How to hold a knife: the claw grip explained

The knife hand: pinch grip

Pinch the blade just in front of the handle between your thumb and the side of your index finger, then wrap the other fingers around the handle. This gives far more control than holding the handle alone.

The food hand: claw grip

• Curl your fingertips under, like a claw.
• Rest the flat of the blade against your knuckles.
• Move your hand back a little after each cut.
• Keep your thumb tucked behind your fingers.

Practise slowly

Speed comes on its own. Start with something easy like a cucumber or courgette and focus on keeping the claw shape.

Learning with a finger guard

A finger guard works with the claw grip: the blade rests against the steel shield instead of your knuckles, so you can practise the motion with less worry.