These seemed like a good place to put this opinion of mine.
Been baking for years and years. Started high hydration doughs about 3 years ago. And slashing has been the bane of my existence. Knives, sharp, dull, oiled, wet, dry, razors, new, old, etc, etc, etc. Nothing worked well.
Spur of the moment picked up a lame. OMG! it is NOT just a sharp razor. It addition to being an incredibly sharp razor, it is also incredibly thin.....and so far, my slashing issues have just disappeared.
So if you are experiencing slashing issues (gripping, tearing, not cutting, etc) and are not using a lame, GET ONE!
The right tool for the right job :)
In fact I have two and have tried everything else in your list . I have watched the videos and read the books . The perfect slash still eludes me - the " ear " that others accomplish on their first baguette makes me want to sit down and cry ! I must be doing something really really wrong . My other breads are fine , can even make a perfect panettone but after years of baking bread I still cannot make a decent baguette ! Any other ideas ?
Merlie.
it is all in the angle of the blade when you are slashin the bread.
slash bread with a dull blade. Anyone cans score with a lame - except me :-)
in the kitchen. Who would had known I had so many!
It's fun to cut with sharp knives! Just love them!
DB, what about a scissors?
Anyone try those heated scissors they use to cut nylon rope in the hardware store? Can one score with acid? Or sprinkling rows of sharp bran? Side of a branding iron? piano wire? Candle heated guitar string? laser knife? Dremel? Hot oven rack? (bet that would make an interesting pattern!) Must be cold in here, I keep thinking of hot objects...
I've tried one of those mammoth things that cuts padlocks and steel reinforcement. By the time I found and lifted the thing, my dough was over-proofed! Fancy that!
I have tried almost everything and found the inexpensive silicon coated tomato knife works best for me.
I found an inexpensive grapefruit knife that has a curve in the end of the blade and has serrated edges. It works well when I can find it among the knives I have that don't pass the test.
Scoring Bread: An updated tutorial
Happy baking!
David
... since I bake my bread straight from the fridge it is so easy to slash just with a bread knife, I never need anything else anymore.
Thank you all for your ideas - especially Mini Oven's " hot " ones ! I have a Serrated grapefruit knife and never thought to try that. David I will be studying your updated video - iPad on the counter next to the bread !
But Dabrownman's blunt knife , hmmm , I'll try that too !!
thank you - Merlie
hrm, this went in a direction I didn't expect :-( Acid, bran, dull knife? Never mind I guess. I was just trying to helpfully contribute.
I was not talking about technique at all (thanks anyway David). it had everything to do with wet doughs grabbing mercilessly and not allowing a cut to be made at all.
I'll just go back to lurking.
I see that your request got somewhat lost. Here is a more specific set of hints for scoring high-hydration doughs:
Scoring Bread made with high-hydration dough
David
I saw a beautiful lame today, I was watching Northwest Sourdough video on YouTube and I found a link in the comments. It's made of black walnut and you can change the razor, cost $27.88. Little expensive but could make a great gift.
http://primalkitchencompany.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=91