What kind of slasher are you???

[NMDemDist2]

How do you slash your loaves?

I've tried a couple ways

I did the X pattern on the round loaf



and the vertical slash on the long loaf



but I'm thinking the vertical slash on the round loaf would work too

how do you slash?

edit to add, I just ordered this baby after my handy man used my bread knife to cut foam molding for the doors



http://www.amazon.com/F-Dick-Offset-Bread-Knife/dp/B0001EK2US/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

[Lucinda]

1. I like the cross cut when other people do it. Mine suck.

So I go with the slashes, diagonally or straight across...

[housewolf]

4. It takes some practice...

Just keep at it, your skills will improve. Try didfferent things, you may find that some pattern or patterns work better for you than others.

One hint - use something REALLY, REALLY sharp - I like single-edged razor blades. You can use them a few times then toss them when they get dull. I've never had much luck using a knife - mine all tended to drag and cause the dough to deflate or the cut to be ragged. Professional bread bakers use something called a lame (French term, pronounced la-may), it's basically a razor blade with a handle. There are some inexpensive ones available with a curved blade that helps you get under the dough at an angle instead of straight down, which will give you a better cut.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. I like the tic tac toe cut

It makes cute little boxes when the bread is cooked.

[Warpy]

5. That's the one I use

It makes interesting sammies.

[housewolf]

3. I like to do a star cut on boules

5 or 6 short slashes an inch or so from the center, going outward. Makes a real pretty round loaf. There are quite a few other things you can do too - like a cross-hatch, tic-tac-toe cut, diamond-cuts all across the top, or a series of short slashes about 1/4 (or so) of the way down the boule all around the diameter - this causes the top to pop up higher, sort of giving the boule a "hat" - it's cute and different.

For baguettes and batards, I like traditional diagonal slashes.

[troubleinwinter]

6. I'm still just a beginner and haven't hit my 'style' yet, but

the slash that I most admire was sazemisery's in the upper left corner:



It looks like a pumpkin. I thought it would look beautiful on an Autumn table.

It was the first post on Artisan 5 that I read. I think it was that groovy slash that got me into the Artisan 5 thing!

I tried the razor blade, which did not work for me, but a serrated knife did.

I looked at the million-slide bread porn show, and still like sazemisery's slash the best of all!

sazemisery's thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x53368

[sazemisery]

7. I think the book called that one the Palm Leaf

I'm at work and can't look but that is what my pea-brain remembers.