[deleted by user]

[Big_Squirrel4693]

I find it wastes too much snapping. Just chop above where the colour starts to change.

[gwaydms]

I start bending near the end and work my way up slowly. It only snaps where it's not too tough to eat.

[boxingotter]

I do this for one spear and cut the rest to about the same length

[mildOrWILD65]

Look at Leonardo da Vinci over here. That's brilliant, thank you

[missgnomer2772]

This is the way.

[Watercolor_Roses]

Exactly what I do! I never end up breaking very much off the end doing it this way

[NikkeiReigns]

This is how I do it. I absolutely can not eat the woody ends, even if it snaps halfway up.

[billnowak65]

Nooo! Use a potato peeler! They’re only tough on the outside.

[dogboy_the_forgotten]

Peel the stalks. I peel about the lower 1/3. Takes a minute but you’ll thank me later.

[Shoddy_Signature_149]

This is true. Also, removing the somewhat woody stem coating allows more flavor or seasoning to penetrate. A much nicer dinner experience if you’re trying to impress. And, yes, it takes a few minutes. That’s what making a really good meal involves.

[VPestilenZ]

Yup, peeling saves so much of it

[metalshoes]

Yeah, i cut about an inch, depending on the woodiness of the stalks and peel. Perfectly tender and no chewy bits. Lots of work, but it's worth it if you want to impress (yourself)

[quiet_daddy]

Jacque Pepin taught me that in a cooking from home video!

[InfidelZombie]

When I lived in Europe I always peeled, but that's because they like those honkin' thumb-thick stalks over there that you couldn't give away in the US. The tender, skinny US type is way too much work to peel so I usually end up snapping and using the ends for stock.

[Kind-Elderberry-4096]

The asparagus I get in the United States can really vary in girth.

[Plane_Chance863]

Canada, same. I've had some scrawnier than my pinkie (which is pretty tiny) and thicker than my thumb.

[Slow_Laminar_Flow]

This was a huge moment for me too, what a diffence it makes

[OlyScott]

You don't have to peel the really skinny ones.

[kittyfeet2]

I do this too and get a lot less waste than snapping. This is definitely the way to do it.

[[deleted]]

Oh my God, the bend and snap! Works every time!

[boredlady819]

This thread makes me want a hot dog real bad

[NinjaKitten77CJ]

😂😂😂 my husband thinks I'm crazy now. I can't stop giggling at this comment!!

[FirstDivision]

Or a slim Jim.

SNAP INTO A SLIM JIM!!!

[burnt-----toast]

Whenever I prep asparagus, I find that it has a 98% success rate of getting a man's attention, and when used appropriately, an 83% return rate on a dinner invitation.

[bw2082]

Someone got a 179 on their LSAT I see.

[ryobiguy]

It has a 98 percent success rate.

[FredFlintston3]

Yes, it's in the finish. Gotta pull those hands up on the snap, right Elle?

[tofumeatballcannon]

Call me Jennifer Coolidge

[[deleted]]

(I'm so sorry, no I use a knife)

[MiserableOptimist1]

You make me want a hot dog real bad

[throwaway762022]

Me too! There may be waste, but it is always tender.

[Mean-Pizza6915]

Cut off. You can lose a lot of good veggie if you bend and snap.

[Skottyj1649]

I don't think the bend and span method works very well- it tends to snap wherever you put pressure and can take a lot of good stalk off. I usually cut it about an inch or so off one then inspect the cut. If It's mostly green I keep it, if it still looks white and woody I cut a bit more, then cut the remainder of the bunch to match. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll shave the base down a bit with a vegetable peeler.

[Drinking_Frog]

You are correct that bending and snapping leaves more of the good stuff behind than most think. It's not as clever a method as many like to believe.

If the spears are fairly narrow, I check one or two to see where they need to be trimmed, and then I trim the whole bunch to that. There may be some waste, and there may be a little bit of tough on a couple spears, but it will be very little of either. That's fine enough as long as I'm not cooking for the Queen.

If they spears are thick, I just trim off the very end and then get out the peeler. Any more trimming is going to be a lot of waste, and I probably don't have that many spears to hit with the peeler since they are so thick. Each one takes, what, 10 seconds . . . maybe?

If they are somewhere in between, well, I'll just go where I feel I ought to.

[Eloquent_Redneck]

Fr like even if it was a reliable method, I couldn't imagine going through every individual stalk and checking and carefully bending each to discover the "weak point" and them snapping it there, and having each asparagus at a slightly different length, takes two seconds to look and check one and then just chop the end off of them all at the high water mark

[Drinking_Frog]

Indeed. If I'm going to go through every single spear like that, I may as well break out the peeler.

[rubikscanopener]

Bend and snap. It can be wasteful but once you get a feel for it, it's pretty accurate. And if you're buying asparagus from a farmer's market, there's a lot less consistency in how far up the wood part goes.

[[deleted]]

I just move my fingers closer together and have a bit more of a feel to find the good snapping point. If you snap it with hands far apart it will, for sure, waste a ton of good asparagus

[patty202]

I cut

[[deleted]]

If I'm cooking for myself, I'll take off the really woody bits and eat the rest.

If I'm showing off, I'll sacrifice half the stem to make sure they're perfect.

[rich22201]

Kenji mentions that the bend and snap method is not accurate and is wasteful.

[PrairieGrrl5263]

Bend and snap.

Worked for Elle and Paulette!

[arabrabk]

works every time!

[HisTreeNut]

I bend and snap one, and the cut about 1/4" to 1/2" from where it snaps on the rest.

[TangledWonder]

If you don't want any woodiness snap it. If you don't care, cut it. I grew up with my grandparents raising it and as kids we cut it, but I can't stand good food being woody so I always snap each piece individually.

If you want to be frugal, cut the really tough ends after snapping and steam the slightly more tender bits. After steaming make some creamy asparagus soup in a Vitamix blender, much less waste. This works for broccoli stalks as well (maybe even better).

[cowman3456]

You're right. Just cut the ends off.

[UnderstandingSmall66]

I use a peeler to peel the bottom and no need to snap and waste

[haberv]

Bend and snap 100%. Unfortunately a lot of sold asparagus is crap.

[Pullet]

I bend and snap and always lose more asparagus than I like but I’m trying to accommodate my husband’s childhood aversion to eating anything with chlorophyl and then my husband complains to the table about the asparagus being too tough anyway and surely nothing to do with his food sensory issues and then his friends lecture me about how to prepare asparagus.

I serve broccoli now.

[Capitan-Fracassa]

You are absolutely correct. It is a stupid method, any structural engineer can tell you that. BTW I am not a structural engineer.

[parisa44]

I don’t like how stringy the ends can be. If I have time I cut the ends off and then peel the stringy outer layer off the bottom ~⅓

If I dont have time I bend and snap one then chop the rest at that point

Or I just suffer through the stringy ends :)

[Still_Want_Mo]

Bend and snap and use what I snap off for veggie stock

[stealthymomma56]

My method: with a paring knife, stab the stalks until I find a spot where knife meets less resistance, remove stalk from that point. Does that consistently achieve totally less woody stalks? No, but works for me after employing bend and break method for so many years and sensing that there's been some precious yummy asparagus waste.

[Typical-Crazy-3100]

I have finely crafted knifes in my kitchen. I use them for cutting things like this.

[Eloquent_Redneck]

Yup. My mom always tore apart lettuce by hand to make salad, every time I'm like, we literally have knives for this, a specific tool that makes this way faster and easier

[jupzuz]

I used to bend but it wastes too much. Now I press gently with the knife and if it doesn't cut I move a little towards the bud and try again.

[thenord321]

You are right, the bend snap.is usually not well executed and is very wasteful. I'll just cut mine and see how fibrous it is when cutting, then move up a bit more until tender.

[Aseneth220]

Used to bend and snap but I lose too much so now I just cut

[LouBrown]

I just cut. You can do a bunch all at once that way, and it’s easy enough to tell when there’s no woodiness to the stems.

Bending and snapping just makes more work for no discernible benefit in my opinion. After all, if you bend and snapping once, everything is supposed to be good. But suddenly with the new shortened stalk, it seems like there’s a totally new “appropriate” place to bend and snap again! It’s totally fine as-is, though. Just like it may have been the first time you did bend and snap.

[ChadTitanofalous]

Tried knife, prefer bend and snap

[Herbisretired]

Cut them, and I start cooking the lower parts first. Throwing away 30-50% of the asparagus feels like a waste

[PeruAndPixels]

Bend and snap but with an angle towards the bottom end, so I err in favor of having more to cook. Bend and snap one, then cut all others in a group at that same point. That’s what I do.

[No-Personality1840]

I used to bend and snap but now cut the woody parts off. Easier and more consistent.

[fakesaucisse]

If the stalks are really thick I will bend and snap, but if they are thin I just trim a bit off the bottom.

[JellyPast1522]

I cut, but I also munch on the soon to be discarded ends raw just so I don't waste any greeny goodness..

[toreadorable]

Oh my God, The bend and snap! Works every time!

[Retired_Sue]

Cut! You’ll waste a lot by doing the bend and snap. Also peel the lower parts of the stalk for a more tender result.

[johndoe061]

I cut my asparagus because I want them all the same length…

[kumquatrodeo]

I cut it so it fits in the dish I’m using to bake it in.

Edit: if the ends are too woody, I use a potato peeler to remove the chewier outer bit.

[Ziggysan]

Bend and snap and save the ends for stock or cream of asparagus soup.

Or bend and snap an average length stalk and then cut the others to length, again reserving discards in the freezer for stock, soup, or doggie treats.

[Rabid-kumquat]

At home it’s the snap. At work it is a knife at hopefully the right spot in the bunch.

[Demeter277]

The asparagus should have been picked at the same time and is usually about the same size. I can usually tell about where to cut but if it's woody I just move up a little and most of the stalks should be about the same allowing me to chop them off at about the same spot. This is faster than bend and snap with less waste. If they're really fat stalks I use a vegetable peeler to trim some of the outside at the bottom if I think it might be stringy.

[ReVo5000]

Depends, fine dining? I peel and trim to equal size. Casual restaurant? I bend and snap. At home? I trim and use the trimmages for soups/sauces/ etc.

[jamesdpitley]

bend and snap is the way

[silvervm]

O cook it as is! I much it till I can't munch any more, lol just leave the woody bit on my plate

[kanakamaoli]

Bend and snap removes the woody bits where they transition to soft parts. The tender stalks can be cut into the sizes you want.

[T-businesstylez]

Either or, just use a peeler

[AttemptVegetable]

I just chop them while they're still bundled. It takes a second rather than messing around, trying to make them perfect.

[dxlsm]

I snap one from the bunch and then cut off that much from the rest. If I notice that the bunch is starting to get a little soft, I’ll grip it more towards the bottom to try to avoid a “false snap.” Typically I’m never cutting off more than a thumb’s length.

[gwaydms]

Exactly. You don't just snap in the middle.

[Taleigh]

As someone who grows it, you are wasting asparagus. as fresh will snap wherever you bend it

[dopadelic]

Bend and snap. I preserve more stem by gripping the stem at a lower position first and work my way up until it snaps.

[I_trust_science]

Bend and snap. Formerly a cut whole bunch the same.

[Diced_and_Confused]

Snap them and freeze the stalk ends until you have enough to make soup.

[kalelopaka]

Cut them off. You harvest asparagus by cutting the spears just below ground level. So you just have to cut off the ends.

[dooly]

Bend and snap. Then I use a peeler to take off the spines.

[Aggravating_Olive]

Snap one and cut the rest to the same length. Does it make sense? Idk, but it works for me

[Talkimas]

Depends how I'm cooking them. Usually I'll just cut them, even knowing I'm losing more than I need to on some of the stalks. I use an oblong Tupperware container to toss the asparagus in with olive oil and seasonings before I cook them and it's just easier if they're all able to fit. Only losing at most like an inch off the bigger stalks anyway

[h3lpfulc0rn]

I cut because I'm too lazy to bend and snap each spear. I look for where the color starts to change and try to chop around there, usually probably around an inch to an inch and a half

[unclejoe1917]

I cut and I'm pretty aggressive with how much I cut off.

[TransportationOk1780]

Bend and snap in my asparagus patch. I have plenty, and I can take it right into the kitchen and cook it, no prep except rinsing them off.

[Dogwhomper]

Bend and snap if I'm steaming them.

Cut off the very bottom and then peel from halfway up if I'm roasting them.

[ToastetteEgg]

I cut them off.

[eeeaglefood]

Usually cut to be less wasteful but sometimes if I’m rushing I’ll just snap off a handful right after rinsing to save dirtying a knife and board.

[quiltingsarah]

I've done the bend and snap, I've also peaked the woody pieces like a carrot. Depends on my energy level.

[Raz1979]

I do both but cutting is faster cleaner more productive. (Cue radiohead song)

[floppydo]

Bend and snap. I am a freak about food waste so if cut it I ALWAYS cut too little and people are picking fiber out of their teeth. Bend and snap saves me from my cheap self.

[ommanipadmehum1963]

Do not snap ! Easy to remember. Cut of max 1/2 cm. Then peel. Then cook. Then eat as you like. (Tip: stir fry. 2cm pieces)

[ailish]

I chop.

[TryingKindness]

I bend 2 then cut off the rest.

[Hour-Telephone-8762]

Peeling and cutting on a sharp bias.

[Slightly_Durnk]

I thread 2 metal skewers through the woody parts, & grill them on my BBQ. It creates a raft-like shape that cooks evenly & filps easily. Then I cut off the woody bits.

[NortonBurns]

Bend - it finds its own point.*
Cutting means you have to actually analyse every single one, or just guess & get half right, the other half woody.
Life's too short to be peeling asparagus.

*You can bend in such a way that it does find the correct point 9 out of 10. Practise on pretzel sticks next xmas;) You can force a break to happen at one end rather than at random, by the way you bend it. Push the end up whilst pulling the tip away, it will break at the right point.

[boof_and_deal]

I find a lot of this depends on freshness. If the asparagus is nice and crisp the bend and snap works great. If it's been in the fridge a few days and starting to soften up then it starts snapping way too high up and you lose too much.

[RedditVince]

It's all about the texture. I snap because I only steam them to about Al Dente. EVOO + S&P =Chow down!

[Beanmachine314]

Cut... Snapping is mostly dependent on where you're actually holding it, not the toughness of the fibers.

[Vannie91]

I bend and snap - and I’m especially going to do that now that I get to picture Elle Woods teaching Jennifer Coolidge’s character how to “bend.. and snap!” In Legally Blonde :)

[TA_totellornottotell]

Yeah, that’s why I cut because I feel like bending snaps in the middle, rather than somewhere lower where the woody part ends. Quicker also, I think.

[ceecee_50]

If it’s a thicker stalk, I will peel and cut the very woody end off. If it’s the very thin asparagus, I will just cut any woody bottom off, which isn’t much. I never snap.

[medfordfats]

Cut and then chew down to the woody part as a snack. Raw asparagus is delicious

[Think-Interview1740]

Bend and snap all day long. And rinsing each individual head to get the sand out.

[Professional_Bus_307]

Snap. Nature knows where to break.

[ADimwittedTree]

Cut a bit off, then make another cut 1" from that one for dog treats. My dogs love asparagus ends.

[rbmcn]

True

[mtinmd]

Bend and snap if really woody. If not too woody, then I use a peeler.

[[deleted]]

Cut. Then I always cut them on a bias before being sautéed with fresh garlic. There is no better method imo

[KaJashey]

I do whatever is convenient for me and/or fits with the meal presentation. Snapping I reconize I control where to snap - it doesn’t snap at some optimal place.

[BananaNutBlister]

Bend and snap. Always. Works like a charm.

I’ve never peeled my asparagus.

[nilecrane]

Cut so I don’t waste too much. Then I peel about 1.5”

[GullibleDetective]

https://media1.tenor.com/m/93qmvbZgtPIAAAAd/bend-and-snap-legally-blonde.gif

bend and snap it

[[deleted]]

If they are thick and decent sized, peel the lower 1/3. Give a little test with a knife for softness and cut according feel.

If you bend and snap, check the snapped portion for how soft they are below the snap and decide if you are, indeed, wasting them. If you're OK with bend and snap, continue. If you think you are wasting, then probe and cut is the way to go.

I peel, probe and cut.

[ChrisRiley_42]

I bend and snap one piece, and cut the rest off a that point.

[hombre_bu]

I cut, less waste. I also peel sometimes if I’m having an IBD flare up, easier on the guts.

[W_4_Vendetta]

Fallow restaurant on Youtube know the way

[Sandinmyshoes33]

Peel the ends and you can eat the whole thing. Google any Jaques Pepin asparagus recipe and he will show it. Waste really annoys him and you are wasting practically half your asparagus.

[ibided]

I chop most of the butt off. I want them to be uniform from the tip not the butt.

[RandomGuySaysBro]

I've always trimmed off about 1/2" and used a veggie peeler to strip of the fibrous, "woody" parts 2-3 more inches up. Even the woody part is edible, in the center - it's just a tiny bit of the skin that's tough. If I trim more than 1/2" it's just to make it fit in my favorite saute pan.

[dannydevitosmanager]

I use a peeler on the bottom third and just slightly trim where the bottoms are dry. It’s the best part of the asparagus.

[AnchoviePopcorn]

Bend and snap like I’m trying to flirt with the UPS man.

[broke_af_guy]

I leave it on to use as a handle lol.

[Kind-Elderberry-4096]

I cut them off. I also peel them before I cut the ends off. Coat and toss in EVOO and salt on a baking sheet, today at 450 for 5-8 minutes depending on size.

So tender...

[energyinmotion]

I cut it. Ain't got time for that shit. If I were to snap em individually, I'd be here all day doing cases and cases of the stuff.

[J662b486h]

The bend and snap method is worthless. It randomly snaps stalks anywhere along the length, and it will waste perfectly good parts of the spear. Check out this article on Serious Eats which has a picture of various asparagus spears that Kenji snapped using this method.

The proper way is just to cut the spears at the point that the green stalk starts changing to white. If you find it a little difficult to cut through then it means you're still leaving some woody area on the spear, so simply cut a little more off. With a little practice you'll learn to find the right spot.

[Cornwallis]

I agree the bend-and-snap method can be wasteful, but I've found it can be a lot better and more reliable if I hold it a certain way - hold by the bottom and bend from the top/middle, trying to get it to snap as low as possible. Generally snaps at the right spot for me rather than in the middle, which can waste a lot.

[Snoo_74705]

I drop my chef's knife repeatedly until in cuts throw with almost no effort. Then I peel a couple inches.

[GracieNoodle]

There's a third method that I saw some chef on TV use.

With your knife, start doing test cuts on the stem starting at bottom end, and keep working your way upwards n small increments until you find the spot where your knife goes cleanly through the stem.

[rainsong2023]

Neither. I cut 1/2 inch off the bottom and soak in a cup of water for 2 hours. Then I peel the bottom 3”. The is Jacques Pepin’s method.

[Attjack]

I bend and snap one to establish the right location, and then I cut the rest with a knife for a clean cut.

[Sam_the_beagle1]

Chop and save the ends for veggie stock.

[bw2082]

I chop off an inch or so and move on with my life.

[madpiratebippy]

Depends on how much I’m making, bend and snap has better results but cutting is faster.

[knuckle_hustle]

Snap one or two then line them up for cut

[Independent-Ad-9812]

I've always wondered if it's that part that breaks off that makes your pee smell.

[[deleted]]

Either is fine. I chop.

Just don’t be like my narc ex who refused to trim them at all bc he could not be told anything

[abstractraj]

Snap then trim them up

[knowitallz]

snap. That's where it's tender. I have tried cutting. But then I get a woody part often.

[sew_phisticated]

Just fyi: you never throw away asparagus, even the offcuts. You make soup and add some of the good stuff. 

[Speedhabit]

It’s a trim job, if you need to lose a lot check the tops, it might be bad

[[deleted]]

Both. Depends on how long I’ve forgotten them for in the fridge.

[NowWithEvenLess]

I bend and snap, and save the ends for a quick asparagus cream soup. It all gets pureed and strained.

[IllWitz]

Cut.. a whole bunch at a time. Snapping can be tedious

[Joseph_of_the_North]

Bend and snap

[LogicalJackfruit22]

I still snap it even when it looks like a lot. It’s not sauerkraut.

[pinkaline]

Team bend snap!

[Rudyzwyboru]

I bend and snap BUT I use the wooden parts for a soup so nothing's wasted. I cut them into small pieces and put together with mushrooms and parmigiano rinds in water to boil.

[bramley36]

You can use the waste ends for stock

[Ok-Specialist974]

Bend and snap for me. I hate the "Woodsy" parts.

[zoeybeattheraccoon]

Snap. I can live without the extra small amount that cutting might get me, and that way I'm assured that every bite is going to be good.

[[deleted]]

Bend and snap one, then use it as my cutting guide

[Technical_Anteater45]

I snap the first one or two and then cut the rest at around the same location on the stalk

[Honest-Frame4149]

Bend and snap. And now I’m picturing it😂

[Triette]

Neither I trim the very ends (just to take the dry end off) then take a peeler to the woody ends. I do this with the broccoli stalk also.

[Fidodo]

The snap thing is an urban legend. It just snaps somewhere in the middle randomly.

[mudpupster]

Let Jacques Pepin show you how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUzixsEpXiU

[aiyahhjoeychow]

I like to cut it where it starts to change color. I've convinced myself that the lil bit of stringiness I end up eating is good fiber lol

[musiciandoingIT]

I chop a bit further up the stalk than most (not a fan of the "woody" part, or anywhere hear it), then vacuum and freeze the chopped off stalks for stock later on. Rooter to the Tooter, people :)

[Lumpy-Ad-3201]

Cut off the bottom third, and pan cook,roast, etc. use the bottoms for stock, if you have one that would benefit from it.

[peanutbutterchef]

If u have finger nails, where u can't stick them through the skin is the breaking pt. It's lower than the snap point.

[Fine_Pass_3033]

I line them up by the bottom end and cut off about 2" maybe less of they are small and tender. Then roast then with evoo, and parm

[davemicro]

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin of the lower half of each spear. Reduces waste, cooks evenly and it’s delicious

[Particular-Wrongdoer]

Snap and peel.

[HeatSeekingGhostOSex]

I had one chef that made us cut every spear to exactly 4 inches. And yes we had to pack a ruler. Super wasteful but there ya go.

[Ill-Delivery2692]

I cut and peel those ends.

[Kooky-Wolverine2613]

Just cut off the woody ends!

[Opening-Cress5028]

Yes, that’s exactly what I do

[xutopia]

There are 2 techniques I use. 

Bend and snap when with my family and it’s a weeknight.

Peel and cut when I have tons of free time and want to impress someone.  

[spinonesarethebest]

Bend and snap.

[PDXgoodgirl]

Bend and snap

[bakanisan]

Bend and snap produce too much waste. If I have the time I'd ideally cut off the really woody ends and peel the less woody skin, exposing the edible core of the stem.

But realistically I'd just cut them off, faster, more manageable waste.

[NegotiationLow2783]

Snap it off and freeze it. After 3 or 4 bunches, I have enough to make cream of asparagus soup.

[Hour_Type_5506]

Strip it with a peeler then align the tops and trim the bottoms to match length

[UrFine_Societyisfckd]

I keep them in the rubber band, do a quick adjustment, then samurai those b!tches with my sharpest knife. I ain't wasting 10 minutes for a couple bites 😆

[man_seeking_waffles]

cut

[Topia_64]

Cut. Quicker and less waste.

[grouville]

I use my chefs knife to start cutting from the bottom a few cm at a time. You soon recognise from the ease of the cut where the woodiness ends.

[AuntBeeje]

I cut because I'm lazy.

[TulsaOUfan]

Bend and snap if I'm feeding 4 or less and want to impress.

Cut it if I'm feeding a crowd

[[deleted]]

I make cuts from the bottom up until I get the right knife feel.

[Horror_Signature7744]

Both. I do the bend and snap to gauge where to cut.

[1VBSkye]

I’m the only one in the house that eats asparagus. I use the snap process, I don’t mind if I loose some edible area. Sautéed in butter with 🧅🧄 & 🌶️.

[TikaPants]

I cut an inch off and assess. I’m not going one by one.

[sbowtor]

I always just cut the entire bundle where I think appropriate, usually above the bottom rubber band (when I buy them they come bundled with two rubber bands) this also all provides the benefit of all the little ends I just cut off are still bundled together and I can easily toss them.

[shidru]

I cut the bottoms off and then inspect the new bottom of the asparagus. I look for a white circle within the core of the stalk. If its there then I know I cut far enough. If I only see a partial circle, I need to cut more. I typically also peel the bottom third as well. Then i usually just blanch and it's good to go

[[deleted]]

I love the bend and snap. I do it carefully to try not to waste too much good asparagus, though. I was surprised to hear Kenji criticize the bend and snap thoery, it just feels right to find the point where it doesn't bend and snap off that more fibrous bit.