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WELLNESSWEEK
Bread Lame Buying Guide: How to Choose Between the Goose, UFO, Arc & Poco
We make four very different lames, and the question we get more than any other is simply: which one should I buy? The honest answer is that there's no single best lame, there's the best lame for how you like to score. So here's the straight version from the people who design and make them.
The quick answer:
- Goose — the comfortable, do-everything all-rounder ($49.95)
- UFO — the original round lame that keeps the blade safely tucked away (from $28.95)
- Arc — for the deep, curved cut of a traditional French grignette ($25.95)
- Poco — the simplest, smallest, most affordable blade holder ($18.95)
What they all share: every Wire Monkey lame holds a standard double-edged safety razor blade, the thinnest, sharpest edge you can put in dough, and that blade is replaceable, so the tool lasts for years. All of them are designed, machined, and hand-finished by us in our small Connecticut shop. So the choice isn't about quality or sharpness, it's about shape, grip, and the kind of cut you like to make.
The Goose
Our do-everything stick lame
The Goose is our stick lame, and our most popular tool for a reason. A curved Black Walnut handle with no protruding knobs to snag your dough, so the whole thing glides. Grip it like a handle to slash deep into a hot Dutch oven, or flip it over and hold it like a pencil for fine, detailed designs. That range is what makes it the do-everything choice.
At $49.95 it's the priciest of the four, and it earns that with reach, comfort, and versatility, especially for bakers with larger hands.
Best for: most bakers, deep-pan scoring, detailed designs, one tool that does it all.
The UFO
The original round lame
The UFO is the lame that started Wire Monkey. A round disc you hold between your fingers, getting your hand close to the blade for control, and the blade tucks safely inside the body when you're done. That mix of control and safety makes it the natural first lame.
Best for: beginners, anyone who wants the blade safely enclosed, the classic round-lame feel.
The UFO comes in a small family, depending on your taste and budget:
- UFO Zero ($29.95) is the original, the clean starting point.
- UFO Bread Journey ($29.95) is our best seller: the classic UFO in solid Black Walnut, engraved with the intricate artwork of celebrated scoring artist Anna Gabur (@breadjourney).
- UFO Corbeau ($35.95) is made from 100% recycled paper and food-safe resin, completely waterproof and the toughest UFO in the lineup, with a lifetime warranty.
- UFO Nux ($36.95) is twice as thick with deeper sculpted grooves, which makes the blade easier to grip, change, and tighten, a good pick if you have less finger strength. Lifetime warranty too.
And a few special editions give back to causes we believe in, the same tool you'd buy anyway, just with a little good baked in:
- UFO Peace ($30.95) sends a share of profits to UNICEF, the UN agency that protects children's rights and delivers health care, clean water, nutrition, and emergency relief to kids caught in conflict and crisis.
- UFO Real Bread ($28.95) is engraved with the Real Bread Campaign logo, a UK nonprofit championing genuine bread made without additives and the independent bakers who make it, a share of profits supports their work.
- UFO Bread Therapy ($29.95) is a collaboration with the Bread Houses Network in Bulgaria, which uses communal bread-making to build more inclusive, creative communities, a share of profits supports them.
The Arc
The smallest curved lame
The Arc is the world's smallest curved lame, a graceful piece of Black Walnut that comes with its own base stand. The curve is the point: it gives you that deep, scooping cut bakers love from a traditional French grignette, the kind that throws a big, dramatic lifted ear. A beautiful object as much as a tool.
At $25.95 it's one of the more affordable lames. Reach for it if you specifically want curved-blade cuts. Just know the curve is a preference, not an upgrade.
Best for: deep curved ears, fans of the classic grignette style, a small elegant tool that stands on the counter.
The Poco
The smallest, simplest lame
The Poco is the world's smallest straight-blade lame, in Black Walnut (also maple). It's the answer for the purist who just wants to hold a blade and go, no handle, no enclosure, nothing extra. The simplest tool we make and, at $18.95, the most affordable way into a real Wire Monkey lame.
Because it's so small it disappears into a drawer or bag, a great travel lame or low-commitment first try. The trade-off: less to hold onto, so it suits people comfortable working close to the blade.
Best for: minimalists, travelers, budget-conscious first-timers.
Caring for your lame
A little oil goes a long way
The wooden lames (Goose, Arc, Poco, and the standard UFOs) are real wood with no chemical coatings, so they like a little food-safe oil now and then, especially if they get damp. Our fractionated coconut oil won't go rancid, so it conditions the wood without turning, and it pairs with a brass brush in our Wood Lame Care Kit.
Change the blade whenever your cuts start to drag, and store the lame somewhere dry. The waterproof UFO Corbeau is the exception, basically indestructible, so grab that one if you're rough on your tools.
Side-by-side comparison
| Lame | Price | Shape & material | Blade | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goose | $49.95 | Curved stick handle, Black Walnut | Straight | Do-everything; deep pans; detailed designs |
| UFO Zero | $29.95 | Round disc, blade tucks inside | Straight | Beginners; safe storage; the classic feel |
| Arc | $25.95 | Small curved lame + stand, Black Walnut | Curved | Deep curved "grignette" ears |
| Poco | $18.95 | Smallest straight lame, Walnut/Maple | Straight | Minimalists; travel; lowest price |
UFO also comes in Corbeau ($35.95, recycled & waterproof) and Nux ($36.95, easy-grip grooves).
Common questions
Is a curved or straight blade better? Neither, they cut differently. A straight blade (Goose, UFO, Poco) makes a clean, flat, versatile slash. A curved blade (Arc) digs a deeper, scooping cut for a dramatic ear. New bakers: a straight blade is more forgiving to start.
Best lame for a beginner? The UFO Zero or the Poco, the UFO for enclosed-blade safety and control, the Poco for the cheapest way in. If budget allows, the Goose is the beginner-friendly pick with the most room to grow.
Best for designs and artwork? The Goose, held like a pencil, for intricate leaf and wheat designs; the Arc for deep, dramatic single-slash ears.
Do they use the same blades? Yes, every Wire Monkey lame takes a standard double-edged safety razor blade, and the same blades work across all of them. Keep fresh Astra blades on hand, a dull blade is the number-one cause of a dragging score.
Want a technique refresher? Read our guide on how to score sourdough bread.
The whole family. Shop all lames →
Photography by Charlie Wiskin. In-the-wild bake photos generously shared by their bakers, Vicky Bou (@vibouspiceoflife) and Jennifer Phillip (@she.bakes.bread). Thank you for letting us show off your loaves.