Dining and Cooking
Proper Knife Technique
In Kitchen Confidential

Proper Knife Technique


Hey I’m trying to get some more knife skills, when I pinch the blade with my index finger and thumb, should I be using my index finger to put force into the blade? It’s quite uncomfortable but maybe that’s just cause I’m not doing it right.

Tips appreciated

by OkOutlandishness1370

44 Comments

  1. dckoda

    Your knife should be sharp enough to where, for most purposes, you don’t need to apply much pressure.

    Make sure you’re using the whole length of the blade, rocking it/sliding it back and forth, instead of a quick sawing motion on one section of the blade.

    For ingredients that do need more pressure, maybe when cutting a potato in half for example, you’ll use your other hand and push down on the spine.

    For some cutting techniques you do actually put your finger on the spine like in the second photo. That’s how I’ll hold the knife if I’m holding it horizontally for sushi-like cuts, but the same idea of using the whole blade with little pressure still applies.

    Hope this helps!

    Edit: adding that what also really helps with cutting technique is a proper stance. Stand with your feet square to the table/cutting board (if you’re tall like me, spread your legs enough to where you don’t have to bend over to comfortably reach the board). Your arms and knife should form almost a triangle, and you should be able to see the entirety of what you’re cutting, on both sides of the knife if that makes sense.

  2. Gullible_Knowledge92

    This might not be that crazy but that shun knife in the picture is the first fancy knife I ever bought.

  3. idspispopd888

    Even that last “correct” picture seems a bit…weak. The second (backside) finger should be enough on the back side of the blade to provide both a firm grip and resistance, as well as allowing downward pressure as needed. The pic (to me at least) shows a correct, if inadequately secured, grip on the knife overall.

    Better pix here? [https://www.seriouseats.com/knife-skills-how-to-hold-a-knife](https://www.seriouseats.com/knife-skills-how-to-hold-a-knife) (scroll down)

  4. Otherwise-Mango2732

    An actual post about kitchen technique and improving? I can’t upvote this enough

  6. StudioActive6620

    I wonder which one the chive lord uses?

  7. consumeshroomz

    I once didn’t get a job as a barback (that i was way over qualified for to begin with) in large part to the manager supervising my stage thinking my knife technique was dangerous and scary etc. she said “who taught you to hold a knife?!” I said “every cook and chef I’ve ever met” she goes “you’re gonna cut yourself like that.” And proceeds to show me the first technique from this picture. And also insinuated that my finger tucking technique was dangerous as well when she sliced the lemon with her tips extended lol

    I was later denied the job in favor of “someone with more experience”. I don’t know the other candidate, but I promise you they were worse than me lol.

  9. mrpickle123

    I was trained to do this and #3 was referred to as “pinstriping”, anyone else use this term?

  10. theunassumingwarrior

    I don’t actually work in a kitchen but I know you get a red finger if you hold a knife in the second position if you’re on Worst Cooks in America

  13. Ok_Marionberry8779

    Learning not to grip the blade so tight saved me from what I swore was carpal tunnel. I also use the first one if I’m using a big ass cleaver to chop meat

  15. kanto2113

    I like the #2 grip, or something similar, when I’m butchering at times. I de-boned a turkey for thanksgiving turduckin and found myself with finger along the spine of my petty often.

    Also, as others have said, choke up more on the pinch grip in 3.

  16. jamonz1

    Just wait till you learn fluting and tourné technique…

    As you develop your skills, you come to realize there isn’t a “one size fits all” technique for everything. It’s more of a find what works for you and the task at hand. Hand size, knife style, handle&bolster profile all play into how a knife rests in your hand. Make the knife work for you, not the other way around. 👍

  17. onlyAlex87

    The image is bad, but to quickly answer your question: no. Your index finger is not where and how you are applying force into the blade. That should be coming from your wrist/arm. The grip, whichever grip pinch or otherwise, is just meant to have the knife stable in your hand as if it’s an extension of it so that your arm can do the motion and the work.

    Your hand is holding, your arm is doing the work. It should be the same as if you had your hand in a karate chop position and you were cutting with your hand, the fingers aren’t doing the work, it’s the wrist and arm. Find whichever grip is comfortable that allows the force from your wrist and arm movement to go directly into your knife without strain on your fingers/hand.

  18. chzie

    Try and get it to about the same pressure as when you use a pencil. The pinch is supposed to control wobble, the grip controls the pressure.

    Ideally you should be using your hand to just control the blade and using your strong arm muscles to do the actual cutting.

    Your fast twitch muscles and tendons (like you have in your hands and wrists) are good at precision and speed, but lack endurance. That’s why people get carpal tunnel. Your big thick muscles are great at long repetitive tasks.

    Also it’s a great idea to take micro breaks. Every 10-15 mins you just change your grip slightly, or shake out your hands, or move to another task for 10-15 seconds and then go back to what you were doing before.

    Short breaks like that prevent your connective tissue and tendons from taking long term damage. You’ll be happy you did when you’re 50

  19. PrinnyLovesMe

    I mostly just cut celery, onions, and chives (LOL) and I am definitely an index finger on top guy. I also was never formally trained and just sort of trained myself over 2 decades of kitchen service. People usually look quizzically at my “technique.”

    That said, I literally don’t remember how long since I cut a finger or received any complaints about my veggies.

  20. cloudliore25

    So I’m not the only one that cringes when I see a finger on top of a blade

  21. PancakesanSyrp

    I used to have that same knife, 8″ left handed Shun (small lady hands).. first someone resharpened it w/out my permission right handed (completely ruined the blade)! and then it was stolen a week later..

  22. No-Tea7992

    I went and angrily cut an onion to see how I did this. Use finger for alighting the knife, and then 3rd position for leveraging weight.

    Pretty sure 1st position is supposed to be the correct way because your knife is supposed to be sharp.

  24. GoSuckOnACactus

    I’ve got callouses from holding my knife this way. If you’re just cooking for home you probably won’t get one, but I’ve had a few blisters in my day. Sometimes I also use my index finger along the spine but that’s pretty rare.

    Really it’s a personal thing. If it’s uncomfortable, try something different. You don’t need to be a machine like people on the videos, you just have to cut the stuff. Pinch grip is about control of the blade, beyond that, it’s up to you. Try smaller knives, thinner knives, different blade types, cutting motions, handle types, etc.

  26. 1Weisal12

    A lot of people stick to the middle pick 70’s housewife style stubbornly. I hate seeing it.

  27. WaffleHouseGladiator

    A proper grip should be comfortable, but also give rigid lateral strength and allow for fine motor precision. It should essentially feel like your wrist/hand has been extended. 3 is close, but it looks weak and not very natural.

  28. Kaitivere

    No such thing as proper knife technique, there’s what works for you and what doesnt.

  29. chirpymist

    What about the hidden 4th option, holding like a pen?

  31. bananafish_75

    So for me, all 3 are wrong. #3 is trying to do a pinch grip but is still too shallow on the blade imo. Thumb and index should be pinching a bit more towards the tip.

    The reason for this grip for professional chefs is to give a good balance of power and precision.  If done correctly you will get a very large callous at the base of your index finger. It will hurt and maybe form a blood blister, but after a while it will form into a thick pad. Once that callous is there however, it will protect your hand from discomfort. I had a permanent callous for over 20 years.  (Semi retired now so i have to form new ones when i start working again.) If you stop using a knife regularly for more then a week, it will fall off or rip eventually and you will have to re-form it.

     I could always tell when i met a chef if he/she/they was an “office/expo”  chef or a “kitchen, prep, cooking” chef when shaking their hand. You can feel that rough callous when you press the flesh.

    #2 has its uses. This is for very fine work where real precision is needed. The index finger on top gives more control, but you have less power. But this should never be your default grip. Holding a knife this way long term will put extra strain on the attached tendon in your wrist. Theres a good probability you will get tendinitis if you constantly hold your knife like #2.  Only use #2 when extra precision is needed and power is not the focus.

    #1 is all power and no control. Only use this if you are a troglodyte.  

    If you ever do need extra muscle for really hard to cut things like butternut squash, you can use a pure power grip which would be putting your thumb on top of the blade. Again, this should never be your default grip. Its pure power with a lot less precision. 

    In the end, your knife is not just a tool. Its an extension of your arm and hand. If it doesn’t feel right make small adjustments until it does.  No 2 hands are the same and knives come in endless shapes and designs. So its up to you to figure out your personal preference. 

  32. ShesASatellite

    *trauma ortho bros everywhere*: *SHUT. UP.*

  33. Kencon2009

    Try holding the knife and pinching a little further down the blade. Most of the pressure should be on your palm and the base of your index finger. Look up a chefs callus and that’s where the sound of your knife should sit.

  35. NeedMoneyForTires

    You know how to make a pen look like it’s wiggling?

    Hold it like that with your fingers and and let the blade do the work.

  36. LTsCantCook

    Sorry but I’m not reading all the replies already, so you can not read mine in response but even the last picture isn’t how I hold it, my index finger is curled up further up the blade (on the back side in the picture) and my thumb basically pinches the same spot. If your knife is sharp enough there isn’t much of a need to push down.

  38. macandchzconnoisseur

    What if you got double jointed thumbs lol

  40. Kohleepop

    The proper hold (#3) feels counterintuitive at first!! You want your knife sharp enough to slice through w/o much force.

  41. landgnome

    DOES NOONE GET A CALLOUS ANYMORE?!! Show me you damned callouses until they are correct.