yourself. The hammer grip is primarily used for heavy knives.

The Pinch Grip

The pinch grip is best for rapid and forceful throwing. With the pinch grip, the knife is pinched between the thumb and index finger. You should usually only use your thumb or index finger. However, for a heavier knife, you can use your middle finger as well.

Knife throwing grip images shown courtesy of KnifeThrowing.info.

Five uses for the machete

October 16, 2010 / Tim / 0 Comments

machete A ubiquitous sidearm in Latin America and many developing countries, the machete is becoming increasingly popular in Europe and America as well. Lighter than an ax or hatchet, it not only has a wide variety of agricultural uses, but is also a great camping accessory. Here are a few common uses for a machete.

Cleaning brush, foraging a path

This is where the machete truly outperforms almost all other blades. With its broad cutting service and light weight, the machete is the ultimate bushwhacking tool. If you’re traveling through dense woods, a machete is the best way to expedite your journey by removing vines, bushes and thorns that are obstructing your path. It is also a great tool to use to clear a campsite.

Splitting firewood

Why opt for lugging around a hatchet or an ax when a machete can do more? A properly sharpened machete can easily split logs and, if need be, even fell small trees.

Chopping food

If you brought vegetables or other provisions that need to be cut into smaller pieces, a machete is capable of doing the job. A machete can slice up pretty much anything you can eat, so you can forget about needing to lug around a large knife for cooking. It’s also great for splitting coconuts and other fruits.

Fending off wild animals, killing venomous snakes

In an ideal world, you’d never encounter an angry rattle snake or a hungry mountain lion. But the bottom line is that no matter how cautious you are, the great outdoors are full of uncertainties. With a machete, you can not only slice through snakes, but fight off a larger predator if need be.

Shaving

Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but many people do shave with machetes. Just make sure you have plenty of shaving cream and a steady hand before you try it. Need a tutorial? Check out the video below.

How to teach kids to use kitchen knives

October 12, 2010 / Tim / 2 Comments

Few instincts are stronger than a parent’s desire to protect their child from danger, which is why it’s important to teach your children the correct way to use kitchen knives. The most important thing to stress to young ones about kitchen knives is that they are tools, not toys.

Here’s an example of something you should never do with young children and kitchen knives:

Of course, the best way to encourage your children to safely use kitchen knives is to lead by example. Here are a few tips

(1) Make sure you always point knives away from yourself while carrying them.

(2) Always use cutting boards that are sturdy and reliable.

(3) Make sure you never leave knives unattended.

(4) Be conscious of your body language and posture when you are using kitchen knives around young children, as they will learn from example. Be mindful to show caution, for their sake and yours.

(5) When you are ready to allow your children to begin using kitchen knives, first start them with a plastic knife and have them cut foods like cheese and butter. Show them how to hold the handle correctly and how to keep their fingers out of the way. Once they progress, you can move them onto a butter knife, and then, once that is mastered, allow them to progress to a kitchen knife.

(6) Always supervise children when they are using kitchen knives.

Want a few more tips? Check out this cool video from FitforFeast, which has 10 kitchen knife safety tips for kids.

How to Skin a Rabbit

October 6, 2010 / Tim / 0 Comments

So you’ve shot a rabbit. Congrats on the kill, but what are you going to do now? Skinning and gutting a rabbit, just like any other game, can be a tough task. First and foremost, you need to have the right hunting knife for the operation.

A skinning knife is ideal for removing the rabbit’s fur. Whether you’re dressing it in the field (recommended) or afterward, a high-quality skinner, whether it’s a gut-hook or a fixed-blade, is necessary.

But you’ll need a meat cleaver as well, for chopping off the rabbit’s head, legs and tail.

Lastly, and most importantly, you’ll need to know where and how to make your cuts.

Check out the video below from chef Mark Gilchrist, it’s one of the best tutorials on rabbit skinning, gutting and preparation on the web. Gilchrist is the head chef of the British catering company Game for Anything.

In this video, he skins, guts and prepares a rabbit, showing you a quick and easy may to bring your hunt to a tasty conclusion.

In Vidalia, the ghost of Jim Bowie comes alive

September 30, 2010 / Tim / 1 Comment

The Riverview RV Park in Vidalia, Louisiana was packed to capacity last Saturday. In addition to the crowd of weekend campers, a British car show had attracted a throng of onlookers. They gawked at the shiny automobiles, seemingly unaware that in the back of the park, along the sandy banks of the Mississippi River, the ghost of one of America’s finest knife fighters was being resurrected.

Jim Bowie died at the Alamo, with a pistol in one hand and his famous Bowie knife in the other. How many member of the Mexican army he slayed before he was killed, no one knows. When the Mexican general Santa Anna heard of his capture, he ordered his body buried, saying that Bowie was too brave a man to be burned like a dog on the funeral pyre; he later changed his mind.

It was in Vidalia, where Bowie first garnered fame. In the legendary Sandbar Duel, he used his Bowie Knife to kill one of his attackers and slice off the forearm of another. Newspapers covered the story, with lurid details of Bowie’s incredible fighting prowess, and a hero of the frontier was born. His Bowie knife, distinctive because of its long, curvaceous blade, grew a reputation of its own.

Every September in Vidalia, population 4,553, they celebrate the legacy of Bowie with the annual Jim Bowie Festival. When I arrived last Saturday, it was just in time to catch the awards ceremony of the Little Mr. Wee Bowie Contest. A dozen or so aspiring Jim Bowies, between the ages of 3 and 6, dressed up in their burliest frontier gear. They wore chaps and cowboy hats and Ms. Vidalia, replete in her gown and tiara, crowned winners in each category.

This was only a warm-up for the main source of entertainment: a theatrical reenactment of the Sandbar Duel by the Natchez Little Theater. With a corn dog in one hand and an oversized jug of sweet tea in the other, I watched in awe as the ghost of Bowie came alive in front of my eyes. With the grace of a ballerina, Bowie dodged bullets and swords before slicing and knifing his foes into pieces. He was shot twice and stabbed once and ended the fight sprawled on the ground.

After the reenactment, attendees were serenaded by musical numbers from actors dressed as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. I bought a five-dollar frontiersman hat and sat on the riverside bathing in the warm autumn sun. On the other side of the river sat Natchez, Mississippi, full of regal estates and haunted plantations, relics from the Old South. But in Vidalia, history was chronicled with little flair except for the blade of a knife. Bowie, now dead and buried for 164 years, would appreciate it that way.

Check out the video below for video footage from the Jim Bowie Festival in Vidalia,

How old are knives?

September 27, 2010 / Tim / 0 Comments

When you’re using a Swiss army knife on a camping trip or a steak knife to cut up a tender rib eye, do you ever think about how old the blade you’re cutting with truly is?

Knives are some of the oldest tools on the planet. They date back to the Stone Age, approximately two and a half million years ago. Throughout history, almost every major culture has used some form of knives. A few recent discoveries have shed light on some of the more unique knife specimens from the past. Check them out.

The Oldest Steak Knife (200,000 years old)

In July, researches in Tel Aviv, Israel discovered tiny flint knives, which they believe were used to cut meat. These shards of stone, approximately the size of a quarter, were found around the remains of a fire and adjacent to the carcasses of animals.

Archeologists speculate that these knives were used to cut the meat of animals such as horses or rhinoceros. The knives would have only been used for a short time and then discarded after they lost their sharpness. They were likely created by chipping shards off stones

The Roman Army Knife (2,000 years old)

A precursor to the Swiss Army Knife, the Roman army knife had many similar features. This knife was made from silver, but had an iron blade. It features a spoon, fork, spatula, and retractable spike. Researchers speculate that the spike may have been used to pry snails from their shell.

It’s possible that, because of its complexity, this knife was owned by a wealthy traveler who had it custom made. The knife was discovered in the area of the Mediterranean and is currently on exhibit at a museum in Cambridge.

Otzi the Iceman

When researchers find mummies from the past, they are often carrying knives as well. The discovery of Otzi the Iceman, the oldest naturally-preserved mummy found in Europe, was accompanied by the recovery of many of his tools, including the flint knife he had.

Because of their resourcefulness, knives have spanned millions of years and will likely be around for millions more. That’s food for thought and something to consider the next time you’re slicing up a flank steak or whittling a stick with a pocket knife.

The Cutting Edge

The official blog of Knife Depot