# action used with cutting **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876 "2017-03-10T16:23:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bladerunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@bladerunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bladerunner)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876/1 "2017-03-10T16:23:49Z")
when cutting a sandwich in half is it best to use tip down of knife and saw or is it better to use whole knife straight across and saw? If you google sandwich cutting the images usually show either of the above actions used with a serrated knife or chef knife.I know it probably does not matter but being asked this question and have no clue ,i turn to your help. Basically question is… slicing sandwich with tip of knife down and saw angled through sandwich vs whole knife straight and saw straight across (what would one do over the other as far as cut goes)… comments or thoughts please. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876/2 "2017-03-10T16:27:46Z")
It seems to me that it’s geometrically impossible to saw a sandwich with the tip pointed down. As soon as you lift it in a sawing action, the knife is not in contact with the bottom of the sandwich anymore. You may start the slice with the tip down, but to actually cut through the whole thing, you need the knife to be approximately parallel to the cutting board. Or abandon the idea of sawing, and just drag the knife through the sandwich point down, which seems like it would produce a less clean cut. Nice user name / topic combo, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876/3 "2017-03-10T16:39:55Z")
Depends on the sandwich and how sharp the knife is. Sawing won’t help with soft bread and ingredients that get caught in the teeth. Delis typically use a point down chop to cut a sandwich with a single chop. With soft or difficult to cut bread you can cut the top slice of bread first be itself, put it on top of the sandwich, then cut the rest of the way through the so you don’t crush or mangle the bread. Except for hard crusted bread I never use a sawing motion. ---
**Author:** ![bladerunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@bladerunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bladerunner)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876/4 "2017-03-10T16:44:19Z")
i dont know if this is ok or not but this link shows it at 33 seconds in to video How to Cut A Cake Like A Professional by Chef Coco Kislinger [https://www.saltedtv.com/.../how-to-cut-a-cake-like-a-professional-by-chef-coco-kisli](https://www.saltedtv.com/.../how-to-cut-a-cake-like-a-professional-by-chef-coco-kisli). and this video at end shows to How to Make Grilled Cheese Sandwich-American - YouTube Video for how to make a grilled cheese sandwich american style▶ 3:13 Apr 29, 2011 - Uploaded by sam enein thanks…hope did not break any rules here. also if go to google you will see to by pictures …google sandwich cutting in half look at images thanks ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876/5 "2017-03-10T16:45:12Z")
An absurdly sharp knife can cut in a drawing action with the tip all the way down to the cutting board. Think “scalpel”. IME, sandwich cutting is done in a combination of drawing and shearing (pressing the blade downward, rotating it from tip to heel while drawing toward myself). YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![bladerunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@bladerunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bladerunner)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2017, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/action-used-with-cutting/781876/6 "2017-03-10T17:01:28Z")
How to Cut A Cake Like A Professional by Chef Coco Kislinger [https://www.saltedtv.com/.../how-to-cut-a-cake-like-a-professional-by-chef-coco-kisli](https://www.saltedtv.com/.../how-to-cut-a-cake-like-a-professional-by-chef-coco-kisli) it says this page doesnt work but it does.If you are having trouble please type it in to see what i am saying. thanks