Not for cooking but for woodblock carving. I don't need many special tools, but a good knife designed for a south paw is something that I require. Carving sets always come with a right handed blade that I toss out because it is useless to me. The knife I use is good for both left handed people and right handed because the blade forms a point with sharpness on either side. It's a pretty neat tool because I can come at the woodblock from different angles by turning the blade rather than turning the block or my body. A knife is a must for fine detail carving. More information on how to use a knife in woodblock carving can be found on the Mcclain's Website.