Knife Safety

As cooks we all get cut sooner or later, it's not a matter of if, but when.

The first time I ever got cut badly I cut the very tip of my left thumb off. Geezus, you'd have thought I slaughtered something by the blood, even the dogs showed up to see what was happening (they could smell the iron). My wife chose that moment to share a key little piece of safety advice she learned in culinary school...always keep your thumb behind your fingers and your fingertips pointed down. (----VERY sage advice right there!!). As a former EMT, and trying not to bleed-out (just kidding), she also shared something else with me which was very surprising actually....

By FAR and away the most common knife injury in a kitchen occurs while...cutting onions. She said, "always remember the golden rule about onions; onions are CHEAP, your fingers aren't!!" What was I doing when I got cut??? Well, cutting onions of course!!

The 2nd most common injury?

Well, yours truly did this one once too! (hopefully you can learn from these tips). The 2nd most common knife injury in the kitchen is with the knife steel (especially with curved boning and breaking knives). Always, and I mean ALWAYS, make sure the guard on the steel is facing upwards when steeling a knife! Ran the Forschner breaking knife up the steel on the backside (guard sideways) and came up over the hilt on the steel hitting my left index knuckle. That injury was probably the single worst injury, from a healing standpoint, I've ever gotten in a kitchen! A bad cut on your knuckle, especially the index knuckle, takes absolutely FOREVER to heal!

So, in summary....

1. Always keep your off-hand thumb behind your fingers
2. Always keep your fingertips pointed down toward the board
3. If using a knife steel, always, ALWAYS make sure the guard it facing upwards (it doesn't look like much, but it will save you from a BAD cut)!

Hope this helps.

a reply to: Flyingclaydiskthis is good information...I use the most simple dull or sharpened knife and avoid cutting my fingers off.
Safety in work space, thank you for this well written, OP... I may have sliced part of my hand before and it is a sign of mistaken knife possession... or self resentments... or not. I always get metaphysical on hurting oneself..like Louise L. Hay and her time homered work in things related to food, health and sickness..

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Just to add...
-always cut towards yourself.
-use a half ass dull knife.
-use a knife to separate frozen foods, like meat cuts and patties.

Jk.... don't do those things.

forgive me , but if you cant cut onions without adding yourself to the recipe,
maybe you should try something else.

I always use proper form while chopping, but accidents will happen. I was halving an avocado with my Wusthof and it went straight through the pit into my thumb. I was gutted, couldn't play snooker for a fortnight.

a reply to: Rikku

Well, if you cut 1-2 onions per week that's probably a pretty good observation. When you cut thousands of onions...you might want to re-think it!

a reply to: butcherguy

LOL...yeah!

Oh, and also...

- cut towards your palm, or the underside of your fingers.

originally posted by: Rikku
forgive me , but if you cant cut onions without adding yourself to the recipe,
maybe you should try something else.

Less of the condescension there Ozymandias. Everyone makes mistakes.

a reply to: LostThePlot

Yeah, that's just silly. Any notion a chef doesn't cut themselves sometimes is just goofy! You try to not let it happen, but sooner or later it will.

Find a chef who's never been cut and I'll give Rikku a medal!

The trick is to not get cut badly.

Our fingertips have the most touch sensitive nerves in them, hence the need to protect them at all costs so one can keep their dexterity.

dont you think gordon ramsey always looks likes he really needs the toilet?

Shaved a knuckle off with a tater skinner.
Gotta watch what you're doing.
You really gotta watch it shucking oysters.

If you think you may have cut yourself, but you're not sure, slice some lemons. Lemon juice will reawaken paper cuts from a month ago!!!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
I bet the thumb tip and blood made for a lovely meal. Did the onion juice make it burn?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


The best way to keep yourself from being cut, is by making certain your knives are always as sharp as they can be.
One of the most common ways people cut themselves, is from using a dull knife. When the knife is dull, you have to use more force. More force, less control.

a reply to: Skid Mark

No, actually...full stop there! Didn't even feel the onion juice, but definitely DID feel the hot water from the tap.

YEEEEEOOOOWWWWW!!!

Taped it off, but it was bleeding too bad so had to go get it stitched up. First thing the ER nurse said was... "NIiiice JOB!!....cutting onions???". LOL!! Then we were all joking around about how many onion cuts they get!

Yep!! Onions are a bitch to cut!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
I'm lucky I can't eat them so don't cut them then. Are you still stuck in the tin can you were in last night?

a reply to: Skid Mark

No, long gone! Came across the pond this morning (last night actually).

Hence the "crab soup" affliction!

LOL

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Good deal. It sounded like you were bored out of your mind.

That soup sounded good. Make sure you're safe with your knife while chopping onions for it.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Good deal. It sounded like you were bored out of your mind.

That's the understatement of the YEAR!!!