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Comment by Afton | Hacker News Reader

You can, but if you consider knives an uninteresting kitchen tool, then you have just given them a $300 knife that they will feel bad about every time they use it open a can of beans.

btw: if you do know about knives, please hit me up at my email address and let me pick your brain a bit.

[Edit: my email address wasn't in my profile. fixed, but I'll reach out to folks shortly, thanks!].

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Part of knowing something about knives is in selecting the right tool(s) for the users. I'm not going to buy a 200mm gyuto for my parents; I got them a set of [chef's knife, bread knife, paring knife] that is miles better than what they had and still holds up well because I know it's only going to be sharpened when I come to visit.

On the flipside, it can definitely portray a quality on the item - it's not just a $300 knife, but a $300 knife that Jim picked out, and Jim window-shops knives when you walk by his desk. Because Jim picked something he knew about, he knows how to give a better gift.

I'm a big fan of giving the best gift you uniquely know how to give, and failing that something broadly useful or consumable.

> feel bad about every time they use it open a can of beans.

There are no words for this.

Anyone opening a can with a knife should feel bad about it.

I have a nasty scar down my finger from opening a bottle with a knife, I’d advise against using knives like this.

Spoons work great though!

Different kind of bottle but I've pulled a damaged cork with a 3.5 inch deck screw and a pair of pliers before. Worked great.

I mean, you have a knife and you have a can. You need to open said can... You _will_ use the damned knife.

Less of a problem nowadays, since it seems most cans have pull tabs. But the metal of the cans is usually far more malleable than the knife, and if you have a work knife, it isn't unreasonable to do so.

Email sent. Knives have been a hobby for a long time. Got to spend some time, when I've visited the US, in workshops of Chad Nichols damascus, Vegas forge, Tom Krein and Brian Fellhoelter. Great fun.

Hey I don't see your email address in your profile but I know a bit about knives and would be happy to answer any questions

I do know a bit about knives. Your email address isn't in your profile. Mine is in mine; feel free.

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