And before anyone takes the piss I’m playing the medical reasons card.

So, yeah. I bake my own bread because I have coeliac disease. And I cut it badly, every time, because I’m a fanny. I saw a sort of bread slicer template in Lakeland a while back which seemed clever… But I’d like adjustability. Wire ones won’t cut it (LOLZ!) I think as I like my crusts to be like plate steel.

So, STW knows everything, what do you reckon? I nearly bought this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TFY-Bread-Loaf-Toast-folding-Cutter-Mold-Maker-Slicer-Slicing-Cutting-Guide-/201485608728

There’s not much worktop space in the kitchen so an actual slicing machine probably isn’t the way to go.

^^
Off to ‘Mums-Net’ with the monster.

It’s not the worst idea in the world but it doesn’t look wide enough to fit one of my loaves in – but I never bake a tin, just round cobs.
Why can’t you slice a loaf? I’ve found that a sharp proper bread knife makes a big difference.

sharkbait – Member

Why can’t you slice a loaf?

Northwind – Member

I’m a fanny.

I’ve at least graduated from lacerating myself, to the more advanced level of making triangular slices and slices with holes in (the “bread”‘s pretty foamy in the middle so it legitimately is a bit harder to cut than a normal bread. Honest)

You need to think bigger.

The Lakeland one I use is adjustable and it’s pretty good.

I got the Lakeland one more to stop crumbs ending up all over the kitchen.
As mentioned, it is adjustable and works well – providing you have a nice long knife with a flat blade…

A really sharp big knife has always been my preference over bread knives. I have never figured out how to sharpen a bread knife.

I’m sure Festool will have something to suit.

Use a sharp serrated knife, very easy for them to only rip, rather than actually cut

Also, turn the loaf 90 degrees after each cut, then it doesn’t go so wonky

+1 for good sharp knife.

The trick to getting a decent cut on a fresh/home made loaf is to let the blade do the work and do not force it through the loaf as it will compress and lead to a wonky slice – buy yourself a decent quality bread knife and it should almost slice itself with no effort on your part.

Electric carving knife works well

Just buy a decent bread knife instead of using a hideous KSO abomination like too many do (hence the rise of evil sliced bread). Presliced bread is such a bad idea, except when you want to make lots of crap sandwiches quickly.

I was going to suggest a fiddle-bow knife…but that kinda has one thickness. Although, once you get used to it, you can slice thinner if you want. I’ve had one for getting on twenty years now, and it still works. Mine was when they were nicher than niche, and made with cherry wood and a bloody sharp blade.
Mine looks like this:

But, lo…when I searched for images, it appears there are adjustable ones as well:

And they are things of beauty.

Other than that, I’d second a sharp bread knife and less fannying. 🙂

Hacksaw and a mitre box? Available at a screwfix near you!

just get one of these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional-Food-Slicer-For-Bread-Ham-or-Cheese-Cuts-Wafer-Thin-or-Doorstop-/262265776551

wins on man-toy points, but you are still at a net negative due to needing one in the first place 😉

Weird coincidence I bought one this week! Just an Argos one (think it was the cheapest one they had).

I got it for the same reason I bake my own bread and was going through loaves really quickly due to each slice being very thick! The big advantage is not that it cuts straight, but it cuts a lot thinner than a knife so I get more slices out of a loaf!

Do a search on Argos for meat slicer and you will find the one I got.

That eBay one looks v similar but you get the guarantee with Argos!

http://www.fiddlebowbreadknives.co.uk/

What we use. Not adjustable but a pleasure to use. Made by a man in a shed in Lincolnshire.

Do you use a bread maker? I found when I used a bread maker the crusts were too crusty and the insides too soft to be able to slice well.

Double denim. OMFG.

Make buns.

As we carried our kit down to Gruniard bay

“what are you building lads?”
“sandwiches”

Double denim. OMFG.

A Canadian Tuxedo

I hate singletrack, just when I thought my life was difficult enough I now have to decide what wood I want my fiddle bow knife in 🙂
I have the Lakeland slicer thing after getting fed up with wedge shaped sandwiches. Still mostly just use a sharp knife on its own though.

Have you tried freezing it and then using a really sharp bread knife?

Also, perhaps try finer serrations?

Northwind, you arent left handed by any chance are you?

Northwind, you arent left handed by any chance are you?

Pipped me to the post by eight minutes, I was just going to ask the same thing.

Serrated knives aren’t symmetrical, the edge counters the natural twist of the wrist as you cut. Left-handed, it accentuates it and you end up with triangular slices. I thought I was a, ahem, fanny for years until I got a left-handed bread knife and can now cut things in straight lines.

Boom.

looks like the OP can get the same model for about 3-4 quid on ebay rather than the 10 quid version in the link up there. I got one of the cheap white plastic type which is a bit crap (just too narrow for my loaves and on the verge of falling apart) but it does make slicing easier. This thread reminds me, the knife needs a sharpen.

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced, good, sharp breadknife?

Sure can.

http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/acatalog/bread_knife.html

(-:

I’m left handed and can operate a bread knife perfectly well. I was going to make a baker in the genes type comment (Dad, uncle and a cousin all bakers by trade), but remembered my Dad cuts huge doorstep wedges and would have used a machine to do the job at the bakery!

Thanks folks… I really want one of those big circular saw doofers but just no space in the kitchen, so a Lakeland one I think it will be. Might well pick up one of those bow knives too though, just because I like buying things.

hammerite – Member

I was going to make a baker in the genes type comment (Dad, uncle and a cousin all bakers by trade)

Dough in the blood here too, it doesn’t seem to help (here’s my grandad on the left, with something he lashed up for this nice Windsor couple)

But then he didn’t eat bread, only rolls, and he tore them in half with his hands so it’s not that positive a contribution.

thenorthwind – Member

Have you tried freezing it and then using a really sharp bread knife?

And eating frozen sandwiches?

+1 for the electric carving knife. Makes it v easy

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4228211.htm

Cuts a perfect slice every time, even straight out of the bread maker.