The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-02-22
THE CARVING KNlFE,S EDGE.
Difficulty "f Keeping II ana How It
should Ilr Done

Dihtrulty nf Keeping II ana How It
should Hc Done
III yoC can't have tender beef thp |
next best thing Is Il sharp knife. snid |
q chophouse proprietor. land n shorn
knife and poor beef are much better
than the best beef and II dull knife
know that from years Of experience"
The conversation turned To TN. snh.
jcct of carving knives, and the veteran
said that ''carvcrS'' were harder to
keep in order than the ordinary table
knives because the one who carves does
not make use of the steel AZ much as H.,
should
lit may he an acid III the beef. or il
may he the moisture. or the heat or all
three. said the expert ''hut thrr. i,
something about hot roast bret tha,
takes the edge of knife and makes i,
rip where it should cut, and the fac,
that tile knife is not affected that WAY
hy mutton or ly ham makes mo think
that the dullurss is u result of tho nc-
tlnn of BRET ingredients on the blade. "
This view was confirmed hy Mr. Cur
ley who said II have handled carving
! knives rs u manufacturer and at nv
table for lnany years. and know that
the hest knives will not cut properly
WHEN Used on hot roast beef unless the
steel Is used after every few cuts. The
best way IL tu ,is,. the steel after every
cut. Tie steel Need not br rough. aa
some people imagine In fact. n well
Worn steel IL better than on, with n
l"'i-h surface. ami Il few passes over it
with the knife produce Il good edge.
l ne man WHO rut'S and manipulatpS :.
| carving knife fur five minutes against n
| steer before hr ln".ilS to cary. and
| thlllkS tll;il Enw he has it i'll right and
may S"n'l the steel away makes Il great
| niSihkc lie slllhl keep the steel
haniv. and pass he knife over ii light
! ~ II lew !lli,> after every cut or tw,,
| ANA even then h" will accomplish
! nothing unless ir knows how iu ,is.. tile
two instruments. y carver must IN
, held ut an nn:s,r ,,t ~ t, ~ degrees on
! the steel one Inli>t hr careful to lavn
: the angle The same Oh both sides 9th
rrwise tn" knife will In made dull in
stead of sharp. Tie knife shunld hr
drawn on the steel frnEl heel to point
against the edge. and the pressure
| should he Very light "
| y carving knife gets "tircd" ac-
I
/ luncheon counter man. ani must bs
lald aside IL rest for awhile if tho best
service IL 10 lr got ont of it, THE
roast beef cater - he said. .'looks ut thu
roast while it is being cut and if tho
knife seems to pull OF to halt he finds
fnnlt and. III many instances. kicks be-
fnrc the portion is served To avoid this
l put an edge on my knife after every
cut, but even that will not keep lnc go
ing all right, because tho knife gets
tired. ana unless l give it Il rest AMI
take up Il fresh ono there's suro to be
| trouble
II usually have six knives in use
They are of different lengths, and use
| them in regular order, SD that each one
gets the proper amount Of rest All this
is unnecessary with cold roast beef
which is much less trying on the knit.
than the hot article can carve the
best part of Il liy cold roast without
using the steel if the knife il in good
condition when begin. and that seems
! strange when enc considers that the
cold rnist Is much firmcr than tho hot
one. But it's the heat and the gravy
that tell on til" edge.
| Cutters have certain rules for sharp
enlnE raZors. pocket knives. etc. ~
well as carving knives "a razor" Mr.
| Cnr!ey says. ''nust h" laid fiat on he
hone. because it Is hollow ground and
requires II fine edge. But a poke
| knife. requires a stiff edge. ana the mo-
nent You lay it flat on IL stone, 81 ,a tn
touch the polished side. you irjurc the
edge. 1t must be held ut III angle of 20
to 20 degrees and have an edge similar
| to Il chiscl. New York Tribune
The InpleaH Editor.