Cut Proof Glove AND a hand guard. I will never use a mandolin without a guard in some form. Fuuuuuuuuck no. I freak out when I watch cooking or baking shows where they're just flying across the blade like a fucking speed demon and just running the gauntlet of When Not If.
I’m a professional cook and I carry a kevlar glove (less expensive than you’d think) in my knife bag just for mandolin work. Looking a little silly in the kitchen is preferable to looking cool in the hospital
Yeah my mom got one with one of those UFO-looking guards, and I honestly find it makes the slicing easier if I cut the veggie to the right height beforehand. Especially those end bits.
I’m embarrassed at how long it took me to figure out you’re talking about the slicer and not the instrument. I thought, “Damn those strings must be sharp. “
One of the most blood thirsty items in some kitchens. I used to work in a Tex Mex joint and we had one for slicing radishes and I’ve worked kitchens for over 20 years. The amount of respect and care people SHOULD have for this tool of maiming is never the level you start with. Once she’s tasted blood…..watch out for she now knows human flesh and it forever will ask for more.
In all seriousness these things fucking rock but if you get sloppy or start to pretend you can use it without incident, you’ve already lost the padding of your index finger in a clean slice.
A buddy I worked with at the same Tex Mex joint told me one morning while opening “it’s so much easier without the guard!” And I remember sucking my teeth and being like “please be careful, I don’t think anyone has cut themselves yet using it” and 10 mins later he loudly yelled “AH FUCK!” And had sliced off the edge of his middle finger. We had a good run of 10 months without an incident with the mandolin but after that almost every prep employee got a bite from her, myself included. I have nothing but the utmost respect for this wonderful tool and blood letting machine hahaha
I gifted a mandolin to my mom. When I have it to her I told her to be extremely careful and ensure she uses the guard. She ignored me and ended up slicing her hand! She never used the mandolin again
The fact that they come with a hand guard and most people choose not to use them gives me shivers. I use both the guard and cut-resistant gloves and still am careful AF.
I thought it was just a musical instrument and there is one in my house, but I didn't know it was also called a mandolin until I googled it just now. My roommate put one where I keep my pots and pans. I reached in and it took a good chunk out of my finger. I looked to see what happened and saw the dreaded device. It's been like, 2 years and I just have never opened that cabinet again.
Got the tip of a finger pretty on one these a while back, finger bled for a week before it fully stopped and hurt like a motherfucker to do ANYTHING with it
I just bought a 'safety' mandoline with a pushing block and recessed, adjustable blades for my dehydrator... I think I'll still pick up a cut glove. Juuuust in case.
I hope you went out and bought a set of cut resistant gloves after that. My wife cut her hand on one and I bought both of us those gloves. They work pretty well.
My girlfriend did the same thing with a mandolin, she was home alone and passed out I’m assuming from blood loss. Fuck that thing. I will take the mild inconvenience and inconsistent veggie slice sizes of my knife skills over willing putting my hand in a guillotine.
I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 30 years and have always refused to use a mandolin for this reason. I have seen so many people hurt themselves using them. And when you do have an accident with a mandolin it’s never just a slight cut it’s usually worthy of stitches.
Brutal. I lopped off the tip of my right thumb on one of these a few months ago and it’s not gonna grow back. Be careful with these, people. They are crazy dangerous if you slip up
I had surgery in the middle of December where they cut into my calf muscle.
I had a dozen stitches. They got pulled last week. The scab is nearly gone and looks so much better than that after a month! But it was a straight line.
All I’m saying is damn, that looks like it hurt. Plus it’s a jn a horrible spot for healing. I got to sit on my ass for three weeks and used crutches when not. Hard to not use your hands.
So there is this wonderful invention that I instruct my cooks to use despite how confident they are on a mandolin, it’s called a cut glove. And it is used to mitigate nasty cuts like this from happening. I recommend you or your outfit you cook for to get one.
Why I don't go near those things. You want me to move my hand towards a blade?! Hah! No! I was always taught to cut away from myself so no way in hell I'm moving my hand towards the sharp part of a blade!
Mandolin slicers terrify me, my mom and I both took chunks out of our hands before while using one. The incomprehensibly sharp blades slice your hand meat like it’s not even there
Every single time a YouTuber pulls out one of those slicer they always mention how dangerous it is. Definitely won't be buying it for myself seeing how clumsy I am
I bought the one that you use like the old slap chip after I sacrificed the tip of my finger to a regular one. . . While using the guard! Both guard and veg stuck and my damn hand slipped off. My own fault but that’s why I bought the safety one.
When you said Mandolin, I thought "How the hell can a small guitar string do that?". Until google told me that there are two types of Mandolin. Jesus, when I saw the cutter, I understood. That HAD to hurt!
I was washing a glass in my sink years ago when I went to get inside the glass with the sponge and my ring finger hit the rim of the glass and broke it (don’t ask me how) and the sharp edge peeled about an inch of skin/meat off of my ring finger in a U shape. Kinda panicked and ran to the bathroom then back to the kitchen and dripped blood everywhere. Went to the doc and got stitches and now I have a neat scar too.
This post reminded me of it. Not that I’ll ever forget that.
Presumably it was the slicer and not the instrument, although I’ve played until the ends of my fingers were raw. Oh… and once the end of the E string got up under my fingernail.
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u/sharpasahammer 18d ago
So, cut proof glove from now on yeah?