the infamous knife callous

[ChefClayCollins]

Here's how I deal with this stuff:

-Sore feet: Birkenstock clogs and DR Scholls inserts.

-Knife sores: Deal with it.

-Saute Pan sores: Deal with it.

-Cuts: Lemon juice and then salt

-Burns: Spray Burn relief.

-Life: go to work.

-Work: go home.

By the way I love my Globals! They keep the BEST edge!

[miahoyhoy]

Working Chef's get Calouses.

For sore feet I change my shoes 2 to 3 times a day. I have a pair of clogs and a pair of work shoes. The theory is that you change shoes and different pressure points are releived on your feet so they don't get over worked in one spot for too long. Also drink lots of water.
It's funny how many Chefs don't drink enough water or eat anything while working.
I had killer back pain, went to a Holistic Chiropractor(whom I didn't trust), he told me to drink more water and damned if it didn't work.
That's all folks,
Jon

[ShawtyCat]

Drink more water, hmmm? ...that's what the doctor told me to do about my back spasms. Well, that and to take some Ibuorfen. I skipped the pills but I did find out that the water works. And that instead of sitting down (pain got worse then) when I arched my back instead the pain subsided. My theory is that this gives the tendons in my lower back a rest.

[Shimmer]

When I was working in a busy restaurant kitchen, I was simultaneously undergoing chiropractic therapy for a car accident where my back was injured. He gave me three really great stretches to do that relieve back pain, especially the kitchen kind, from being slightly hunched over to cut, dice, chop, etc.

1) Make your hands into fists and put them in front of your face, with elbows pointing to the floor. Don't move your hands but bring your elbows in a circle, up and around, slowly, you should feel your shoulder blades moving towards each other.

2) Bend over loosely (this can sometimes do wonders to relieve muscle tension)

3) Hang from a doorframe

The kitchen boys (sorry, they called me Salad Girl) laughed at me, but they didn't know how much pain I was in, and how much it helped.

~~Shimmer~~

[Moxiefan]

Many helpful suggestions here. I wish I'd read some of the more recent posts before buying my knife kit, which I've just done. No wusthoffs... a few henckles and a Mac cook's knife. I can't wait to get my hot little hands on them all.

Anyway, as for streaching and all that, I once paused in my channel changing, lingering for a moment on a yoga programme (admitedly because I thought the instructor was quite good-looking) and found myself immediatley inthralled. I'm not one for yoga, really (at six feet, two seventy-ish I can't help but think I must look auwfully silliy doing some of that stuff), but I think that a passing knowledge of some of the basic postures has really helped. When my back starts getting sore, if I take a minuet and self-conciously adjust my posture and breath deeply, it always helps.

Seems like its always the basics that we forget, eh? Water, breathing, standing up straight. Should that be so hard?


Regards,
P

[liebkuchen]

there's only been a few times i haven't had a knife callous and i miss it when its not there! I'm equally proud of the callouses on my fingers from playing guitar and when i was a baker, my massive Popeye-esque forearms. it's probably a sign of knowing the value and rewards of hard physical labour and the practice and discipline many creative and worthwhile activities require.

i think line cooking creates a few more callouses mentally than it does physically. anyone new to the line can see people who've developed a "thick skin". I do make it an ongoing challenge to be cool and aloof, non-emotive, single minded cooking machine..sometimes i'm successful! (i still can't help but love line veterans with a slightly surly and sarcastic armor- a mock superiority complex can get one through those hours of imagined oppression)

the only chef i've met with soft hands was a Japanese sushi chef. his hands were always PERFECTLY manicured and a real symbol of the perfection an beauty of what he created. out of respect for his skills and professionalism I always tried to keep my gnarled old digits out of his view!

[chiffonade]

It always thrills me to have a knife callous (yeah, I know, I don't get out much). It means I've spent a bulk of time handling my 10" chef's knife. To me, it's not simply a blob of hardened skin but a badge of courage.

[Leo R.]

Chiffonade,you say a callous is a badge of courage,i would add that you should wear it with pride,Leo.

[CWK]

A calloused hand means nothing to a calloused soul.
I have worked very hard to get to where
I am. I do not have calloused hands anymore.I have hands that have crafted
everything that I can dream. I am myself
and I am. I enjoy life and my craft.
I Live.
Bill

[ALynch]

Hello

I am a freshman at JWU Miami, on day one we were told that everybody was holding their knife incorectly, what I have done for three years and what the rest of my class was doing was holding their chef knife with their thumb and forfinger touching the blade. According to the chefs at JWU this grip is what causes callouses, and uses more muscels than necessery. We as students are instructed to hold the knife with a firm grip around the handle the same way we would hold a saute pan. After spending 6 hours chopping with this grip, I could feel a difference. It is more comfortable to me this way.

[miahoyhoy]

The reason you pinch the blade is for control. I'f you can hold the handle only and still not slip or roll the blade while working on something tough then cool. Not for me thanks. If the handle is wet or slick with something else than it may roll and cause injury unless the blade is "pinched" between the forefinger and thumb.
If they tell you nect to lay your forefinger on the top of the blade demand a refund!


nighty night,
Jon