Hi,

I received a wonderful new lame this December and just can't figure out how to use it.  

I have tried to follow the directions in Hamelmann's "Bread", but even with this guidance, it seems I can't get a nice cut - more like a drag through the dough.

Is this a problem with my dough?  Or my technique?  (possibly both)

ANy help is greatly appreciated!  I'm about to go back to my serrated knife for slashing and I know that's not for the best.  :-)

MommaT

I was in Smart and Final yesterday checking out the plastic storage containers.  I bought sizes from one quart (for sourdough) to 12 quarts (for grains), including dough-rising sizes.

Office supplies were nearby, and they had a box-cutter that uses a single-edged razor blade.  It was seventy-nine cents, including one blade.  Got me thinking about my other box cutters.

Has anyone used box cutters as lames?  I have a good supply of razor blades, and the price was right, so I bought one.  I've been slashing using bare-naked razors, but this will clothe it a bit.

As a wood worker I have been sharpening my own tools for a long time. One thing I have learned is that the term "sharp" is relative and means many things to different people. A sharp drywall knife wouldn't cut butter very well but a sharp plane blade or chisel can be used to shave with. For a time I was learning how to cut tissue masks on photos so I could air brush and add artwork. (This was before Photoshop and computers in general but just a little after the invention of the car).

After searching high and low and not being able to find my precious curved lame ANYWHERE, and with many batards needing scoring, I threaded a double-edged razor through a Q-Tip and it worked great!  The curve seemed identical to the one my lame provided, and the cuts bloomed beautifully.  The only drawback is that a Q-Tip has a much shorter handle than my lame, but in a pinch (or for the penny-pincher), this solution works great.

Hi everyone - I was curious what what everyone thinks about lame style/shape..  I can see the advantage of a curved blade scoring a rounded slash on a rounded boule or baguette, but some slashes are straight.  Does a straight lame/razor work as well in rounded slashes?  Mine is an all in one curved razor, plastic handle, with cover I bought at my local high-end cooking store (I even think it's from France).  I believe there is some sort of coating on it and it's quite thin but doesnt seem to cut as well as I think it should.