Electric Carving Knives

[The Mouse]

Hi there

I had been wanting one of these for ages, and my wish finally came true on Christmas day when my sons gave me one (after a bit of very unsubtle hinting from me).

Naturally I tried it out on the Christmas roast - a joint of beef - and it cut through it like a hot knife through butter. However, when I came to try and cut the remaining joint on Boxing day, it was really difficult. In fact, my attempts to cut thinish slices were producing more 'sawdust' than anything else. We had to give up on it and go back to my blunt old manual carving knife.

We realised that as soon the knife met any amount of resistance, only one of its two blades was moving. To be honest, we don't know if that is normal or not, but it's the only reason we could find to explain why it wasn't working!

It wasn't a cheap one either - a James Martin model, with brilliant reviews, apparently.

Have any of you had problems with these things, or got any ideas what might have gone wrong (or what I might be doing wrong)?

Thanks
Bert Mouse

[Elaine]

Hello Mouse..well whatever you're doing (or not doing) I had exactly the same experience with mine. I have no explanations for it at all.....my friend swears by hers and I swore at mine! The stupid thing has lived in the back of my cupboard since it's first trial two years ago!
I invested in a marvellous Knife set, and the carving knife works a treat on hot or cold meats, cuts thick or thin slices and doesn't take up half as much room in the drawer....
Cheers!

[The Mouse]

Thanks Elaine
It's at least good to know that it's not just me.

Mine is now packaged up ready to send back to Amazon. They are giving my son a refund because they can't even get any more from the manufacturer at the moment. That suits me - the last thing I want is another of the same sort of knife!!!

But guess who had to dig through all the Christmas rubbish (including the kitchen bin), on Boxing day, looking for the packaging it came in.

[glallotments]

We've had a Kenwood for ages and it has been well used but is now becoming a little blunt.
I'm not sure whether both blades whizz or not.
Not only do we use it when we cut meat but it is also good for slicing homemade bread.

Next time we use it I'll watch the blades.

[glallotments]

Just used the knife and both blades move.

[The Mouse]

Just used the knife and both blades move.

Ah - that probably explains the problem then!
Great, thanks Glallotments.

[oldherbaceous]

I was just wondering if the Beef could have been too tough and overcooked for the machine to cope with.

[The Mouse]

I was just wondering if the Beef could have been too tough and overcooked for the machine to cope with.

How dare you!!!

Mind you, you saying that and Glallotments mentioning using hers for cutting bread reminded me of some of my early attempts at breadmaking, many years ago. Some rolls I made definitely would have been too hard for the knife to cope with. I remember throwing them into the canal, and thinking how lucky it was that none of them actually hit the ducks! I could have ended up in court for animal cruelty.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Bert, i think we have all been there when it comes to bread making.

[Johnboy]

Hi Mouse,
Now I know this is going to make you squeak but I rather think that you are trying to cut your meat across the grain and not with it and that is why the knife fails to cut the meat properly!
I do not use an electric knife and never would but my brother in law has used one for years and years but he was an expert carver before he bought his electric knife. Carving meat is an art but you must understand the meat that you are trying to cut.
I do expect to get my ears boxed Mouse!
JB.

[The Mouse]

Hi Johnboy

It could well have been against the grain, but these knives should to be able to cope with that, surely?

When the knife refused to do the job, I got out my usual non-electric (and non-too sharp) carving knife and managed ok.
The electric one was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. Well less, actually, because at least I could eat a chocolate fireguard!

[richard p]

ours used to get used sunday lunchtimes but havnt used it for a couple of years... by the time youve found the bits moved everything arround so the joint is in reach of the plug its just as easy and quick to use a old fashioned knife... its been stuck in the cupboard for kitchen gadgets that seemed a good idea at the time but are really a waste of space.

[glallotments]

We use ours all the time - it is especially good for the newly baked bread as it cuts through without having the place any undue pressure on the loaf and also means the slices don't end up as wedges.
We tend to keep the things we use most in easy reach otherwise as you say they remain in the depths of a cupboard and we do have lots of sockets so that isn't a problem.

[Elle's Garden]

We have a hand-me-down from my Mother-in-law (much missed ) which works fine when we use it. We tend not to use it too much though as my soft as grease Golden Retriever has a real aversion to it and barks the house down whenever it makes an appearance. Tim wonders if it is the smell of death associated with it - but I think it must just smell of roast dinners, and he is always happy with those . He will bark at the main body of the machine even when it is not turned in and no blades attached. He has even been known to growl at the cupboard it lives in.

Oh, and it is a Moulinex I think, and both blades move.

[The Mouse]

The knife has now been returned to Amazon and my son given a refund.

I've suggested that instead of another knife, he might like to get me some soaker hose for the allotment - there's some on Ebay that I've got my eye on!

Having said that, after this hard winter I bet there will be a lot of leaky hosepipes to be had down at the recycling centre in a month or two's time!