Making A Better Bread Lame

This is a design which has been stuck in my head for some time now. It is made from two paint sticks. These are from the older, nicer, paint sticks which you cannot get any longer. The larger paint sticks for the large buckets of paint are still decent and will work but they are thicker overall. Walmart sells them here for .28 each and one is enough. Just cut it in half.

You Will Need:
2 paint sticks
3/16" drill bit and a Drill
2 washers
3/16 x 3/4" machine screw
3/16" Wing Nut
Wood Glue
Two clamps
scraps of wood
Miter Saw
Safety Razor Blade

One side of each stick has printing on it so you want to face the printed sides inward. Make a mark about six and a half inches from the end of the stick. From about 3" to 7" apply a very very thin coat of wood glue and clamp the sides together. Be sure and use the scrap wood to protect your Lame from marks caused by the clamps. Wipe away excess glue. Make sure your sticks are straight and even. Allow the glue to set and dry. Usually about 24 hours.

When the glue is dry, remove the clamps. Using the miter saw, cut your lame down to 6 or 6.5 inches.

On the non-glued section of the Lame decide where you will drill the hole for the machine screw. For me it was 13/16's inch from the end and and 1/2" from the edge. I put a scrap piece of wood under the Lame to minimize damage caused by the drill bit. 

Sand the Lame and finish it as desired. For mine I used a clear acrylic spray.

Bread Lame Glued

Bread Lame with Blade Installed

Bread Lame with Blade Ready to Slice

Bread Lame with Blade Ready to Slice

Bread Lame with Blade Stowed for Safety

Bread Lame Finished and Blade Stowed

Sourdough or French Bread Lame Blade Scored Dough

Sourdough or French Bread Lame Blade Scored Baked Bread

FREE 1920 x 1280 Wallpaper for Cell Phone

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To simplify the updating process of my blog entries I have created a single ORDER page you can go to by clicking here. As the blog slowly grows in size (a few posts each month) it becomes an arduous labor updating each and every one of them so hopefully this will make the pages easier to peruse and more enjoyable. Thank you.

Making a Bread Lame - Redoux

There is a link at the bottom of the page for more info regarding my seven different starters and how to order them. I offer a Super 7 bundle pack at a nice discount and also a single order starter pack that includes any two starters of your choosing. You can also click here for more info as well.

When making French Bread or Sourdough Bread you need to score the tops of the loaves before placing them in the oven. This allows the bread to expand and  not tear apart. A Lame is used to score the bread. Finding a Lame locally can be a bit tricky and you could order one from Amazon or make one for yourself.

What You Will Need:

For the Lame itself:
1 piece 1/4x20 Bolt or Screw
2 Pieces Washers
1 Piece Wing Nut
A stick - Piece of Paint Stick or Yard Stick
Safety Razor Blade or Scraper Razor Blades*

Tools Needed
A Drill
A 1/4 inch Drill Bit

Before drilling the hole in the wood, determine the position of the Screw.

I used a paint stick from a Big Box store made for a gallon or smaller paint cans. The larger sticks may be better.

Assembly

Drill the hole and then insert one washer onto the screw and push the screw through the hole. On the other side place the other washer and the wing nut. Slip the blade between the wood and the washer and angle it as needed for use. When not using, simply loosen the wing nut and reposition the razer blade.

Here are some pictures of my semi-finished Lame.

Lame - Blade in Position

Lame - Wing Nut Back Side

Lame - Blade in Storage Position

Bread Scored with Lame before baking.

Bread Scored with Lame after Baking.

* Some thoughts on razor blades. A while back I bought some blades at Walmart and when I decided to redo this project I went back and could not find any double edged razor blades. I ended up going to Target and Walgreens but found them at my local Kroger (Smith's).

At Walmart I picked up some single edge blades in the paint department which also work but the Double Edged blades are thinner and sharper.

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To simplify the updating process of my blog entries I have created a single ORDER page you can go to by clicking here. As the blog slowly grows in size (a few posts each month) it becomes an arduous labor updating each and every one of them so hopefully this will make the pages easier to peruse and more enjoyable. Thank you.

The Twenty Cent Bread Lame, Scorer

Before I made my own Lame, for scoring sourdough, I used a sharp knife and a box knife. Neither was nearly sharp enough. Browsing the web I saw Lames that used double-edged razor blades so I got to thinking on how I could make my own.

A pack of ten blades at Walmart costs less than $2. That’s less than twenty cents per blade! In order to hold the blade I picked up two small paint stirrers from Walmart and they are free. A little glue, some clamps and you have yourself a lame for less than twenty cents! 

I glued my blade sandwiched between two sticks with the blade coming out the bottom at an angle. The blade does not get exposed anywhere else.

A note on sticks. Walmarts sticks are made of poor quality wood which is warped. For better quality sticks go to Home Depot, Lowes or your trusty local hardware store.

My first Lame was made with the Walmart sticks and it is not pretty but it works. My next Lame will be made with sticks from Home Depot and the blade will be removable using a small brass bolt with a wing nut. The rest of the Lame will be glued. This way the one blade can be flipped four times giving you the most use out of a single blade. You may not ever need another blade.

The Walmart Lame
What you need:

• A pack of Wilkinson razor blades 
• Two paint stir sticks
• Wood blue
• Extra pieces of wood
• Clamps (2 or 3)

Glue one side of one of the stir sticks. Lay a single blade at an angle so that one corner is visible.  Place the other stick on top and using the other wood strips, clamp it together. Wipe away excess glue with a damp rag.

Allow 24 hours to dry before releasing the clamps.

You now have a Twenty Cent Lame.

If you don't want the hassle of going to the store to purchase a pack of blades I will happily sell you one. $1.25 covers first class postage and PayPal fees.

And check out my Sourdough Starters.

How to Order My Starters

The best and fastest method is to click on a Pay Now button. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  My Sourdough Starters

In early 2013 I started selling a San Francisco Sourdough Starter, Valentina's, which I obtained while in the US Army stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1978. Since then I have extended my starters to an old family starter from San Francisco which I have named after my Grandmother whom I affectionately called, Babo. I also created a non-sourdough starter (Tara) for use in normal bread recipes and it works fantastically. I have two Alaskan Starters as well, Alaska Sam's and Best Damn Alaskan Sourdough Starter, both of which are good and sour. 

A friend gave me an old Mormon Pioneer Sourdough Starter which came across the plains in the 1800's which I call, Parley's. 

My favorite starter is named after me, Wasatch Willy. It's made from locally obtained wild yeasts and is a real crowd pleaser. Everyone who has tried it really likes it.

All orders include:

• Two packets of dried starter. The one you order and one other at my discretion. Usually Alaska Sams or the other Alaskan starter. Limit one free starter per customer and does not include the Super 7 bundles.
• Activation Instructions with recipes
• Jar Label

Shipping Rates
All Prices include shipping. The US Post Office recently raised rates and so I have had to modify my prices slightly. I ship First Class mail. Orders are shipped in a #10 envelope. 

Where Do I ship to:
I will ship to anywhere in the United States or Canada. 

Questions: Call us at 801-784-8090 Monday - Friday 10am to 4pm Mountain Time.

To Order:

So as to simplify the updating process of my blog entries I have created a single ORDER page you can go to by clicking here. As the blog slowly grows in size (a few posts each month) it becomes an arduous labor updating each and every one of them so hopefully this will make the pages easier to peruse and more enjoyable. Thank you.