The Press., 1899-03-16
THE CARVING kNIFE'S EDGE.
Difficulty of Keeping 1t and How 1t
Should BE Done.

Difficulty of Keeping 1t and How 1t
Should BE Done.
eff you can't have tender beef, the
next best thing is sharp knife, y said
a chophouse proprietor, ''and a sharp
knife and poor beef are much better
than the best beef and O. dull knife.
know that from years OF experience.
The conversation turned to the sub
ject of carving knives, and the veteran
said that "carvers'' were harder to
keep in order than the ordinary table
knives because the one who carves does
not make use of the steel as much as he
should
''It may be an acid in the beef, or it
may be the moisture, or the heat, or all
three, said the expert, "but there is
something about hot roast beef that
takes the edge off knife and makes it
rip where it should cut, and the fact
that the knife is not affected that way
by mutton or by ham makes me think
that the dullness is a result Of the ac-
tion of beef ingredients on the blade"
This view was confirmed by Mr. Cur
ley, who said: II have handled carving
knives as a manufacturer and at my
table for many years, and I know that
the best knives will not cut properly
when used on hot roast beef unless the
steel is used after every few cuts The
best way is to use the steel after every
cut The steel need not be rough, as
some people imagine. In fact, we'll
worn steel is better than one with a
Rough surface, and few passes over it
with the knife produce a good edge.
The man who rubs and manipulates a
carving knife for five minutes against a
steel before he begins to carve and
thinks that now he has it all right and
may send the steel away makes "a great
mistake. He should keep the steel
handy, and pass the knife over it light
ly few times after every cut or two
And even then he will accomplish
nothing unless he knows how to use the
two instruments. A carver must be
held at an angle of 30 to 25 degrees on
the steel One must be careful to have
the angle the same on both Sides 9th
erwise the knife will be .nade dull in
stead Of sharp The knife should be
drawn on the steel from heel to point
against the edge, and the pressure
should be very light
A carving knife gets ''tired, > ac-
cording to the testimony of an old
luncheon counter man. and must be |
laid aside to rest for awhile. if the best
seryice-sis to be got ont of it,. The /
roast beef eater, he said, 'slooks at the 7
roast while it is being cut, and if the
knife seems to pull OF to halt he finds
fault and, in many instances, kicks be-
tore the portion is served. To avoid this |
put an edge on my knife after every
cut, but even that will not keep me GO
ng all right, because the knife gets
'lred, and unless | give it a rest and
Jake up fresh one there's sure to be
5rouble.
u usually have six knives in use.
they are of different lengths, and l use
hem in regular order, so that each one
GETS the proper amount of rest. All this
S unnecessary with cold roast beef,
which is much less trying on the knife
han the hot article. | can carve the
'est part of big cold roast without
lsing the steel if the knife is in good
when begin. and that seems
TRANCE when cne considers that the
old roast is much frmer than the hot
ne. But it's the heat and the gravy
hat tell on the edge
Cutters have certain rules for sharp
ming razors. pocket knives, etc, as
veil as carving knives. "A razor, " Mr.
;urley says, ''must be laid fiat on the
one. because it is hollow ground and
equires fine edge. But pocket
nife requires a stiff edge, and the mo-
nent you lay it fiat on a stone, so as to
ouch the polished side, you injure the
dge 1t must be held at an angle of 30
0 20 degrees and have an edge similar
0 chisel New York Tribune Il