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Bread Lames
The tools behind a beautiful loaf. We design and make every one ourselves in a small Connecticut shop, including the round lame we invented, the UFO. All of our lames are built for clean, confident scoring and for the fine decorative work that can turn any loaf into something beautiful.
The art of the score
Anyone can slash a loaf open. The fine, artistic detail is the hard part, and it is what our lames are built for. This wheat-pattern bake is by Jennifer Phillip (@she.bakes.bread), scored with the UFO Real Bread lame.
Two kinds of scoring
Every loaf gets scored for one of two reasons. Expansion scoring is functional: one confident slash controls the expanding dough and gives you a perfect ear instead of a burst loaf. Almost any sharp lame handles it. Decorative scoring is the art: shallow, precise cuts held at a fine angle to create wheat, leaves, and intricate designs. It is the harder skill, and it is where the tool genuinely matters. We build for both, and we obsess over the second.
Which Wire Monkey lame is right for you
- The Goose is our most popular lame and the easiest place to start. A long, curved handle reaches right into a hot Dutch oven, with a magnetic wooden sheath that tucks the blade away safely. Hold it one way for clean, confident slashes, or flip it over for the control you need for intricate scoring. Shop the Goose
- The UFO is the original round lame we invented. The blade hides inside two discs: twist to expose it, twist back to put it away. You can hold it at any angle with nothing in the way, which makes it a great tool for fine, intricate, decorative scoring, and respectable ears. Shop the UFO
- The Arc is a curved lame built for curved cuts, deep, confident ears, and shallow baguette slashes. Shop the Arc
- The Poco is small and precise, made for detailed designs and tight, controlled scoring. Shop the Poco
Not sure where to start? Our Bread Lame Buying Guide compares all four side by side.
Caring for your lame
All of our wood products love an occasional oil bath because we don't use harsh chemicals. Prevent them from drying out with our Wood Lame Care Kit. Whatever you score with, keep fresh blades on hand. A dull blade is the number one cause of a dragging score.
Whatever you bake
From a clean single slash to an intricate design, a Wire Monkey lame gives you control over every cut. This boule was scored with the Goose by Abigail Yueh.
The original, still made by us
Tyler invented the circular UFO lame, the round design now copied the world over. There is only one original, and it is still designed and made in our small Connecticut shop by three people, from real American wood and stainless steel. No plastic, no overseas factory, and a warranty behind every tool.
Common questions
Every lame holds a standard double-edged safety razor blade, and the same blades fit all of them. Keep a pack of fresh Astra blades on hand.
The UFO for enclosed-blade safety and control, or the Poco for the simplest, most affordable start. The Goose is the most versatile if you want room to grow.
The Goose, held like a pencil, for fine detail, and the Arc for deep curved artistic cuts.
Yes. Check our Stockists first though, a local reseller is often cheaper.