I'm just wondering if they exist ?

As you may or may not know I do a lot of cooking with our Grandchildren, Nieces and Nephews when they come to visit. I don't tend to do cake baking and such so its more hands on, peeling, stirring, chopping etc... I have a small fairly sharp knife that I keep a very close eye on while they are working with it. I just wondered if there is any specifically designed to make it easier/safer for children to use ? Its no good using the plastic pic-nic type knives as they won't chop carrots etc...

Steve

Bit of a quandary isn't it Steve!

I was brought up using devilishly sharp knives with respect. Even in the Cub Scouts we had pen knifes that would probably now be classified as offensive weapons!

The irony is that the blunter the instrument the more likely it is you are to cut yourself. Having searched around for kid-friendly knives and found none, I just think you have to supervise children with sharp knives and enjoy the teaching experience.

Winton

having watched a few cooking programmes whilst helping a family member get over double pneumonia and pleurisy, learning some knife skills would seem a good idea for most people.

I learnt from my father, who was a head chef, so I think I'm fine, but one should learn at an early age, I think, as well as knowing which knives to use.

I learnt the use of sharp, big knives much later in life, after I came to UK. In India, they cut vegetables using small knives, cutting throug each bean, for example, one by one. Some use a sickle shaped instrument, held with foot sitting on the floor, especially Bengalies.

I try to teach family and their servants in India on each visit, to use a sharp knife and a chopping board, because it saves a lot of time. Many are now converting to it through TV cooking progmmes.

So I would say that you get them used to sharp knives, using perhaps smaller ones first, so they don't chop off their fingers.

Thats another thing we don't consider, how and where we cut..

My Grandmother and Mother tended/tend to cut in their hands over the pan/bowl as they grew up with a different kind of kitchen. Modern kitchens have lots of work space for chopping boards to sit, where they basically had an oven and a sink...

Steve

I have been a chef for almost 40 years thus using all shapes and sizes of knives.

You have to be shown the correct way to hold a knive and how and where you put your fingers that hold the item to be cut.

Possibly the best way is to watch a professional chef show you the way - this is best link can find but it is informative.

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Properly-Use-a-Kitchen-Knife-932701

Thanks Oddies but I'm talking about cutting with our grandchildren who are 3 years old and upwards.. !....

Steve

Steve I taught my children how to use knives safely, stand on a secure support to add height so as to reach the worktop, use a small paring knife and not being funny but, the sharper the better as a sharp knife cuts easier, a blunt knife requires more pressure thus more likely to slip while cutting.

Richard

Agree with the comments that small hands can only wield small knives.

I have heard of children's cutting gloves but I'd worry they would mean a loss of agility and a false sense of security.

Did see this on the web which made me laugh!

http://camillet.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/children-with-knives-february-25-55366/

Winton

interesting link there !... Seems I'm not the only one thinking about it lol

Steve