Left handed kitchen knives?

[MotherForkinShirtBalls]

Dd is a leftie and has started getting really interested in cooking. She's finding knives difficult to get clean cuts, so it just dawned on me that leftie knives might be a thing? Or am I falling for marketing nonsense and all kitchen knives are fine for either hand? Contradictory info online ...

I'm not sure if they're "a thing" but DH is a leftie so I appreciate the struggle!

Could she have her own knives that nobody else uses? That way the blade gets worn to the way she cuts. I believe that is why chefs have their own knives that nobody else uses.

She doesn’t need a left handed knife, she just needs some practice I expect. I’m left handed and have never found any left handed gadgets any good. The blade for a knife is double sided so I cannot see how it matters which hand you hold it in.

I'm left handed and I don't think knives are an issue, they don't have a specifically handed design. She probably needs to practice more.

Yes, youo absolutely do need a left handed knife if it is serrated as they are only ground on one side and it is wrong for a left hander.
Try slicing bread with your left hand. It is impossible to get it straight with a standard bread knife.
I have a lovely little serrated left-handed knife which is great for slicing things like tomatoes.
I don't think it is needed for non- serrated knives unless they are only ground on one side.

Ok, cool. I'll get her a couple of knives if her own, it will encourage her and no harm for her to be able to wear them in in a way that will suit her. Thanks folks.

Good question.
DS2 is lefthanded and no one can make cutting bread look more dangerous or awkward than him.
If there aren’t LH knives and it is a matter of practice, does anyone LHanded have any tips for safer and more effective cutting?

You do need a left handed bread knife. See my comments above.

EducatingArti, I think that's maybe what I was thinking about. I'll get her her own knives for now but will see about left handed serrated knives if she needs them.

Serrated knives are handed. You can get a left handed bread knife from Anything left handed, no idea how good quality theyare. Have you got her left handed scissors? They are pretty essential as well (although I can use both left and right handed scissors but have to hold the rhs at an angle to see the cutting blade).

Yes, she has a few pairs of leftie scissors, one that lives particularly in her school pencil case but she's ok with a rightie scissors in a pinch. Now that we live with the wonder of ring pull cans, I don't know when I used our tin opener last!

I disagree. Ds2 is left handed and when I watch him use a sharp knife I think he needs a left handed one.

My husband is left handed and can’t use any of my sharp knives without looking like he’s about to end up in A&E. I expect it’s because I’ve used, sharpened and honed them for years and years using my right hand and it would be a slightly different result if someone left handed were to use them. I don’t think non serrated blades are necessarily “handed” but I think if they’ve always been used and looked after by a right handed then a left handed will find them unwieldy

@StarShapedWindow

She doesn’t need a left handed knife, she just needs some practice I expect. I’m left handed and have never found any left handed gadgets any good. The blade for a knife is double sided so I cannot see how it matters which hand you hold it in.

I bought a ruler (long since lost) and a corkscrew from Anything Left Handed. The ruler was surprisingly useful and the corkscrew provided entertainment watching right handers trying to use it.

The original shop in Beak Street had massive left handed scythe on the walk so that might answer your question OP

As for slicing bread, I found I had to concentrate as if you do it without thinking, it will go skewiff. Eventually it becomes second nature.

*wall not walk

If you are getting left-handed carving knives then make sure you get a left-handed knife sharpener.

There is nothing worse than trying to carve a joint of meat with a left-handed carving knife that has been sharpened with a right-handed sharpener. Especially if it’s a leg of lamb from the near side of a right-footed lamb.

Yes - my brother is left handed and we got our knives from

https://www.leftshoponline.co.uk/product-category/kitchen-equipment/

Also lots of other handy items. Definitely recommend the knives got them when he was 12 he's 34 now and we still use them . We had to buy him a new pack when he moved out.