# Maybe I shouldn't have sharpened my Benriner



## JohnnyChance

Sharpened my Benriner last week. Was cutting fingerling potatoes today into coins, one rotated and my middle finger on my right hand went through instead of the potato. Didn't feel it cut, but it just felt different than when the potato went through it. Took a big 1mm thick oval off the tip of my finger, no flap, through and through. 

Doesn't hurt really, but fck is it going to be annoying to keep this thing bandaged up for the next couple weeks. Not to mention it's going to be sore, I will smash it into everything I can find, and the heat off the grill/oven/french top will remind it is there with a nice throb.

Oh well.


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## jheis

Ouch!


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## ThEoRy

Eh it happens. Hey at least it will grow back!


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## MadMel

It's gonna be a PITA...


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## Jim

Ouch!


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## goodchef1

brings back some not so fond memories, especially that throbbing


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## rockbox

I was going to make a custom Benriner blade in AEB-L. I guess that might not be a good idea.


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## JohnnyChance

rockbox said:


> I was going to make a custom Benriner blade in AEB-L. I guess that might not be a good idea.


 
I was thinking about this last week when I was sharpening it. I figured they were small and an easy shape, someone could make high quality replacement blades for a decent price I bet. I think it would still be a good project, but just sharpen it on a 1200 stone or something. Don't go nuts. And when using it, be extra careful.


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## EdipisReks

this is precisely why i wear a cut resistant glove when i use my mandolin. i learned that lesson the hard way. anyway, if it were me, i would put a thin coating of superglue on the cut, instead of worrying about bandages.


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## UglyJoe

Superglue. The only band-aid you will ever need!


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## cnochef

We call The Benriner "Uncle Benny", after the old Chinese Godfather in Lethal Weapon 4, and he bites back when angry!!! 

As for you injury, have you even used Liquid Skin?


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## cnochef

rockbox said:


> I was going to make a custom Benriner blade in AEB-L. I guess that might not be a good idea.



No, that is a GOOD idea and worth the inevitable injuries and/or partial loss of digits. I would definitely buy those.


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## apicius9

I want one too!

Stefan


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## SpikeC

You have my deepest sympathy. I know how that is going to feel, and what a pain it is going to be to deal with.
Butt hey, I can type with the middle finger of my left hand now!!


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## rockbox

apicius9 said:


> I want one too!
> 
> Stefan



How much would you guys be willing to spend on one. Maybe if there is enough demand, I can fund my heat treat oven by making them.


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## JohnnyChance

I can still type just fine. Spending waaaaay too much time at the computer I have pretty easily been able to just shift my ring finger over and use that in place of my middle and type at a good speed.

I would think you would have no problem selling a couple of dozen of these in the first run. A regular size benny is $20, replacements blades $11, so I think the price would have to be in the $30-40ish range. I have no idea what AEB-L costs or what it would cost you to make them, so if this is incredibly low please don't be offended, haha. I don't know how many people you would find outside of us hardcore knife nuts that would pay more than double the benny itself for a blade. Jon sells benriners and replacement blades, maybe he would also carry your AEB-L blades.

Could you put a "spur" off of one side, kinda like how a straight razor looks, so we have something to grab on when sharpening? That is what I always found annoying about sharpening the stock benny blades.


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## Adamm

Its happened to me in the past, it sucks, but alot better than getting cut with a slicer. 

As far as the replacement bleade, i would spend 30-40, it would make the beriner bad ass


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## Jay

Real men don't use hand guards.


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## apicius9

I have to be honest: I love the idea, but I think $30-40 would also be tops for me. I don't use the little thing often enough to justify more. Unless you make them from damascus steel 

Stefan


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## JohnnyChance

apicius9 said:


> I have to be honest: I love the idea, but I think $30-40 would also be tops for me. I don't use the little thing often enough to justify more. Unless you make them from damascus steel
> 
> Stefan


 
If he makes them out of damascus, then you have to recreate the plastic bases out of Koa.


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## SpikeC

I was using mine for a bit till i realized that I could do the work faster with a knife...........


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## EdipisReks

SpikeC said:


> I was using mine for a bit till i realized that I could do the work faster with a knife...........


 
which is precisely why i gave mine away to a friend, after it had sat on a shelf collecting dust for a long time. it was fun to use until i had that realization, though.


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## mateo

I would spend 30-40 on a rockin' blade for my Benriner! I agree, though, that it would awesome to have at least a little "nub" to hold onto while sharpening... I once picked it up after doing something random in the kitchen and started sharpening only to realize that I was pushing the just sharpened edge... took my thumb 1/2 and hour to stop bleeding.


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## BraisedorStewed

I love the feel of a freshly sharpened benrinner. Was just telling one of my co-workers last week how I was thinking about a custom blade for and how sick it would be, something i would definetly spend money on.


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## Chef Niloc

1st no pic diddint happen
2nd A bron blade would be better as that mandolin last 10x longer then the plastic ones, think benrinner was made to be disposable?


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## JohnnyChance

Chef Niloc said:


> 1st no pic diddint happen



After a couple days:






Just a nick really. All better now.


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## Eamon Burke

Jay said:


> Real men don't use hand guards.


 
I daresay you can't get the last bits of a piece of food cut evenly and quickly without the handguard. It's a safety device, but it also creates a better interface for the whole cutting system. It's not designed to by used by hand, and I find it clunky when I do.


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## Jay

johndoughy said:


> I daresay you can't get the last bits of a piece of food cut evenly and quickly without the handguard. It's a safety device, but it also creates a better interface for the whole cutting system. It's not designed to by used by hand, and I find it clunky when I do.


 
+1


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## Vertigo

EdipisReks said:


> this is precisely why i wear a cut resistant glove when i use my mandolin.


Truth. I don't care if it takes an extra minute to find the stupid ugly thing and put it on, there's no way I'm using a mandolin without one.


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## Mattias504

God I just saw the name of this thread and it made me sick to my stomach. I HATE using mandolines. I saw a horrible accident early in my cooking career and just tried to avoid them ever since.


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## BertMor

Wus! I think I have a permanent X-Men Wolverine scar on my palm from using mandolines:Ooooh:

Hand guards are slow, do NOT promote control and even cuts, and no Virginia, there is no way you get the last bits cut with a hand guard.

I say, open the box, assemble said mandoline and throw out the hand guard


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## Eamon Burke

BertMor said:


> Hand guards are slow, do NOT promote control and even cuts, and no Virginia, there is no way you get the last bits cut with a hand guard.


 
Your evidence is irrefutable. Just what was said before, except this time you called me 'Virginia'. :razz:


They promote control because they have guide rails that keep the food moving in the exact same direction everytime, something your hand cannot do. They prevent(I'm guessing you didn't mean "promote cuts") cuts because there is a giant barrier between the blade and you, your hand shouldn't even get close(not sure how you think using a guide is going to cut you). If I had a video to show you how to get the last bits of a potato with a handguard, I'd show you. Mine has 4 teeth that stab the food, and a spring that pushes the back of the handguard against the food. After the food is small enough that the spring can feed it off the prongs, it pushes with constant, even pressure, and if you don't stop moving, it will keep feeding and cutting down to pieces as small as the tolerance between the tips of the prongs and the flat pusher in the handguard. I can, and regularly do, get 1/4" slices of potato down to the last 1/4".

Perhaps you just weren't using it right.


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## BertMor

johndoughy said:


> Your evidence is irrefutable. Just what was said before, except this time you called me 'Virginia'. :razz:
> 
> 
> They promote control because they have guide rails that keep the food moving in the exact same direction everytime, something your hand cannot do. They prevent(I'm guessing you didn't mean "promote cuts") cuts because there is a giant barrier between the blade and you, your hand shouldn't even get close(not sure how you think using a guide is going to cut you). If I had a video to show you how to get the last bits of a potato with a handguard, I'd show you. Mine has 4 teeth that stab the food, and a spring that pushes the back of the handguard against the food. After the food is small enough that the spring can feed it off the prongs, it pushes with constant, even pressure, and if you don't stop moving, it will keep feeding and cutting down to pieces as small as the tolerance between the tips of the prongs and the flat pusher in the handguard. I can, and regularly do, get 1/4" slices of potato down to the last 1/4".
> 
> Perhaps you just weren't using it right.


 
With 25 years in pro kitchens, I think I have a small bit of experience in using a mandoline. I'm not talking about guard rails because they are what allow you to go in straight lines (generally). Maybe you are not using it correctly. Using the hand tool is slow. You have to fit the food onto it, remove the bit after and reload. When I have a case of potato needing slicing for pans of scalloped potato's, NG, Virginia, Exec Chef Santa Claus is gonna rip you a new one for being a lazy slow poke.

Just my opinion, carry on!


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## Salty dog

Must be an old school thing. I can't recall ever seeing a hand guard much less using one.


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## EdipisReks

cut resistant gloves are much better than hand guards. i have a periodic tremor due to a medication i take, and i sometimes even use my cut resistant gloves on my off hand when using my knives. i use blade x5s, when i feel the need (i've gone through several kevlar gloves, and these have been the best fitting and most cut resistant). i sometimes use them for grabbing hot pans, too, as they are heat resistant, though they aren't as good, by any stretch, as my favored suede oven mitts.


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## stevenStefano

Cut and heat resistant gloves sound awesome. I use those hot glove type things in work all the time because they're a little easier than using cloths, especially when you're lifting things out of a combi oven when its on steam. Ones I use are pretty cheap though and don't last long


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