How Dangerous Are Forged Knives in the Kitchen?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The thread explores personal experiences and anecdotes related to the use of forged knives in the kitchen, highlighting both the sharpness of the knives and the accidents that can occur while using them. Participants share stories of injuries, cautionary tales, and humorous reflections on their kitchen mishaps.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, shared a personal experience of slicing their thumb with a forged utility knife while trying a new recipe.
  • Another participant mentioned their excitement about an upcoming knife skills class with a professional chef to learn proper usage of new cutlery.
  • Several users noted the sharpness of the knives, with one participant warning customers to be cautious as they are sharper than typical kitchen knives.
  • One participant recounted a customer's serious injury where she cut the tip of her finger and required emergency care.
  • Multiple participants shared similar experiences of cutting themselves while drying or handling knives, emphasizing the need for caution.
  • One participant humorously mentioned carrying band-aids and super glue in their kit after experiencing cuts during shows.
  • Several participants expressed their fears and clumsiness regarding knife demonstrations, sharing stories of burns and cuts from handling hot cookware.
  • One participant suggested the idea of a food holder for knives to enhance safety, reflecting on frustrations with company practices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the safety and handling of forged knives, with many participants sharing personal experiences of accidents but no clear consensus on the overall safety of using such knives.

Contextual Notes

Participants' experiences are rooted in personal anecdotes and reflections on their kitchen practices, emphasizing the importance of caution when using sharp tools.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to consultants and home cooks who are navigating the use of forged knives and looking for relatable experiences regarding kitchen safety.

jrstephens
jrstephens
Messages
7,085
Well, while trying a new recipe at home last night I sliced my thumb with my new forged utility knife! Boy they are sharp. May have needed stitches but since I HATE NEEDLES my husband just bandaged it up ( of course while saying he knew I would not go get stitches!).

Though I would chime this in. I have been so careful to not cut myself on the USG and then the knife got me. :eek: Thankfully I was not at a show! I will be more careful next time.

You never realize how much you use your thumb until it hurts to do so!! :D
 
Our cluster is doing a knife skills class with a professional chef next month. I'm so excited.

I think with our new cutlery we really need to learn how to use it properly.
 
I was very surprised by how nice and sharp they are. My kids saw my reaction as I "tested" the blade with my thumb (lightly) when I opened the box. I warn customers to be careful as they are not like the knives sitting in our drawers, but nice and sharp to do any cutting job easier and better.
 
I had a customer cut the tip of her finger off and end up in the ER. They couldn't put it back on, but they had nothing to stitch the fingertip to, either! So they bandaged it up really tight. They told her if it kept bleeding that she was going to need it cauterized! Ouch! Careful with the sharp things. Remember when your mom wouldn't let you use knives!
 
I did the same thing! I was actually drying it and it sliced through the tea towel and into my finger. Always wash and dry with the blade facing away from you that way you won't accidentally rub your finger against it.

Careful!!!!!

Misty
 
mistym said:
I did the same thing! I was actually drying it and it sliced through the tea towel and into my finger. Always wash and dry with the blade facing away from you that way you won't accidentally rub your finger against it.

Careful!!!!!

Misty
Click to expand...
Careful where and how you pack it when going to shows too. And always press the back of the knife along the edge of the protector when putting the cover on it so that you aren't slicing the plastic and dulling the knife.
 
Make sure the cover is on!I have my Paring Knife in my TTA and a couple of times now I have pulled it out expecting the cover to be on it, and I look down and see that the cover is still in the TTA. Thankfully I have noticed before I cut myself!
 
Wow. And here I've been explaining at all my shows how much safer sharp knives are than dull ones! :D

After cutting myself on my USG while putting it away at a show. (Don't ask.) I started carrying bandaids and super glue in my kit. Super glue will hold the edges of a shallow cut together long enough for the cut to start healing. (Got that hint from a friendly nurse. I use it all the time for papercuts. I'm a little accident prone :o)
 
I just sliced my finger yesterday with the new forged bread knife. That sucker is so sharp!!
 
This is why I am afraid of knives. I always hate demo them. My plan is to let them try them out b/c I am so clumsy. Speaking of hurting thumbs... I got the SS1 kit w/ the saute pan and tried out the apple cinnamon pull apart bread (very yummy). I was careful to use a pot holder to take it out of the oven, but when getting ready to serve it I started to grab the handel out of habit. Ouch!! So now my thumb is all swollen and red. So my advice will be to not put it on the burner when you take it out of the over b/c you're more prone to grab the handel.
 
mbh06 said:
This is why I am afraid of knives. I always hate demo them. My plan is to let them try them out b/c I am so clumsy. Speaking of hurting thumbs... I got the SS1 kit w/ the saute pan and tried out the apple cinnamon pull apart bread (very yummy). I was careful to use a pot holder to take it out of the oven, but when getting ready to serve it I started to grab the handel out of habit. Ouch!! So now my thumb is all swollen and red. So my advice will be to not put it on the burner when you take it out of the over b/c you're more prone to grab the handel.
Click to expand...

I did the same thing, but burned the palm of my hand. :o
 
been there done that
I got the SS1 kit w/ the saute pan and tried out the apple cinnamon pull apart bread (very yummy). I was careful to use a pot holder to take it out of the oven, but when getting ready to serve it I started to grab the handel out of habit. Ouch!! So now my thumb is all swollen and red. So my advice will be to not put it on the burner when you take it out of the over b/c you're more prone to grab the handel.
Click to expand...

OMG! I thought I was the only absent minded person to do this! Felt like a dufus! Thankfully, I did it at home with no witnesses. I learn quick though. Now my oven mit stays on my hand until recipe is safely on serving platter.

I don't have alzheimer's...just half-heimer's:D

Valky
 
Whenever I try to show my dh a "new trick" with my tools, he tells me to hold on and he runs for bandaids. Ohhhh the stories!
 
What's sad is that just before doing a KS I always have an "incident". Before my first show (me as the host), I was trying to put some order into everything before people started arriving. My cat was climbing on top of a half wall that I have and when I reached to get him off of the wall I hit my thumb nail (with brand new acrylics) and it broke off all the way down below my cuticle skin. Needless to say I wasn't going to be using any salt for that recipe!
Then using my USG I sliced the tip of my pinky finger when a potato slipped out of the holder (lucky it just got one finger) I've been stabbed by my APSC and I can go on but I won't. Thankfully I have never had a mishap at my shows...just while prepping for them at home (or else PC might raise my insurance rates haha)
 
mbh06 said:
This is why I am afraid of knives. I always hate demo them. My plan is to let them try them out b/c I am so clumsy. Speaking of hurting thumbs... I got the SS1 kit w/ the saute pan and tried out the apple cinnamon pull apart bread (very yummy). I was careful to use a pot holder to take it out of the oven, but when getting ready to serve it I started to grab the handel out of habit. Ouch!! So now my thumb is all swollen and red. So my advice will be to not put it on the burner when you take it out of the over b/c you're more prone to grab the handel.
Click to expand...

I've burnt myself twice at shows because I grabbed the handle without a hot pad. NOW - as soon as I invert the food onto a platter, I put my silicone mitt on the handle as a reminder that the dang thing is HOT!! :eek: So far, so good. :p
 
Everyone's stories are cracking me up (good thing no one is around or they would think I've lost it!) I am very accident prone, my mother-in-law got me a first-aid kit for my wedding shower. At least I know that I do not stand alone!
Melissa
 
I'm right there with you Melissa....I am laughing like a fool, family thinks I have lost it. It's not funny but it is. I'm glad to see I don't stand alone on the half brain things I do in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing the war stories girls, I needed a good laugh!:p
 
Maybe the home office will create a food holder that you have to put onto the knives to use them with a retractable blade. That would make as much sense as what they did to the USG. :-) Okay I admit I am bitter about the whole thing, but some of the things happening in the company don't make a lot of sense right now.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #19
jmabner said:
Maybe the home office will create a food holder that you have to put onto the knives to use them with a retractable blade. That would make as much sense as what they did to the USG. :-) Okay I admit I am bitter about the whole thing, but some of the things happening in the company don't make a lot of sense right now.
Click to expand...

HAHAHA!! LOLOLOL!!! ROFLROFL!!!!!
 
I cut my finger with the tip of the paring knife at the end of a show and I didn't even FEEL it! I think it needed stitches too because it kept opening up and bleeding for 3 days. I had to put a thick rubber glove on (it was at my girlfriend's house) to total out the orders. My Dh was/is so worried about me since we got the new knives. I am deathly afraid of the Santuko knife! And I can't stand the USG or Mandoline. I'm clultzy in the kitchen! Oh, and I have grabbed the handle numerous times on our cookware that was used in the oven. Duh!!
Joanne
 
ANOTHER Burned Hand!I had a show at my aunt's house (a former consultant) on Saturday and I forgot to warn her about the handle. In the middle of my demo she was helping by pulling the bread out and then I heard the pan drop. She did maintain her cool with a house full of people.
 
We were having a cluster meeting at my director's house and we got to cut potatoes with the new knife. I stabbed myself in the hand (below my thumb where it is fat) Well - it wouldn't stop bleeding. I applied pressure, then ice and a bandaid and it kept bleeding. I finally had to apply pressure with ice and hold my hand over my head for the meeting. It finally quit. I am super careful with the knives and I tell the story at all my shows. They laugh and I get orders.
 
Nail bedAt my show yesterday, I sliced through the nail bed on my middle finger (forged utility knife). Didn't bleed much, but sure is a sensitive area. I'm having a heck of a time typing!

Of course, I had a new consultant training with me at that show! What a way to set an example!
 
I have yet to cut myself with my new forged cutlery and that is AMAZING!! I sliced my thumb open once using the apple corer/wedger, sliced my pointer finger open hand washing my food chopper. Burned myself MULTIPLE times on my stoneware rack. When I pulled the new knives out of the box my husband said "oh no, there is NO WAY we are going to have enough bandaids for those things!" LOL
 
yummy4tummy said:
OMG! I thought I was the only absent minded person to do this! Felt like a dufus! Thankfully, I did it at home with no witnesses. I learn quick though. Now my oven mit stays on my hand until recipe is safely on serving platter.

I don't have alzheimer's...just half-heimer's:D

Valky
Click to expand...
That's Sumzheimer's because it isn't bad enough yet for Alzheimer's!

We are all so used to using dull knives and working them too hard! Now we have surgically sharp knives and if you work them as hard as the old ones...PRESTO!...a trip to the ER!

They're really a pleasure to use though, aren't they?
 
The_Kitchen_Guy said:
They're really a pleasure to use though, aren't they?
Click to expand...


Amen! They really make the job SO much easier it's amazing! I had no idea how bad my knives were until I got the new Forged Knives. :)
 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are forged knives and how do they differ from stamped knives?

Forged knives are made from a single piece of high-carbon steel that is heated and then hammered into shape, resulting in a denser and more durable blade. In contrast, stamped knives are cut from a sheet of metal and typically have a lighter construction. Forged knives generally offer better balance and edge retention, making them preferred by many chefs.

2. Are forged knives dangerous to use in the kitchen?

Forged knives are not inherently dangerous; however, like any sharp kitchen tool, they can pose risks if not handled properly. Proper technique, such as using a cutting board and keeping the blade away from your body, can minimize the risk of accidents. Regular maintenance, including sharpening and safe storage, is also crucial for safe usage.

3. How can I safely handle forged knives to avoid accidents?

To safely handle forged knives, always use a cutting board and keep your fingers away from the blade while cutting. Use a proper grip, and avoid distractions while chopping. Additionally, ensure that the knife is sharp, as dull knives can slip and cause injuries. Store knives in a designated knife block or magnetic strip to prevent accidental cuts.

4. What should I do if I accidentally cut myself with a forged knife?

If you accidentally cut yourself, first apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding. If the cut is deep or does not stop bleeding after a few minutes, seek medical attention. Always keep a first aid kit in the kitchen for emergencies and ensure that you know how to treat minor injuries.

5. How can I maintain my forged knives to ensure safety and longevity?

To maintain your forged knives, regularly sharpen them using a whetstone or honing steel to keep the edge intact. Clean them by hand with warm, soapy water and dry them immediately to prevent rust. Avoid putting them in the dishwasher, as this can damage the blade and handle. Proper storage in a knife block or sheath will also help protect the blades and ensure safety.

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