I have two ulus that are just on display. I got them in Alaska years ago on
a hunting trip. Last evening, I found them in a box of things after we
moved, along with a few dead bugs. One is obviously very old with a
scrimshaw handle made of whalebone. The other is a gleaming white plastic
handle with laser cut images made to look like scrimshaw, with a nice
stainless blade with a bevel on one edge only.

Does anyone have any of these, and how do you like them? I do also have a
third one that has a bowl shaped recession in the matching cutting board.
I've never used these, so wonder how they work. In Alaska, the natives have
one big skinning knife and an ulu, and that's all.

I do have a Joyce Chen mini cleaver that I like a lot. It too has a curved
blade, and is good for slicing and mincing since you can rock the blade. I
never use it for hacking or slamming or cleaving. If I had to have only one
knife, that would be the one.

Steve

On Feb 10, 6:59*am, "SteveB" > wrote:
> I have two ulus that are just on display. *I got them in Alaska years ago on
> a hunting trip. *Last evening, I found them in a box of things after we
> moved, along with a few dead bugs. *One is obviously very old with a
> scrimshaw handle made of whalebone. *The other is a gleaming white plastic
> handle with laser cut images made to look like scrimshaw, with a nice
> stainless blade with a bevel on one edge only.
>
> Does anyone have any of these, and how do you like them? *I do also have a
> third one that has a bowl shaped recession in the matching cutting board.
> I've never used these, so wonder how they work. *In Alaska, the natives have
> one big skinning knife and an ulu, and that's all.
>
> I do have a Joyce Chen mini cleaver that I like a lot. *It too has a curved
> blade, and is good for slicing and mincing since you can rock the blade. *I
> never use it for hacking or slamming or cleaving. *If I had to have only one
> knife, that would be the one.
>
> Steve

I would think one with the cutting board would be used like a
mezzaluna which is just like a mortar and pestle only sharp.
Lynn in Fargo

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:59:13 -0700, "SteveB" >
wrote:

>I have two ulus that are just on display. I got them in Alaska years ago on
>a hunting trip. Last evening, I found them in a box of things after we
>moved, along with a few dead bugs. One is obviously very old with a
>scrimshaw handle made of whalebone. The other is a gleaming white plastic
>handle with laser cut images made to look like scrimshaw, with a nice
>stainless blade with a bevel on one edge only.
>Does anyone have any of these, and how do you like them? I do also have a
>third one that has a bowl shaped recession in the matching cutting board.
>I've never used these, so wonder how they work. In Alaska, the natives have
>one big skinning knife and an ulu, and that's all.

I have one with a jadeite handle, but don't use it. The blade is laser
etched and the knife seems to have been intended for the tourist
trade. They seem to be effective, in the hands of an experienced
user. I have a Forschner flexible boning knife with a scimitar-shaped
blade that makes short work of meat. The ulu's curved blade can
be just as effective. It's all in the wrist. If you have arthritis in
your wrists, well, it looks cool on the shelf. Oh, my ulu is only
about 4 1/2 inches along the sharpened edge. I am told that
a 6 inch blade works better.

Alex

In article >,
"SteveB" > wrote:

> I have two ulus that are just on display. I got them in Alaska years ago on
> a hunting trip.
(snip)
>
> Does anyone have any of these, and how do you like them? I do also have a
> third one that has a bowl shaped recession in the matching cutting board.
> I've never used these, so wonder how they work. In Alaska, the natives have
> one big skinning knife and an ulu, and that's all.

> Steve

He-e-y-y-y-y, have you been spying on my house? :-)

LaTwerp was in residence for four days last week and on Saturday morning
she used my (wood handle, a stand for it, no bowl for it) ulu to cut up
the celery for our Minnesota Mooshy Chow Mein. It was perfect for her
(she's 7) although I had to remind her often to keep the end of it on
the board so she could cut using the rocking motion; she's more inclined
to go straight up and down. She also used it to cut the baby bok choy
for the dish, too. I have pictures in the gallery link below. ;-)
Also of her making Raspberry-White Chocolate Chip Muffins.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.me.com/barbschaller
http://gallery.me.com/barbschaller/100077
http://gallery.me.com/barbschaller/100090

On Feb 10, 11:41*am, Melba's Jammin' >
wrote:
> In article >,
>
>
>
> *"SteveB" > wrote:
> > I have two ulus that are just on display. *I got them in Alaska years ago on
> > a hunting trip.
> (snip)
>
> > Does anyone have any of these, and how do you like them? *I do also have a
> > third one that has a bowl shaped recession in the matching cutting board.
> > I've never used these, so wonder how they work. *In Alaska, the natives have
> > one big skinning knife and an ulu, and that's all.
> > Steve
>
> He-e-y-y-y-y, have you been spying on my house? *:-)
>
> LaTwerp was in residence for four days last week and on Saturday morning
> she used my (wood handle, a stand for it, no bowl for it) ulu to cut up
> the celery for our Minnesota Mooshy Chow Mein. *It was perfect for her
> (she's 7) although I had to remind her often to keep the end of it on
> the board so she could cut using the rocking motion; she's more inclined
> to go straight up and down. * She also used it to cut the baby bok choy
> for the dish, too. *I have pictures in the gallery link below. *;-) *
> Also of her making Raspberry-White Chocolate Chip Muffins.

Twerp? You call that shayna punim a twerp? Bad Grammy! She's cute
as only a 7-year-old can be, lucky thing.

maxine in ri

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:59:13 -0700, "SteveB" >
wrote:
>
>Does anyone have any of these, and how do you like them?

No, but I have a curved Arabian knife that was used to kill people.
It has two notches on it. I'm not joking. The holster, or whatever
you call it also has a small straight knife. I don't know what it was
used for, but I guess it was for eating. BTW: the big knife is so
sharp on both sides, that it has cut a slit all the way through the
(thick) holster.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that
interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

>
> LaTwerp was in residence for four days last week and on Saturday morning
> she used my (wood handle, a stand for it, no bowl for it) ulu to cut up
> the celery for our Minnesota Mooshy Chow Mein. It was perfect for her



Well...that may be an accepted use for it. I thought they were
reserved for flensing the blubber off whales and walrus (walruses?)
in order to render them into oil. (Yeah, I'm from one of the old
whaling cities and have read Moby Dick in every grade since age 10,
why do you ask?)

;-)
gloria p

On Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:35:09 -0700, Gloria P wrote:

> Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>>
>> LaTwerp was in residence for four days last week and on Saturday morning
>> she used my (wood handle, a stand for it, no bowl for it) ulu to cut up
>> the celery for our Minnesota Mooshy Chow Mein. It was perfect for her
>
> Well...that may be an accepted use for it. I thought they were
> reserved for flensing the blubber off whales and walrus (walruses?)
> in order to render them into oil. (Yeah, I'm from one of the old
> whaling cities and have read Moby Dick in every grade since age 10,
> why do you ask?)
>
> ;-)
> gloria p

i thought most people skipped the long section on whale processing.

your pal,
queequeg