SC - Knives again... 2 questions

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
> 
>  <A HREF="http://www.cookswares.com/fdickcut.htm#utl">Click here: A Cook's
> Wares  -  Gourmet Gifts and Supplies  -  F. Dick Cutlery</A>
> http://www.cookswares.com/fdickcut.htm#utl
> 
> I am looking over the Dick's knife page and I have a few questions:
> 
> Bird Beak paring knife:   I take it the *bird beak* part is extra useful in
> paring fruit and veg?  Am I right or is there another reason for the shape?

I think it's a matter of personal taste; some people find they can get
into tighter spots with the knife shaped that way. I never actually felt
it was necessary, but then at least one of my Dick paring knives (lest I
admit to owning a three-inch Dick) has been worn down and reshaped to
something like the bird-beak shape by years of aggressive use of the
honing steel.
> 
> Forked tipped tomato knife:  Why the forked tip?

Honest answer? I dunno. Possibly for some esoteric thing like removing
the hard stem end, or something like that, but I suspect that the idea
is that a really ripe tomato can be hard to pick up without squishing,
and the fork end may be to manipulate slices. I've never seen a chef use
one, and it never seemed like an essential to me, but your mileage may vary.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com