Serrated knife v. regular knife for cutting bread

[kayb]

I like my serrated knives for two things: bread, and fresh tomatoes.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

2 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

Yeah, in my experience, a good electric knife works good for baguettes and the like.

Edited to add: Placing the loaf on it's side during slicing seems to yield the best result.

 

 

I bought a Cuisinart electric knife with a bread blade, as shown in Modernist Bread.  It doesn't cut though bread.  Nor do my chef knives.  No problem for a heavy serrated bread knife.

 

Your mileage may vary.

 

[boilsover]

12 hours ago, gfweb said:

@DiggingDogFarm I have a hard time with non-serrated on crusty bread like a baguette.  But yes otherwise.

Yes, unless a knife is extremely sharp, serrations rule with crusty breads.  Still, I'd still like to try a guillotine...

[andiesenji]

I still prefer my CHEAP "scalloped" edge "slicers" for cutting bread or cake.  They work on very hard, crusty artisan breads, dense pumpernickel that I want to slice extra thin, on brioche and panettone,  cakes, sponge cakes and angel food cakes.  They do the job with the least effort on my part which is GREAT for my arthritic hands.

 

I have tried several other "bread" knifes and not one performed as well on ALL those types of bread.  One might be fine on crusty bread but mashed softer breads.  Non-serrated blades do okay on cakes but not on soft breads that might have a bit of tough crust and they don't work at all on crusty breads.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

For a softer bread I think the Cuisinart electric knife would work pretty well.

 

[dcarch]

A Japanese cabinet maker's saw will make a perfect bread knife.

 

It's much sharper than any serrated knife, it's very uniformly thin, and it cuts with pulling strokes, there is no need for downward pressure or pushing force. It work especially well with hard crust bread.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Tajima-JPR-265ST-Precision-Woodworking-Elastomer/dp/B00ID1PKD0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1516287537&sr=8-3&keywords=japanese+wood+saw

 

dcarch

 

[Kerry Beal]

3 hours ago, dcarch said:

A Japanese cabinet maker's saw will make a perfect bread knife.

 

It's much sharper than any serrated knife, it's very uniformly thin, and it cuts with pulling strokes, there is no need for downward pressure or pushing force. It work especially well with hard crust bread.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Tajima-JPR-265ST-Precision-Woodworking-Elastomer/dp/B00ID1PKD0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1516287537&sr=8-3&keywords=japanese+wood+saw

 

dcarch

 

Bet you could find some beauties at Lee Valley