Husband and kitchen knives

[Rollonspring23]

Despite me asking him numerous times to carry kitchen knifes pointing down in the kitchen, my husband repeatedly walks around with them pointing outwards.

We had a disagreement about this at lunchtime when I moved in the kitchen and he was carrying one outwards pointing at me at waist height.

Just had a row after I turned in the kitchen and found him carrying a knife to the other side about 10 inches from my ribs. I’ve lost the plot about this, he thinks I’m being unreasonable.

AIBU to expect him to carry knives pointing downwards, I thought this was an absolute basic!

I get you personally I carry knives point down I am also VERY clumsy and now I have small children I don't take them across the kitchen at all (the way my kitchen is set up means I can do this) because my children are clumsy and tend to run in the kitchen randomly without warning

YANBU Seems like most people on here must be working with very blunt knives, which is also dangerous.

We keep ours professionally sharp (ie for butchery) and are extremely careful how they're carried, cleaned, where we point them and how they're kept and sharpened. Ie we warn everyone in the house when the meat knife has been sharpened, keep it close to the area of operation so we hardly move it from where it's being used, wash it separately and very carefully, and the knife used for cutting/gutting fish aren't anywhere accessible at all.

It is very easy to accidentally hurt yourself or someone if you keep your knives as sharp as you should for cutting. I won't go into detail here but you are right to be alarmed at his attitude.

It's also dangerous to keep blunt knives as the force you have to use to obtain the cut you require means not using the knife in the correct way and more risk of accidental slips.

I think as well as being unsafe, he sounds discourteous if he doesn't even care about how you feel. And ignorant of basic good practice.

@Fannieannie63 my children always remain out of the little walkway between the island and the sink when we are cooking, always have since they were little to avoid any injuries or scolds from boiling water. We have a large open plan kitchen / living area so they can easily chat to us while we are cooking without bring under our feet.

And what if you drop the knife and stab yourself in the foot?

Just as likely as your DH stabbing you (and injuring you) by walking to the sink.

@SofarSowhat thank you. My thoughts exactly, ours are regularly sharpened. That’s my huge frustration that it’s something that really bothers me but he won’t adapt. He’s normally very easy going and considerate.

Yes it sounds like a very weird blind spot of his. I would definitely avoid the kitchen when he's in it! Xx

I don’t adhere to your “good knife transportation practices” and I’ve never run anyone through with my carving knife. Just lucky I guess. 🫢

Anyone else imagining the husband walking around the kitchen like someone in a horror movie who heard a suspicious noise and just so happened to be standing next to the knife block?

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts I carry it slightly pointed backwards to minimise the risk. If you Google how to safely carry a knife you’ll see that this is best practice and as you know you can only minimise risk not eliminate it! You’ll never read anything that advises walking around kitchens with knives pointing outwards so carrying them downwards is the least risky but we both know that you know that already!

Thank you this did make me laugh 😂. He’s lovely really, just driving me nuts over this.

We're taught to carry knives pointing down so WE don't fall on them and stab ourselves! Honestly, I'd let this one go.

Sorry OP, YABU. I think that stuff applies when you’re a kid but most adults risk assess and deem the risk of stabbing someone to be low. That said I will think of you next time I’m brandishing my bread knife and may be inclined to point it downwards!

Mine slipped on something I was chopping, arced through the air and then I caught it in my closed hand rather than having it land on my foot. On reflection, it would have been better if it had landed on my foot.

Order yourself a set of knives that don’t have a sharp tip
Issue resolved 🤷‍♀️

But regardless of what you find online - you can't control how your DH chooses to carry knives in his own house. It's simply not up to you.

DH and I both carry knives in all sorts of ways and we have a tiny galley kitchen - neither of us have ever managed to stab each other. I also worked in a professional kitchen and used knives daily - never held them face down and nobody ever got stabbed there either.

If you're uncomfortable about how he holds a knife, then avoid the kitchen while he's using a knife.

😊

Tonight we were prepping two different meals both needed doing at the same time. Avoiding the kitchen while he’s in it isn’t practical.

No I can’t control how he carries knives but I can have an opinion on this and ask that he considers it, especially as it makes me uneasy and there are potential safety issues. This isn’t unreasonable. I’m not controlling something just for the hell of it, there are legitimate safety concerns and just like scissors the children will be taught to carry knives safely so why not model this to them. There is no reason why he doesn’t carry them another way other than this is the way he’s always done it. He’s said he will take this onboard as it bothers me.

I have a relative who does this, drives me mad and yes rows have happened. Hide the knives till he learns to treat them and everyone in the house with respect.

Well that’s the OP injuring herself isn’t it, which is different to getting injured by someone else🤷‍♀️

Eh?

Adults don't need to behave the way we're taught how to behave in primary school, though.

The risks in a domestic kitchen with two grown ups aren't the same as the risks in a school classroom with 30+ kids running about.

This is one of those MN threads where everyone is absolutely bonkers. @Rollonspring23 I am 37 years old and I remember being taught to handle knives and scissors properly as a child. My DH was obviously taught the same as he holds them properly (without me ever mentioning it) and so does my 4 yr old. Your DH is a twat for calling you unreasonable and I would wonder why he cares so little about your safety in the kitchen that he is unwilling to make such a small change. I would begin leaving the kitchen every time he picks up a knife as he doesn’t give a shit.

@Mumsanetta thank you I was beginning to think I was completely neurotic. I’m a similar age and was taught exactly the same and just assumed everyone was taught the same to me doing anything else is just risky.

Eh...

Might as well ditch all knives and just smash all the food to bits with a lump hammer...

Knives have tips for a reason. Knives should be very sharp for a reason. Just carry them in a way that reduces risk.. whether thats tip pointed down or knife flat against body, whatever.

We do handle knives safely in my house, but we have a small kitchen, a spatially unaware big bloke and a wobbly person in a wheelchair that all increase the risk of accidents so we've made an effort to be safer.

No part of that safety involves knives that can't do their actual job and I sharpen our knives, they are properly, seriously sharp (because that makes me far less likely to cut myself trying to chop and slice with easily fatigued hands and wrists).

I don't think YABU OP, my DH does this a lot and it's just 'dumb' for want of a better word, no need to take the risk. From the responses on here, ranging from YABU, to you are being hysterical, it looks like not many have been in the situation you and I frequently find ourselves. I don't want to turn around and find a knife at abdomen height any day of the week, and no, I'm not scared of my DH either, ridiculous suggestion 🙄

Obviously the blade will be sharp but you can get knives with a rounded edge rather than pointy tip

For all the drama and stress this is causing it seems like the sensible option
perhaps a knife with a pointy tip could be used when only one adult is in the kitchen