A little kitchen tip: The sharpest knife is not always the best knife

Typically, sharp knives are safer (because they're less likely to slip) and easier to use than dull knives. However, sharpness is not the only factor to consider when selecting a knife. For instance, most people know that a chef's knife (that really big one with the wide, straight edge) is not the best knife to use on a tomato because the weight of the knife will crush the delicate tomato before the straight blade even penetrates the skin. For tomatoes, a small, serrated knife (like a utility knife, or even a steak knife) is a much better choice. The serrated edge can cut through the tomato skin without crushing the tomato, and the smaller knife is lighter, so it also is less likely to crush the tomato. So even if the chef's knife is sharper, the small serrated knife may be a better choice for the job.

On Sunday, I needed to cut up some potatoes. My favorite chef's knife was dirty, as was my favorite utility knife. And my second favorite. My Cutco options were a cake knife--too thin, too short--or a bread knife--no leverage. I chose the bread knife (long, thin, serrated blade). The leverage (or lack of leverage) with the bread knife made it difficult to push through the thickness of the potatoes, and the serration didn't really help because the potatoes texture doesn't require sawing. After struggling through three or four potatoes with my inadequate knife, I decided what I really needed was a heavy, straight blade. I considered getting an old, dull chef's knife from the pantry. But I was too lazy to change knives, and I assumed (for the millionth time) that sharper is always better. I continued telling myself this until my very sharp serrated blade slipped out of the potato and sliced my thumb.

After applying some antiseptic and a bandaid to my wound, I switched knives. The old, dull chef's knife was significantly easier to use because the weight and leverage of the knife were much better suited for slicing through the density of the potatoes.

So once again, I learned a lesson I already knew but failed to follow. Maybe next time I'll listen to that little voice telling me to switch knives, or better yet, I'll choose the correct knife in the first place.