[Sca-cooks] pantler knife/chaffer knife

[Terry Decker]

> Anyway, in brief, the "chaffer knife" should probably be called "chopper". 
> Which raises another issue: in my experience, smooth-edged knives don't 
> work very well for slicing bread, which is why modern bread knives are 
> serrated.  Has anybody seen evidence for a serrated knife in SCA period? 
> I don't see any examples in the MoL book.
> -- 
>                                     John Elys


Smooth knives work just fine against a day old loaf that has been sitting in 
the air.  Forget about trying to cut a loaf fresh from the oven or wrapped 
in plastic and allowed to soften.  Serrated blades work better on softer 
loaves and equally as well on artisan loaves which is why you find 
serrations on most modern bread knives.

It should be remembered that a household baker was usually working a couple 
days ahead of the household requirements so the bread was often a day old at 
table.

There is an interesting illumination where one of the diner's is cutting 
bread at the table.  The technique more closely resembles cutting a sentry's 
throat than cutting bread.  Pantlers and carvers are depicted as being a 
little more clever with their knives.

Bear