Author Topic: A HomeMade Curd Knife  (Read 3576 times)

Offline OzzieCheese

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A HomeMade Curd Knife
« on: August 03, 2021, 08:11:25 AM »
Well finally, after quite a few years making cheese, I succumbed. I finally became tired of cutting my curds all wrong. The Vertical cuts were all too easy.  The horizontal ones are just amazingly frustrating and after seeing several uootoob vids on homemade curd knifes I decided that enough was enough.
Attached is a few photos of my humble attempt.  The wood is all Australian hardwood and covered in a large number of coats of 'Cabots' Food safe varnish to seal. the cutting material is fishing line- hey! we're cutting milk curd, not cheese. If I was selling the cheese this would be all stainless steel. But seeing as buying the stuff in such small quantities to make this Curd Knife, it was hardly worth the effort. There is no glue in the construction and should be food safe enough. The knife will spend a couple of week drying thoroughly before making a cheese. The spacing is 1.5 cm and for the chesses I make is more than adequate for Cheddars, Caerphilly as well as my 'Malembert'. Or I could just make another with larger spacings. As the cutter lines are only fishing line, it is easily re-threaded for larger curds if necessary. The length is designed for my 12 litre pots and tall enough for much larger. In fact the milk will only come up to the second thick spacer rod. The next ones I make will be half as tall and still be able to cut curds in all my pots.  As there is no glue used, it is designed to be dismantled.

« Last Edit: August 03, 2021, 11:04:48 AM by OzzieCheese »
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Offline molly

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2021, 11:22:21 AM »
ACFY OzzieCheese for your ingenuity. How are the 2 braces held in I don't see any screws in them. 

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2021, 09:29:29 PM »
The horizontal staves are held in by good ole friction. The holes they sit in are countersunk to about half the thickness of the frame legs and the fishing line is tied using nonslip knots to provide a side ways pressure keeping the staves firmly in place. Of course I’d need to check for security of them before starting a cheese making session using the harp. When I find some 6mm stainless rod I’ll replace them, or not, depends how they perform.

Mal
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Offline molly

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2021, 01:23:57 AM »
Try stainless steal welding rod. It is cheap and comes in different diameters.

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2021, 05:47:53 AM »
Does the welding rod contain flux or other additives or is it just stainless steel?
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Offline molly

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2021, 07:34:32 AM »
No additives from what I can tell

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #6 on: August 04, 2021, 09:19:36 PM »
I’ll give it a go. Thanks for the advice.
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Offline molly

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2021, 12:54:31 AM »
Let me know how you make out.

Offline lacaseus

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2021, 02:43:33 PM »
I really enjoy geometry, so it always bugs me when I read "cut the curd into cubes" and have to settle for making my "horizontal" cuts on the diagonal instead while also half-missing the bottom corners of the pot. So I'm intrigued by these cheese harps.

Once you've had a chance to make some cheese with it, I'd be curious to hear whether you notice any significant difference in the quality of the final product.

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #9 on: December 24, 2021, 02:08:29 AM »
Just seeing if anyone is still using the forum. The Curds tended to circulate in the pot when I turned the harp. But, if you make a short sharp twisting motion that is faster than the curd it performs quite nicely. My next iteration will be one of the same design but with much thinner main stays - 2mm instead of 4mm - and smaller horizontal ones made of stainless steel. The stainless welding rods idea seems to be the better solution.

Merry Christmas

Mal D.  O0   
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Offline rsterne

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #10 on: December 24, 2021, 03:30:13 AM »
My first horizontal harp stype cutter had a similar problem.... The wide sides out against the pot cut the curd away from the pot and then caused it to turn with the harp, unless you twisted it quickly, and used the inertia of the curd to hold it steadier so it would cut instead of twist.... That is why I made a new cutter with a central post that turned, and a single horizontal wire to cut the curd.... I lower the wire in increments to cut the layers to the thickness I want....



The clips on the bearing drop into grooves on the shaft, and by using 1, 2 or 3 clips I can vary the spacing....



I can cut the layers to 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" or 3/4"....

Bob
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Offline Gregore

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Re: A HomeMade Curd Knife
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2021, 04:56:03 AM »
I just so happen to have a laser welder so I made a harp like that years ago , sadly because of the round pots issue it never worked well even with very fine stainless welding wire . 
Now I use one like an upside down T , push it to the bottom lift turn 180 lift turn repeat . I have one for each size of pot . 
I see no reason why even though mine are welded that one could not  hold 3 wires at the junction with a small wooden bead from a craft store