How to use a “claw” hand to protect your fingers while cutting
Curl fingertips back so your knuckles guide the blade, keeping fingertips out of the knife’s path.
Tuck your fingertips under and bend your fingers so the knuckles are the forward-most point. Let the side of the knife ride against your knuckles while you cut, keeping fingertips safely behind them.
The short version
- Knuckle protects fingertips
- Keep fingers out of any area you could cut
How to do it
- 1
Curl your fingers so fingertips are tucked back (not extended).
Avoid holding food with straight fingers in front of the blade.
Watch this step - 2
Place your knuckles against the side of the knife as a guide while cutting.
Keep fingertips behind the knuckles at all times.
Watch this step
What goes wrong
Holding food with fingertips extended toward the blade
Tuck fingertips back and guide with knuckles
Why it works
Knuckles act as a physical guard and guide, reducing the chance of cutting fingertips.
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