Checking with Focus

26. One must check the knife slowly, deliberately, and with focus; his mind should not be on other things (בית דוד סי' י"ח ס"ה ). This requires much composure, concentration, and yiras Shomayim. One’s sense of touch is affected by his level of concentration (שו"ע סי"ז ), especially since the nicks found on our strong knives do not usually catch a nail (7) or a hair (8); they are usually merely felt (9) or like a stalk of grain (10), which are very subtle.