PSA: Using a chef's knife to open cans is a disaster waiting to happen

I had a new line cook last week who tried to open a can of tomato paste with my 8-inch Wusthof, chipped the blade right near the tip. He said he always did it that way at home, no big deal. But that knife is my go-to for fine dicing shallots and it's never been the same since. Why do people think a chef's knife is a can opener, and how do you stop this without sounding like a jerk?

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2 Comments

blairm355mo ago

Idk, maybe it's just me but paying good money for a nice chef's knife means it should be tough enough to handle a can. A little chip near the tip doesn't ruin it for fine dicing, that's more about the edge than the tip anyway. Guess I just don't baby my knives as much, they're tools not trophies.

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miab165mo ago

Heard a knife maker say once that heat treatment matters way more than most people think, @blairm35. A softer steel might handle a can better but then you're sharpening it all the time. Seems like a trade off more than anything.

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