Originally Posted By: dougwalkabout
An argument about chef's knives? Good Lord, let us bid a hasty retreat to politics, gun rights, and religion -- it's safer! laugh

At a certain level, it's never about the best utilitarian tool; it's about the fine and subtle optimizations and adjustments that make the tool a seamless extension of your hand and your will. Personal ergonomics become huge, in the same manner as musical instruments to an advanced player. The right tool draws you forward and higher in your art.



(Meanwhile, Phaedrus is in the bullpen, warming up ...?)



Excellent point- one should make a distinction between the occasional user and one who slices and dices continually. For the latter, considerations, which may well be costly, come into play and justify added expense/

A more prosaic example. The summer car camper is well served by a fairly cheap, albeit warm, sleepiing bag that is somewhat bulky and heavy. The mountaineer or climber is smart to spend big bucks to get a light, compact down bag. Getting gear that is appropriate for the intended use is the key.

Phaedrus is fine with his knife, but it would be wasted in my kitchen, where the knives are used to slice open the boxes of frozen pizza ...
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Geezer in Chief