Why a sharp knife is safer

A sharp knife cuts well, so it must be more dangerous, right? Well, not really. Contrary to what most people usually think, the risk to get injured by a dull blade is actually more important than when using a sharp one. Here is why.

If you ever tried to slice a tomato with a dull knife, you know that the result is messy. Sharpening the blade will be a lot more effective on the material you cut through, and the cut will be cleaner. With a sharp blade, it will be much easier to perform any wood crafting operation such as cutting a hole, peeling a stick, crafting a notch, etc.

But more importantly, using a sharp knife makes the cutting process safer. Indeed, a sharp blade will require less effort and the risk of slipping will be reduced. This is particularly important when the blade is oriented toward your body. For more safety tips, learn how to handle the knife properly, and always use a safe cutting position.

When you buy a knife, it usually comes quite sharp. My new Mora Robust for example (see pictures), was able to easily cut through a sheet of paper right out of the box! But if you desire an even sharper blade that is able to shave hairs on your arm, then you will have to do the additional sharpening yourself.

I hope you enjoyed reading!

Matt

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