A kitchen knife will cut a sourdough loaf open. It will not score it. The difference shows up the moment the loaf hits oven spring: a proper score directs where the crust splits and opens into a clean, controlled “ear,” while a knife-cut tends to tear unevenly and blow out somewhere you didn’t plan for. The tool that makes the difference is the lame — and there’s a real technique behind using one well.
Why a Lame and Not a Knife
A lame (pronounced “lahm”) is a razor blade mounted on a handle, held at a shallow angle to the dough. That thin, single-edged blade slices the taut surface of a proofed dough without dragging or compressing it — a serrated bread knife, by comparison, saws through the surface and disturbs the gas structure right where you need it intact. If you’ve ever had a loaf tear open in the wrong spot, the blade angle and sharpness are usually the reason, not your technique.
Choosing a Handle
The blade does the cutting either way — the handle is really about grip and control:
- Plastic-Handle Bread Lame ($11.99) is the straightforward, no-frills option most people start with.
- Wood-Handle Bread Lame ($11.99) gives a bit more warmth in the hand and holds up well over years of use.
- LMETJMA Premium Curved Lame ($11.99) uses a curved blade mount, which some bakers find easier for consistent shallow-angle cuts once they’ve got the motion down.
- Bread Scoring Blade Set ($11.99) is the pick if you mainly want a reliable holder plus a stock of spare blades on hand.
All four take standard replacement blades, so the choice really is just about what feels best in your hand — not a quality tradeoff.
The Actual Scoring Technique
This is the part that matters more than which lame you buy:
- Hold the blade at a shallow angle — around 30–45 degrees to the surface, not straight down. This is what creates the “ear,” the flap of crust that curls up during baking.
- Cut in one confident, fast motion. Hesitating partway through drags the blade and tears the surface instead of slicing it.
- Score about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep — deep enough to guide the oven spring, not so deep you deflate the loaf.
- Score cold, tacky dough straight from the fridge if you’re baking a cold-retarded loaf — a firm surface is easier to cut cleanly than a warm, soft one.
When to Reach for a Stencil Instead
Freehand scoring takes some repetition to get consistent, and there’s no shame in using a template while you build that muscle memory — or just because you like a specific decorative pattern:
- 9-Piece Reusable Bread Scoring Template ($12.99) — a set of patterns you lay over the dough and cut around.
- YOMDID 13pcs Bread Stamp Stencil Set ($12.99) — more designs if you want variety across bakes.
- Kaiser Bread Roll Marker Stamp ($12.99) — a different tool for a different job: this one stamps the classic pinwheel cut into individual rolls, rather than scoring a full loaf.
None of these replace learning to freehand a lame eventually, but they’re a legitimate way to get a bakery-looking loaf while you’re still practicing the blade angle.
Blade Care and Replacement
Lame blades are genuinely single-use in practice — they dull fast against a dough surface and a dull blade is what causes dragging and tearing, not the handle. Swap the blade the moment you notice it catching instead of slicing cleanly; the replacement packs that come with each lame above are there to make that a non-issue.
Where to Start
If this is your first lame, the plastic-handle version is the lowest-friction way to learn the motion. Once scoring feels natural, the handle upgrade is a matter of preference, not necessity. And if you’d rather have the basket, the scraper, and the lame arrive together, the Sourdough Starter Kit covers all three.
Next: we cover the two shapes of proofing basket and how to pick between them — see the banneton guide. Or see the full sourdough tool kit overview.
Practical checklist
- Score immediately before the loaf goes into the oven.
- Use one decisive movement instead of repeatedly sawing at the same line.
- For an ear, hold the blade at a shallow angle rather than straight down.
- Fit, remove and store razor blades carefully; keep them away from children.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my score seal back up?
The dough may be over-proofed, too warm, or scored too slowly. Chilling the shaped loaf can make the surface easier to cut.
How deep should the main score be?
Depth depends on dough strength and loaf shape. Start with a controlled main expansion cut and adjust after observing the bake.
Do decorative cuts replace the main score?
Usually not. Decorative marks control appearance, while a clear expansion score gives the loaf a deliberate place to open.
Continue your baking plan
Reviewed by Proof & Crumb, August 2026. Use product-specific care and safety instructions where they differ.
Free companion resource: Download the printable scoring practice sheet