I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
fine. I've never cut my fingers.

I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
become a Gary peeler.

I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.

Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?

"Gary" > wrote in message
...
>I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
> The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
> fine. I've never cut my fingers.
>
> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> become a Gary peeler.
>
> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
>
> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?


There's no good way to get a badly designed tool to work, Gary. The one
you've got is obviously not good for peeling apples. Throw it in the junk
drawer, and then put it in your next garage sale.

"Gary" > wrote in message
...
>I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
> The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
> fine. I've never cut my fingers.
>
> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> become a Gary peeler.
>
> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
>
> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?

Gary, are you pushing or pulling the peeler? The Y-shaped ones are designed
to be pulled towards you, rather than pushed away from you like the
straight-line peelers. I used to sell Tupperware, and I sold several of
those Y-shaped gadgets to people who absolutely loved them. I tried one and
just wasn't comfortable with it - it really seemed to slow up the whole
peeling process. I gave up on it and went back to my straight-line peeler.

Karen

Karen wrote:

> I used to sell Tupperware, and I sold several of
> those Y-shaped gadgets to people who absolutely loved them. I tried one and
> just wasn't comfortable with it - it really seemed to slow up the whole
> peeling process. I gave up on it and went back to my straight-line peeler.
>

As a lefty, the Y-shaped peelers are the only ones I can use. The
straight-lined ones are impossible for me to manage -- I have no
control over them no matter which hand I use. I tend to hold the Y
peeler in my left hand, the food item in my right hand, and (as far as
I can tell while I sit here in my cubicle) I move the food around much
more than I move the peeler itself, especially for round-ish things
like apples and potatoes. I also use the peeler for making thin slices
from a brick of cheese, and for that I put the cheese on a flat surface
and pull the peeler towards me.

--RB

Nancy Young wrote:
> "Karen" > wrote
>
> > "Gary" > wrote
>
> >> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> >> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> >> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> >> become a Gary peeler.
> >>
> >> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> >> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
> >>
> >> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> >> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?
> >
> > Gary, are you pushing or pulling the peeler? The Y-shaped ones are
> > designed to be pulled towards you, rather than pushed away from you like
> > the straight-line peelers. I used to sell Tupperware, and I sold several
> > of those Y-shaped gadgets to people who absolutely loved them. I tried
> > one and just wasn't comfortable with it - it really seemed to slow up the
> > whole peeling process. I gave up on it and went back to my straight-line
> > peeler.
>
> I haven't used one of those straight peelers in years and years, and I
> don't miss them at all. I love my current Y peeler, I think it's an OXO.
> Works great and is almost effortless. Peeling an apple, hold it in one
> hand palm up. Place the blade at the top of the apple and drag it down.
> Rotate a bit to do the next 'row' ... keep your fingers away.
>
> nancy

Tried Y ones before, can't remember what it was like... I noticed
there are two types of straight peelers - one is fixed, the other ones
the blade can move along the curve e.g. of a potato, prefer the later
ones.. I found the former one (fixed blade) kept having skin stuck
between the blade opening. Saw a seller at a local market peeling
muddy root with a cutter, very quick that was. I like peeling ginger
by scraping with a shape small knife.

Nancy Young wrote:

>
> > Gary, are you pushing or pulling the peeler? The Y-shaped ones are
> > designed to be pulled towards you, rather than pushed away from you like
> > the straight-line peelers. I used to sell Tupperware, and I sold several
> > of those Y-shaped gadgets to people who absolutely loved them. I tried
> > one and just wasn't comfortable with it - it really seemed to slow up the
> > whole peeling process. I gave up on it and went back to my straight-line
> > peeler.
>
> I haven't used one of those straight peelers in years and years, and I
> don't miss them at all. I love my current Y peeler, I think it's an OXO.
> Works great and is almost effortless. Peeling an apple, hold it in one
> hand palm up. Place the blade at the top of the apple and drag it down.
> Rotate a bit to do the next 'row' ... keep your fingers away.

I use a Henkle peeler with a rigid blade(s). It works great. I never did like
the kind that swivelled.

In article >, gary_w1
@hotmail.com says...
> I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
> The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
> fine. I've never cut my fingers.
>
> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> become a Gary peeler.
>
> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
>
> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?
>
>

I have grown to prefer that kind of peeler for some tasks. I use it like
I would a paring knife, guiding it over the surface rather than just
whacking away.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths pages at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

On Tue 02 May 2006 06:16:08a, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Gary?

> I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
> The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
> fine. I've never cut my fingers.
>
> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> become a Gary peeler.
>
> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
>
> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?
>

The Y-shaped peelers are meant to pulled along the surface of the
vegetable/fruit rather than pushed as you would with the straight peelers.
Pulling in one continuous sweep works better than frequent short strokes.
Naturally, if fingertips are in the way, they are going to "peeled" if not
moved out of the way.

--
Wayne Boatwright Õ¿Õ¬
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

Gary wrote:
> I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
> The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
> fine. I've never cut my fingers.
>
> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> become a Gary peeler.
>
> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
>
> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?

The "Y" peeler is my favorite peeler, except for apples. For apples, a
paring knife works great - so do those "automatic" peeler thingies that
clamp onto or down on a counter top. They are super fast, and you get
a cored apple while it is being peeled. You can disengage the slicing
blade, so it's just a ready-to-eat peeled apple. I saw a version at
Menard's the other day for $20.

The Y peeler has been around a LONG time - I probably have one of my
grandma's peelers somewhere in the kitchen stuff. Hers had the blade
across the top of the "Y" and then a mini grater on the "fat" part
below. You just have to learn to keep your fingers out of the way, but
it is WAY faster on potatoes and carrots, particularly, than the
straight-type peeler, and it is much, much easier on arthritic hands.

N.

Gary wrote:
> I have a number of vegetable peelers, most of which look like a wand.
> The blade extands from the ahndle in a straight line. These work
> fine. I've never cut my fingers.
>
> I recently read a recommendation for another sort of peeler, where the
> blade is suspended between the ends of a Y-shaped handle (also looks
> like a sling-shot). I bought one and keep cutting my fingers; it has
> become a Gary peeler.
>
> I can get it to work well on carrots, because the blade never gets
> close to my fingers. But apples are a real problem.
>
> Before I throw it away, can anyone suggest whether there is a proper
> way to use this so it does not cut the user's fingers?

I love my Tupperware Y peeler and I use it for everything: potatoes,
carrots, apples, squash, turnip, etc. Like another poster, I have been
using that shape since the 60s when Mom had the kind with the wide,
grater type handle. I've never cut myself, although I've occasionally
snagged a nail or two. I agree that it does take some getting used to.

Gabby