What is your fav
- Thread starter pankerbelle
- Start date
- Status
Oh My.. I can't imagine a florist life without a knife. I freak out if designer's can't use a knife. A bunch cutter is great for some things, but a knife is rather like the badge of honor for a florist isn't it?
I swear I'm going to retire a wealthy man as soon as I figure out how to combine a swiss army knife with the clapper. The Swiss I suppose are smarter than I, they have somehow figured out how to invent a floral knife that can sprout legs and run and jump into the garbage bin when I'm not looking. Do the Swiss really have an army?
Yes Elmo I was for real. I have no idea how to connect systems. And yes I needed a time out, part of the curse of us bi-polars I suppose. But I'm feeling better now, nothing a double dose wont cure, know what I mean?
Well, I may get my second red dot for saying this......but I am always amazed at the number of floral designers who do not know how to properly use a knife in order to avoid slashing the thumb.
If you are a right-handed person, then you hold the knife in your right hand, the flower in your left. You lay the sharp edge of the knife against the flower stem, You place your right thumb against the flower stem opposite the knife. You then move your entire arm to cut the stem, Your fingers and thumb SHOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL.
In fact, whenever I do a design show, I always, always include that instruction in the show at some point.
If you are a right-handed person, then you hold the knife in your right hand, the flower in your left. You lay the sharp edge of the knife against the flower stem, You place your right thumb against the flower stem opposite the knife. You then move your entire arm to cut the stem, Your fingers and thumb SHOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL.
In fact, whenever I do a design show, I always, always include that instruction in the show at some point.
naughty! On a couple of levels there :smurf
I just use these cheapie red-handled knives (not swiss army) that they have at the wholesaler. I'm definitely a knife, not a bunch cutter person.
I do like the curved swiss army knives, just haven't gotten around to finding one.
One florist I know uses bunch cutters to cut wire. I'm like :hammer: aaaagh!
Ricky my brain hurts trying to understand your description of how to cut. Maybe I be slow...
Ricky, whether or not you know how to use a knife or not, speaking for myself, when I am in production mode, the knife becomes part of my hand. The phone rings I answer, I still have knife in hand. I do not think about the knife in my hand at all, it's just there. I usually cut my thumb trying to lift a bucket of flowers with knife in tow. And 9 out of 10 times I cut my thumb I am just starting on a white bridal bouquet. Ever seen gardenias with red polka dots? It's my signature flower.
It just happens.
Like in the Steve Martin movie " Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" his character "Fredric the monkey boy" I need a knife with a cork on the end of it.
It just happens.
Like in the Steve Martin movie " Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" his character "Fredric the monkey boy" I need a knife with a cork on the end of it.
felicityflowers
New Member
I'm a natural klutz and it has absolutely nothing to do with my design skills or my ability as a florist. Once I slipped on the wet concrete floor in my back room and almost sliced my head open on the design bench. It's not because I don't know how to walk...it's because sh*t happens.
I'm really surprised I haven't had any serious knife injuries. I blaze through designs at 900 miles an hour all the time and that's when bad things tend to happen.
I've only had one knife injury and it was my own stupidity but not because I didn't know how to use it. I was cutting down a liner to fit in a small container and instead of grabbing the scissors I just used my knife. I shoved the knife through the plastic and into my thumb. Stupid, I know.
I don't suggest beginner florists using a knife. I learned with bunch cutters and graduated up to a knife. I was scared to death of slicing my fingers off until I properly learned how to wield sharp objects without impaling myself.
Anyway, like others, my tool of choice is my Victorinox knife. I've got three still in plastic in my drawer in case, like Thom, mine grows legs and runs away.
First day of floristry class, I opened up my brand new toolbox. So many cool things -- wire snips, pipe cleaners, kerning pins, tapes, band-aids... band aids? Picked out the knife, snapped it open, snapped it shut -- and found out why the band-aids were there!
Since then I've learned. Yes, accidents happen but Ricky has a point too -- I've seen many people, some very experienced, use their knives wrongly.
I recently was reading a novel set in 17th century England. One small part described the teasel harvesters (teasels, or dried thistle heads, were used to finish cloth). They used a teasel knife which seemed to be a small curved blade that fit snug against your forefinger with the handle curving around to cover your thumb. Sounds like it might be good for floristry.
Since then I've learned. Yes, accidents happen but Ricky has a point too -- I've seen many people, some very experienced, use their knives wrongly.
I recently was reading a novel set in 17th century England. One small part described the teasel harvesters (teasels, or dried thistle heads, were used to finish cloth). They used a teasel knife which seemed to be a small curved blade that fit snug against your forefinger with the handle curving around to cover your thumb. Sounds like it might be good for floristry.
fiskar: garden shears (althougth we bought ours at target labeled kitchen shears, cheaper )
fiskar: bypass pruners
Gingher: for fabric
Knives: clauss and Henckel
I never sharpen my own, but send them to a pro. You can ruin a good a good pair of shears pretty quickly if you don't know what you're doing.
fiskar: bypass pruners
Gingher: for fabric
Knives: clauss and Henckel
I never sharpen my own, but send them to a pro. You can ruin a good a good pair of shears pretty quickly if you don't know what you're doing.
I recently bought this pair of Fiskar's Pruners.
I love them! They are so comfy and easy to grip and I can use them left or right handed.
I need to get another pair of left handed scissors. I used the last pair till the blade wore through and fell off. I can use right but it's not as comfortable.
I love them! They are so comfy and easy to grip and I can use them left or right handed.
I need to get another pair of left handed scissors. I used the last pair till the blade wore through and fell off. I can use right but it's not as comfortable.
I can't imagine working without a knife. It seems to me production would be a little slower if you are using cutters of any kind. In fact, I never allowed my designers to use cutters except for a few times. I was told years ago that cutters tend to bind the capilaries and would affect water flow up the stem.
I keep a knife sharpener by my station and use it as often as I need.
I do like using wratchet (spelling?) for woody stems.
Carol Bice
I keep a knife sharpener by my station and use it as often as I need.
I do like using wratchet (spelling?) for woody stems.
Carol Bice
How do you convince other staff to take care of tools...I am always cleaning mine (soak them in DCD cleaner) and I like to use ribbon scissors for only ribbon but invariably mine get borrowed and misused...another one that irks me is others using my floral cutters or pruners for wire instead of walking the 5 feet to get a pair of wire snips to use!! Is it just me???
When I'm paying $25 per hour for freelance designers I expect them to have their own tools. However I provide free blade sharpening.
Sassy I think it goes back to how strong your work ethic is. I like to have my own tools, however if I need to use the shops I think its important to take care. You know like a " do unto others " concept.
Many people are tool ignorant, they don't know the difference between a wire cutter and pruner, I've also seen them pick up ribbon scissors to cut wire when their wire cutters are in their drawer, too lazy to open the drawer. I value my tools and want them where I can find them, drives me nuts if I come to work and can't find my tools I left in the drawer the day before, or I loan it out and they lost it. I've always had my own tools, can't stand duking it out or scrounging for shop tools.
I mostly use a knife, but have used clippers more and more as the arthritis increases, on greens mostly though.
Trish
I mostly use a knife, but have used clippers more and more as the arthritis increases, on greens mostly though.
Trish
This topic should be mentioned in the definition of a professional florist thread. Tools of the trade.
Fave knife - Victorinox straight handled knife. Blade is thinner than the Swiss Army, stays sharper longer and isvery strong - cuts through heavy tropical stems with ease.
Fave clipper - Japanese Saboten 1210 white handle. Expensive but stays sharper longer than anything else I have ever used. Spring wears out before the blade does.
Wire cutters - I love the snapper wire cutters for quick, easy, almost effortless cutting but lately I was introduced to a pair of "bolt cutters" made in Germany. Not easy to find here and off hand, I don't have the brand name with me but cutting those really hard wires, i.e. - wire hangers, are like cutting butter! and they are not that much bigger than a large pair of wire cutters.
"Scissors" - ABS made in Japan. Good for cutting bind wire and ribbon but I would keep a seperate ribbon sheers anyway. Stays sharp for a long time.
I am super protective of my tools because I spend alot of money for them and it has been a long, hard road to find good products. If you use my ribbon shears to cut wire, you are dead!
Fave clipper - Japanese Saboten 1210 white handle. Expensive but stays sharper longer than anything else I have ever used. Spring wears out before the blade does.
Wire cutters - I love the snapper wire cutters for quick, easy, almost effortless cutting but lately I was introduced to a pair of "bolt cutters" made in Germany. Not easy to find here and off hand, I don't have the brand name with me but cutting those really hard wires, i.e. - wire hangers, are like cutting butter! and they are not that much bigger than a large pair of wire cutters.
"Scissors" - ABS made in Japan. Good for cutting bind wire and ribbon but I would keep a seperate ribbon sheers anyway. Stays sharp for a long time.
I am super protective of my tools because I spend alot of money for them and it has been a long, hard road to find good products. If you use my ribbon shears to cut wire, you are dead!
Lady Biker Florist
Well-Known Member
I have a knife and cutters next to me when I am designing all the time. I use both a lot.
The red folding knives and the red cutters. They used to be the orange ones until they started breaking too often.
My thumbs used to be all sliced up with green dirty flower stem gunk embedded in the knife cuts, but I don't have them anymore so I guess I must use the cutters more.
The red folding knives and the red cutters. They used to be the orange ones until they started breaking too often.
My thumbs used to be all sliced up with green dirty flower stem gunk embedded in the knife cuts, but I don't have them anymore so I guess I must use the cutters more.
- Status