Customer told me my knife grip was wrong and I actually changed it

Had this older guy come into the shop kitchen after a private event I catered. He watched me break down a case of onions and said I was choking up on the blade too much for a sloppy dice. Told me to drop my thumb back off the spine. I was pretty annoyed at first but tried it the next day and my cuts got way cleaner. Been doing it for 3 weeks now and my wrist hurts less at the end of a double shift. Any other line dogs get unsolicited advice that actually worked?

2 comments

2 Comments

jackson.wesley8d ago

You ever catch those old YouTube vids from that Japanese knife sharpener guy? He talks about how the grip changes the angle of the cut, makes sense after you feel it a few times. Glad you gave it a shot instead of just shrugging it off.

the_jenny8d ago

Wait, have you actually tried loosening your grip toward the heel of the blade like he shows... it changes everything when you're doing those long pull cuts on something like a cucumber or carrot. @jackson.wesley I think the important part is how he talks about the knife becoming an extension of your arm instead of just a tool you're holding. Once you relax your wrist and let the weight of the knife do the work, the angles sort of correct themselves naturally.