That is for cutting an angle food cake!!!! Angel food cake will just compact/compress if one attempts to cut it with a knife. If one uses this and a slight sawing movement, it cuts perfectly. I have one that has a sterling handle that matches my silver pattern - sure it was an after-manufacturing adaptation, but since angel food cake is our traditional birthday cake, it's very useful to have.

Anglophilia: Just to be sure: you are talking about the tool I described, not the tool actually shown above? I ask because I actually attempted to use the one I have, but it appeared that the wire was just crushing the cake so I stopped. Admittedly, I was mainly trying the sideways wiggle that is used for the multi tined tool pictured above and not the sawing motion approach.

Yes, angel food cake cutter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlAuuDvt8q4

dcarch

Both of the tools you described (not pictured) sound like cheese slicers, although not exactly like the ones I have. My wire cheese slicer has a roller, not prongs; and my cheese plane doesn't have a wavy edge ( I think I've seen a wavy one, though meant for a different use?)

I did a google image search for "wavy blade cheese slicer" and what came up where shown being used to cut crinkle cut potatoes. Do the image search and see if any of those match what you are talking about. The photo image you posted appears to be an cake slicer. I don't think the girl in the video that dcarch posted is actually doing it right.

Thanks arkansas girl: my second described tool is exactly the one below. I guess it is for french fries and to make other veggie crinkle cuts without too much precision.

dcarch: your video is the first one I looked at and then I checked another with a chef wiggling it sideways (probably what arkansas girl was suggesting). In any case, they are for the tool like I actually pictured in the OP and NOT the tool I Described that has a wire just directly under the points of and in the same plane as the points and there are ONLY two tines, not 14 (or whatever in the videos).

I was referring to the tool pictured.

Chas, the second picture is like my device for slicing crinkle cut carrots, potatoes, etc.

The way you describe the first one sounds like my cake "leveler", I set the two feet on the counter and the wire between the two feet. I can adjust the wire in height and it takes the domed top off cakes to level them before stacking. Mine looks like this:

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=small+cake+leveler+with+handle&fr=crmas&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.sellercube.com%2FUploadFile%2FP0%2FSKU272176%2F523fb94c-bb4a-e2ae-805a-a5bdd0816efe.jpg#id=-1&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fimg.sellercube.com%2FUploadFile%2FP0%2FSKU272176%2F523fb94c-bb4a-e2ae-805a-a5bdd0816efe.jpg&action=click

Sorry, I don't know how to add a picture, only a link.

Annie

Thanks for taking a shot at it annie1992 but it would be too small for that. It IS the size of an angel food cake cutter. I have managed a pic. Here it is. The wire, frame and tines are all in the same plane.

Wow, Annie, I didn't know they made such a tool! Does it work pretty well?

Chas, that (the picture you just posted) is definitely for cutting cheese. I have one just like it, almost. The handle on mine is yellow, I think it's called 'Bakelight', and the screws holding the wire have rusted, the wire broke. Does that give you any idea how long I've had it? :^) (For some reason, Bakelight doesn't sound right, but it's what comes to mind right now. It's the plastic looking stuff, from before the time of plastics, that they used to use for handles on many kitchen utensils, as well as for other things.)

Rusty

I also have a bakelite wire cheese slicer of a "certain age".

Lizzie, I do have one like that and it works really well, both to take the dome off the top of cakes and to split a layer in half if you would like to make a 4 layer type cake.

However, now that I see the two prongs down the middle of the device, it clearly cannot be for leveling.

Annie

Hi Rusty, lindac, & dcarch: I can't see that the tool could be anything else than a cheese cutter, but I finally actually tried to cut a piece of cheddar. As one might expect, the wire cut a decent slice, but also not surprisingly, the two tines punched two gouges in the side of the slice. Certainly not a good choice for presentation. Am I missing something, or was this simply a failure of effective design?

BTW Rusty, mine is probably bakalite. The pic made it look like wood, but it is just two tone brown and yellow 'plastic'.

Someone probably thought that the two spears would separate the slices of cheese when you are cutting it.

Well, I dug mine out, and found I've told a story. The handle is not yellow, but brown (I think it may have been yellow many moons ago), and there were no screws holding the wire in place, but the wire did rust and break. I need to find some to replace it!

Chas, how did you hold the slicer? I took pictures because I couldn't figure out how to describe it, so it would make sense. Forgive the unwrapped cheese, please, it's the only block I have, and I'm not ready to use it yet.

Wrong slicing position. (Ignore the broken wire trailing off to the side.)

Correct slicing position. The 2 center tines are thickness guides.

Hope this helps!

Rusty

I thought the first pic was correct usage. Back when these were popular I doubt little perfect packages were available. Makes sense the two middle 'tines' were used for pushing off the slice to one side, then continuing slicing....but could be way wrong.

Why would it be so big otherwise.

This one like I have seems more likely for even slicing...

You could be right, Sleevendog, in which case the pictures should be labeled 'How I don't like to use this.' and 'How I do like to use this.'

I've always used it in the sideways position because I found the upright position awkward. Also, don't care for the marks the center tines leave, nor did it seem like they were of any use in pushing off the slices, regardless of the size of the block of cheese.

And, every other cheese slicer I have is used in the sideways position.

So, I guess it is logical to assume that either position could be called 'correct'. Let the user decide which is best.

:^)

Rusty

I really don't know. I don't use mine. I think it is down in one of the 'what-not' drawers in the basement work room. I just use a knife and one of my many peeler/slicers for parmesan curls...

Wow, who knew cheese would be so complicated, LOL. Like sleevendog, I just hack off a hunk with my knife, or run the peeler down the edge of the parmesan. Of course I eat about 2 ounces of cheese a year, so there's that...

I'd rather have the top of the cake left over from leveling!

Annie

Rusty, my test slice was done in your 'wrong' pic. I Can see a slight advantage in having a guide for a long slice but of course the slicer sleevendog showed above or similar would be far superior.

Re replacement wires: I don't recall seeing any for our tine types, but I did see replacement wires for the models that did not have tines but appear to be of similar (perhaps identical) size. I just found this, I didn't check lengths or fittings but maybe??

My guess is that the two tines in chas045's cutter are supposed to help guide thickness of the cut, and then assist with lifting and moving the cut piece out of the way. i.e., no fingers required. I think it might take some practice to perfect its use. lol!