View Full Version : Ulu's
bothyman
02-03-2005, 10:42
I use an Ulu in the Kitchen for most things, does anyone else use one??
If so has anyone got one of these??
>> http://www.greatnorthernproducts.com/aboutulu.htm
MickT :hyper:
Yes I use one, it's incredibly useful. Mine's not anything very special though like an import, it's just an old herb chopper that was made of a steel good enough to be reground and sharpened. Brilliant for bark :-)
Toddy
I have a mezzaluna (a bit like this one http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/glossary.asp?id=36167&catitemid= ) which is pretty much the same as an ulu. It's great for chopping herbs and for dicing vegetables but I find it very limited for anything else. With your hand positioned over the top of the blade I find that its difficult to see what you're cutting and with anything that is thicker than you can cut with a rocking motion then you have to use a whole forearm movement to cut. With a normal kitchen knife the movement is more of a wrist movement with your cutting hand stabilised by an elbow on the edge of the board or tucked in to your side - this means you can chop faster more safely. Probably wouldn't make much difference to most people I suppose but I do love working with a large bladed (10 or 12 inch) traditional cooks knife.
george
Probably wouldn't make much difference to most people I suppose but I do love working with a large bladed (10 or 12 inch) traditional cooks knife.
george[/QUOTE]
Too much pressure on aching wrists; but the ulu I hold gripped in my palm like a comb and find it works very well. I tried it for scraping hides and it made a very tedious job easier. Needs to be sharp. There's definately a knack to it though, one of my friends had been trying for ages to get the hang of it and has finally thrown hers away.
Toddy
Probably dead right Toddy - there will be things that the ulu/mezzaluna are suited to much better than a cooks knife, but equally I've never seen the point in trying to learn the knack for using it to do something I can do well with a normal knife.
George
Do you know that is *such* a good point. How often have we seen someone constantly trying the latest tool, gadget, brand of whatever, always convinced that this is just what they need for a better perfomance, when practice with just being good with what they have would be a far better option?
I'm comfortable and confident with the tools I use, and it makes me reluctant to buy more on the off chance that they might be better. Doesn't stop me looking when I'm aware of a lack though.
I'm looking at billhooks just now....an axe is just too obviously a chopper, while a good billhook will do all a small axe will and give me other potential uses too. Well, at least for the sort of things I do, it will.
Cheers,
Toddy
ChrisKavanaugh
02-03-2005, 23:42
www.ulumaker.com is my current supllier. I bought one of the very first production ulus in Anchorage in 1974. They were simple S/S affairs with a walnut handle and last forever. Then I started seeing ancient slate ulus in archaeological sites and in stores everywhere with cheap nasty red chinese knockoffs. They make a great survival kit item.
I've made a few from leaf spring, they're quite nice to use for veg/herbs/nuts, that sort of thing.
Lots of different styles to play with.
RovingArcher
03-03-2005, 13:00
I have one that I just brought home yesterday. It is part of the estate that I'm liquidating and after using it to do some kitchen work, I decided to go ahead and deduct it's value from my commission. Nice tool and it's getting a permanent place with my field gear.