Do you mean the little point? That is used for cutting/scooping out imperfections in a vegetable. Like the potato eye, or a blemish in a carrot.

~Ann

I grew up with a different type of peeler -- and for the last 30 years have used a third type -- but nearly all the peelers I've used have included something with which to remove potato eyes (and small bad spots).

I'm not sure what "the ridged part" is that you're referring to, but it looks to me as if the pointed end of your peeler could be used to remove eyes and bad spots.

Still have no idea how GW generates these dup posts....

This post was edited by missingtheobvious on Tue, Jan 13, 15 at 11:02

I don't think AnnieDeighnaugh gave the right picture. My similar peeler has little apparently dull teeth down the length of each back edge of the tool. I certainly don't know what they are for either.

I know the end is for digging out eyes...I'm talking about the teeth along the non-peeling edges ... this one shows it better.
{{gwi:2133912}}

Fish scaler.

dcarch

Ah! Makes sense...considering I never need to scale fish, it's no wonder I didn't know. Of course I should be embarrassed as my Mom's family were fisherman from way back!

I have wondered this too. Not all scrapers have it though. Thanks for asking. One less thing to worry about

Mary

The teeth are meant for julienne and zesting.

~Ann

Agreed with the uses mentioned. They're also used for cleaning rough things, like digging the dirt out of the creases of a celeriac, peeling ginger, and the like, or even scraping the strings out of a pumpkin. People also use them to score rinds.

The duplicate posts often come from clicking Submit more than once, perhaps because it doesn't seemed clicked at first, sometimes because one's finger slips and it's really a double click, sometimes because the button sticks, etc. It might come from something else, as well, but I know I can make it happen reliably by clicking twice.

I've never heard of it being used as a fish scaler. I have read that the serrated edge is meant for scraping root vegetables, and have seen it used that way -- particularly for carrots. I think it would probably make a nice edge when you want to cut partially through a cucumber skin for slicing, and be much easier to use than the tines of a fork! :)

Try Google image:

Julienne cutter

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rfv8sQI520U/TPSu7zq0VRI/AAAAAAAAADw/CkjhLrJnx8A/s1600/veggie+cutter.jpg1.1.0.msedr...0...1ac.2.60.img..0.1.360.ML1z8UqpG2M

dcarch

Here is a link that might be useful: A Fish scaler

This post was edited by dcarch on Tue, Jan 13, 15 at 20:42

That is the kind I grew up using but have not seen one when I have looked. I have a straight peeler that I picked up at a grocery store cheap once that has a serrated edge. I love it for hollowing out jalapenos for stuffing or just to clean them out without me touching the hot stuff.

I don't see how it can julienne anything...it just digs at whatever you put there, and not very neatly or sharply. I tried it on a carrot and it just made a mess.

Don't think it'd be a useful scaler because of the way the blade moves; you need a stationary edge to scale a fish.

I have an apple corer w/ serrated edges that would probly make a good scaler - looks similar to linked image above

How about this one, which they call scaler/peeler?

dcarch

Here is a link that might be useful: scaler peeler

It's definitely not going to julienne anything. To julienne means to cut it into long thin strips. The only thing I can see would be to scale a fish or possibly to clean off the dirt from a root vegetable that's come straight out of the garden and is still dirty? Honestly, I can't really see that edge being very useful for anything. Maybe how sometimes people score the skin of a cucumber? I've seen people use a fork but I guess that pointy edge would work. The fact that it moves around, to me, makes it pretty useless.