Mushroom picker knife
If we recall the distant times and turn to the history of mushroom picking in Our Country, then no knives were used. Mushrooms were mostly collected by small children and old people. Adults at this time were engaged in household chores and subsistence farming. Therefore, children were not given knives, and in those days they were very expensive, the peasants simply did not have that kind of money. Therefore, the children had to simply pick the mushrooms with their hands.
What happens when the mushroom is torn right from the root? First of all, the connecting threads that connect the fruiting body of the fungus with the main part of its body, the mycorrhiza, are damaged. And mushrooms will never grow in this place. However, if we take into account the fact that the population of Our Country was not numerous and not so dense on a unit of territory, and there were much more forests, this practically did not affect the number of fungi and the general state of mycorrhiza. In our time, when many swamps have dried up, and the rivers have become shallow, every little thing has become important in the forest. Any intervention in a small piece of the natural ecosystem is perceived by nature very painfully. Therefore, in order to save as many myceliums as possible, it is necessary to carefully cut off the fruiting bodies of edible mushrooms with a knife and not touch those that you do not need. Remember that the mycelium is not a factory for the production of an unlimited number of mushrooms, but a living organism.
Usually, among the majority of mushroom pickers, there are few who attach importance to the mushroom knife. They just take the first kitchen knife they see with them so as not to regret losing it in the forest. Well, that happens too. However, any knife needs to be prepared in advance for picking mushrooms: you need to sharpen the knife blade sharply, the handle should not be small. The tool must be firmly and securely in the hand.
Be sure to cut tightly and nearby growing mushrooms. These are such types of mushrooms as mushrooms and boletus. And their legs are not as tasty as their hats.
For picking mushrooms, they produce high-quality and convenient cutter knives for sale. The cutter knife in a light plastic sheath is hung around the neck (or attached to clothes with a clothespin) so that the handle of the cutter is turned to the ground. The knife is easily removed from its sheath with a simple push of a button. The knife-cutter is inserted into the sheath with a characteristic snap. The handle of the knife should be of a bright color – yellow, red, white, so that the fallen knife can be quickly found in the foliage. A folding knife should be of a similar design so that it easily and quickly emerges from its sheath.
A mushroom picker needs a knife not only to cut mushrooms from time to time. There are plenty of other useful things that can be done with a small knife. For example, cut a special stick from a long branch to rake the foliage without leaning towards the ground. The knife will help to make a fire for cooking or warming. With the help of a knife, bread and other products are easily cut and cans are opened. This tool is indispensable if you decide to stay in the forest for a long time.
Like any other sparsely inhabited area, the forest is fraught with a lot of unknown, and sometimes dangerous. You can stumble upon a random person or wild animal. It should also be remembered that all knives are melee weapons. And very often, instead of cutting mushrooms, people accidentally inflict wounds and injuries on themselves. It is worth remembering that the knife is not a toy and should be handled with care.
Knives are also useful at home, for processing freshly picked mushrooms. Knives for meat in this case are no longer suitable. You will need good sharpened kitchen knives designed for cutting vegetables. The thickness of the blade should not be very large – no more than one millimeter. First, the mushrooms need to cut off the stem from the cap. Mushrooms do not tolerate processing with a blunt tool, because they lose some of the flavor and structure, sharpening at an angle of no more than 16 degrees is necessary. For drying and frying, the mushroom cap is cut into wide thin slices.