Tools for Bread Baking

A lame is a thin-arced razor blade clamped into a small stainless-steel, wooden, or plastic handle. This specialized tool is used to score proofed yeast breads and rolls before they are baked. The blade must be very sharp and used in swift angled motions to create clean slices without pulling or tearing the dough.

A bench knife has a thin, stiff rectangular steel blade set in a wooden or plastic handle to make it easy to grip and use. The blade, which is usually 6 in/15 cm wide, has no sharpened edges, making it useful for scraping, lifting, folding, and cutting dough.