A bread lame is a handle that holds a razor blade, used to score the top of a loaf just before it goes in the oven. The blade does the cutting, so the real choice is the handle: how it sits in your hand, how it stores, and whether you want deep expansion cuts, fine patterns or both.
To be upfront: we sell all six of the lames below, and we use them in our own kitchen. That means we can tell you plainly where each one is the right pick and where another would suit you better.
The short answer
- Best overall: the Walnut Bread Lame with Leather Case, £7.99. Our best seller. Compact, the blade angle is adjustable, and it retracts into the handle.
- Best on a budget: the Plastic Bread Lame, £2.99. Light and simple, the cheapest way to get a clean score.
- Best for decorative scoring: the Wooden Bread Lame, £8.99. A longer handle puts the blade further from your hand for patterns.
- Best for storing in a drawer or travelling: the Folding Walnut Bread Lame, £12.99. Folds shut like a pocket knife.
- Best traditional style, and a good gift: the Traditional Walnut Bread Lame, £12.99. Walnut with brass fittings and a protective sheath.
- Simplest straight lame: the Classic Wooden Bread Lame, £9.99. A 19cm wooden handle with five spare blades and a case.
Six bread lames side by side
| Lame | Price | Spare blades | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut with leather case | £7.99 | 5 included | Most bakers: ears and patterns |
| Wooden | £8.99 | 5 included | Decorative, shallow cuts |
| Classic wooden | £9.99 | 5 included | A simple, straight lame |
| Traditional walnut | £12.99 | Included | A lame for keeps, or a gift |
| Folding walnut | £12.99 | 5 included | Drawers and travel |
| Plastic | £2.99 | Not included | Trying scoring for the first time |
How to choose a bread lame
Deep expansion cuts or decorative patterns?
One confident cut at a shallow angle, about 1cm deep, is what gives a sourdough loaf its ear. Any of the six will do that. If you want leaves, wheat stalks or cross-hatching on the crust, a longer handle that keeps your hand clear of the dough helps, which is why the Wooden Bread Lame, with its longer wooden handle and steel blade holder, is our pick for patterns. The compact walnut lame, about 5cm across, handles both.
Can you adjust the blade?
The walnut lame with leather case uses a screw to set how tightly the blade is held and at what angle, so it stays put mid-cut. The folding walnut lame has a brass thumb screw for the same reason, and a slim handle you can hold like a pen.
Where will it live?
A razor blade needs covering between bakes. The walnut lame retracts its blade into the handle and comes with a leather pouch. The folding walnut closes like a pocket knife. The wooden lame has a handmade leather cover, the classic wooden a blade cover and plastic case, the traditional walnut a protective sheath, and the plastic lame a protective cover. If it is going in a drawer with other utensils, the folding lame is the tidiest.
Blades
Every lame here except the plastic one takes a standard double-edge razor blade, so you are never tied to one supplier. When a blade drags rather than slices, change it: a dull blade tears the surface and no technique fixes that. We stock Feather Hi-Stainless blades in packs of five at £4.99. They are made in Japan and fit any lame that takes a double-edge blade.
Getting a clean score
Score the loaf cold, straight from the fridge: chilled dough holds the cut instead of dragging. Commit to one smooth movement, because hesitating halfway is what tears the surface. For an ear, hold the blade at a shallow angle, around 30 degrees, roughly 1cm deep. For patterns, hold it upright and keep the cuts shallow. Our guide on how to score sourdough for better oven spring goes through it step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bread lame necessary?
You can bake without one, but a very sharp, very thin blade is what makes the difference between a cut that opens cleanly and one that drags. A lame is the cheapest way to get that. Our plastic lame is £2.99.
What can I use if I do not have a bread lame?
A very sharp, thin knife will get you a usable cut. The drawback is drag: a kitchen knife is thicker than a razor blade and tends to pull the dough rather than slice it.
Why is it called a lame?
Lame is the French word for blade.
What is the best bread lame in the UK?
For most home bakers, the Walnut Bread Lame with Leather Case at £7.99: it is compact, the blade angle is adjustable, it stores safely and it comes with five spare blades. If you mostly want decorative patterns, choose the Wooden Bread Lame.
Why does a lame order need a signature?
Because lames contain razor blades, they are age restricted. By ordering you confirm you are 18 or over, and delivery needs a signature from someone aged 18 or over.
You can see all six together, with a side-by-side comparison, in our bread lames collection.
