# Potato knife **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535 "2019-07-04T20:56:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [July 4, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/1 "2019-07-04T20:56:29Z")
The Wikipedia article on Spike Milligan says > [@Wikipedia](#): > > In late 1952, possibly exacerbated by suppressed tensions between the Goons’ stars, Milligan apparently became irrationally convinced that he had to kill Sellers but when he attempted to gain entry to Sellers’s neighbouring flat, armed with a potato knife, he accidentally walked straight through the plate-glass front door. What the heck is a potato knife? I am not familiar with that term. Googling it shows a variety of objects, such as vegetable peelers, knives with wavy blades to cut french fries, and even knives made out of potatoes, as well as more conventional knives of various shapes. But the writer of the wiki article seemed to think the reader would understand what type of knife is meant. Is “potato knife” a British term that my google-fu is not strong enough to identify? ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/2 "2019-07-04T23:23:09Z")
I’m English, 65 years old (and a fan of the Goons. 🆒 ) I don’t recognise ‘potato knife’ as a specific object. Given that we’re not keen on weapons in this country, I suggest it was an old-fashioned kitchen utensil used to peel potatoes i.e. a handle leading to a u-shaped blade with a hole to allow the peel to pass through. Potato peeler ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/3 "2019-07-04T23:40:35Z")
> [@glee](#): > > I’m English, 65 years old (and a fan of the Goons. 🆒 ) > > I don’t recognise ‘potato knife’ as a specific object. > > Given that we’re not keen on weapons in this country, I suggest it was an old-fashioned kitchen utensil used to peel potatoes i.e. a handle leading to a u-shaped blade with a hole to allow the peel to pass through. > > Potato peeler A potato peeler doesn’t seem like a good choice to kill someone. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2019, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/4 "2019-07-04T23:47:03Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > A potato peeler doesn’t seem like a good choice to kill someone. Spike Milligan was a comedic genius who sadly suffered from bipolar disorder. So his choice of ‘weapon’ was not necessarily rational. (A potato peeler can still do damage.) ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/5 "2019-07-05T00:44:23Z")
~Never bring a potato knife to a potato gun fight.~ It’s probably just another word for a paring knife, which is often used to peel potatoes. As seen in many cartoons and movies with soldiers doing KP duty. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/6 "2019-07-05T01:11:55Z")
I wonder if it might refer to [this](http://www.dexterrussellcutlery.com/dexter-russell-basics-2-1-2-tourne-knife-black-handle-15153-s102b/) specific kind of paring knife with the reverse curved blade. Such blades are used almost exclusively for doing intricate peeling and shaping of hard veggies-----like potatoes. Just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/7 "2019-07-05T05:39:06Z")
This is a potato peeler which I guess could be called a knife. A potato peeler should have that pointed, tubular tip to cut out the eyes in a quick Stab N Twirl. > **[Royal ROY 1062 Stainless Steel Potato Peeler | TigerChef](https://www.tigerchef.com/royal-roy-1062-stainless-steel-peeler.html)** > > Get the best online deals with fast shipping when you shop for the Royal ROY 1062 Stainless Steel Potato Peeler great for a variety of kitchen processes. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potato-knife/836535/8 "2019-07-05T16:03:00Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > {…} reverse curved blade. {…} Commonly, that blade shape is called a [hawksbill](https://www.google.com/search?q=hawksbill+blade&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_9r20k57jAhUxU98KHfMvCWEQ_AUIECgB&biw=1067&bih=449). CMC fnord!