"Sheldon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Nancy Young wrote:
> > Can anyone tell me why chefs tap their knives
> > maybe 3 times on the counter before starting to
> > chop whatever? Tyler comes to mind, but a lot
> > of tv chefs do that.
> >
> > Just nosy.
> >
> > nancy
>
> Martin Yan almost always bangs the side of his knife on the cutting
> surface 2-3 times before actually cutting... and then more banging
> after the cutting, as if preparing to continue cutting... he even makes
> the knife ring out like a musical instrument, probably to psych
> himself.
>
> Baseball players do the same, when at bat they tap the plate, and then
> even make a few false swats with the bat before the ball is thrown,
> some even tap their shoes, many swing 2-3 bats at once before selecting
> one... carpenters too (especially framers) will strike the wood before
> hammering the nail... gives a feel for the heft of the tool, sets a
> cadence, and the vibration limbers the wrist so that the only exertion
> is a flick, the weight of the hammer does all the work, requires no
> great arm strength... if it did no one could last an hour pounding
> nails. Many people who use tools/objects for repetitive tasks do the
> same. Didn't you ever watch Ed Norton prepare to play piano/sign his
> name? LOL
>
> Sheldon
>

rofl.... recalling Norton winding up for a signature

Yeh, it's just a kind of nervous wind up. I actually find myself doing the
same thing when chomping at the bit, ready to get cutting. Depends on the
situation.