Bought a $300 'pro' bread scoring lame that's worse than my old razor blade

I saw this fancy lame online with a carbon fiber handle and a special blade holder, said it would give perfect oven spring. Total waste. The blade wobbles in the holder and it's too heavy to control. I've used it three times and every score has been jagged, ruining the look of my sourdough. My old setup with a simple razor blade taped to a chopstick worked better. Has anyone else had a bad experience with expensive scoring tools? What do you actually use that works?

3 comments

3 Comments

gray_morgan1mo ago

Honestly, I've had the total opposite happen. My cheap razor blade kept flexing and I'd get these shallow, weak scores. Upgraded to a proper lame with a solid handle, and the weight actually helps me commit to a single, clean motion. Maybe you got a lemon, or the blade just wasn't seated right? A good tool shouldn't wobble, but a little heft can be a good thing for control.

the_fiona1mo ago

Wait, that's a great point about the blade flexing. I was mixing up a wobbly handle with the actual blade bending, which is a total pain. A solid lame fixes the flex, not just the weight.

drew_jones311mo ago

Oh man, that blade flex is the worst. I had the same thing happen with my old one, always tore the crust. A solid handle made all the difference, felt way more confident. You ever try the ones with the little screw to really lock the blade in place?