Chat with an old school butcher made me rethink my knife setup

I was breaking down a beef quarter at a local shop in Portland last Tuesday and this guy who's been in the trade since the 70s watched me for a minute. He told me I was using way too much knife for the task, like I was grabbing a cleaver for everything. He showed me how he switches between a thin boning knife and a stiff one depending on the cut, and told me I was wasting energy fighting the wrong blade. Honestly, it hit different because I've been doing it the hard way for years without even thinking. Has anyone else had an old timer drop some simple advice that messed with your whole routine?

3 comments

3 Comments

wesley_martin17d ago

Hold on, is using a slightly different knife for different cuts really that life changing? I mean, it's not like you were using a chainsaw on a chicken. Sure, an old timer might have a preference, but we all learn different ways and they can work fine. Idk, maybe it's just me but I feel like people overthink this stuff sometimes. You were probably doing fine before he said anything.

jesse99415d ago

I get where you're coming from, but I'm with kaiharris on this one. Using the right knife for a specific cut is kind of like using a paring knife instead of a chef's knife to peel an apple - you can do it with the big one, but the small one just feels way better and makes the job smoother. The old timer might have been a bit extra about it, but small tool choices add up over time, especially if you cook a lot.

kaiharris16d ago

Hang on, let me push back a little on that. I think this actually taps into something bigger about how we pick up habits without questioning them. A lot of people do the same thing with tools in their hobbies - they grab whatever feels familiar instead of what's actually best for the job. I've seen it with friends who use the same screwdriver for every project, or the same pan for every type of cooking. It's like we get locked into one way of doing things and forget there are smarter options sitting right there. The real lesson isn't about knives, it's about pausing to ask yourself if the way you've always done it is actually the right way.