Scoring sourdough is the single cut that decides whether your loaf opens up beautifully or splits at random. Hold the lame at a 30° angle, slice fast and shallow (about 5 mm deep), and finish in one movement. The score is structural before it's decorative — it tells the dough where to grow. This guide walks UK home bakers through angle, depth, eight patterns, the five mistakes we all make, and how to score a tricky over-proofed loaf without losing the bake.
A note before we start: your first five scores will be ugly. That is not a sign you've gone wrong — it is a sign you've started. Keep going.
What scoring actually does — the structural reason
Scoring is not, primarily, decoration. It is the cut that directs the path of oven spring — the 20–40% volume gain a loaf makes in the first ten minutes of the bake. Without a score, the dough still grows, but it bursts somewhere — usually along a weak seam at the base or the side, where the dough is thinnest. The score gives the gas an opening it can use. Forkish puts this plainly in Flour Water Salt Yeast — the cut is the door you open before the steam pushes through it.
The second job is the decorative one. Once you've got the structural cut right, additional cuts shape what the surface looks like. But the second job depends on the first being clean. Don't try a sunburst on a loaf that hasn't opened cleanly under a single slash first.
The tools you need — lame, razor, sharp knife
A lame is a curved razor blade in a wooden or plastic handle. It outperforms a kitchen knife because the blade is thinner, sharper, and engineered for a single confident draw.
What a lame is (and what it costs in the UK)
UK suppliers: BakeryBits, Sous Chef, Mockmill UK distributors, Amazon UK. None of these need to cost more than £15. The most useful one in our kitchen is the £12 BakeryBits Pro Lame — a wooden handle and a replaceable double-edge razor. Cheaper than a takeaway.
| Lame option | UK price | Where to buy | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| BakeryBits Pro Lame | £12 | BakeryBits | Replaceable double-edge razor, wooden handle |
| Sous Chef Bread Lame | £8 | Sous Chef | Budget straight lame, single razor |
| Mockmill Curved Lame | £18 | Mockmill UK | Curved arc, better for ears |
| Amazon UK generic | £6 | Amazon UK | Cheap-and-cheerful, replace razor often |
| DIY razor + chopstick | £1 | Anywhere | Tape a double-edge razor to a wooden chopstick. Works. |
When a sharp knife will do
A very sharp paring knife or a fresh utility blade can produce a clean score on a stiff loaf. A serrated bread knife cannot — it tears. If your only knife is the one you slice tomatoes with, replace the blade or buy a £6 lame from Amazon UK.
What we recommend for your first loaf
For your very first scored loaf, we recommend a cheap razor lame and one new double-edge razor blade. Don't buy the £45 walnut lame yet. You'll know what feels right after ten loaves — and by then you'll have your own preference.
Holding the lame — angle, depth, speed
Angle: 10° vs 30° vs 45° (what each one does)
What angle do you hold a lame at?
Hold the lame at a 30° angle to the dough's surface for the classic "ear" — a raised lip of crust along one side of the score. A shallower 10–20° angle gives a more decorative shallow cut for patterns. A steeper 45° angle splits the dough open faster but with less ear. Whichever angle you choose, keep it consistent through the whole cut — wobbling mid-slice is the most common scoring mistake.
10° (too shallow)
Cut closes up in the oven. No ear. Looks like you didn't score.
30° (the classic)
Clean ear, mahogany lip, the photograph-able score.
45° (too steep)
Splits the dough straight down. Open crumb but no ear.
Depth: 5 mm is the answer, almost every time
How deep should you score sourdough?
Score sourdough about 5 mm deep (a quarter of an inch). That depth is enough to direct the oven spring into a clean ear without weakening the loaf's structure. Shallower than 3 mm and the cut closes up in the oven; deeper than 8 mm and the dough risks collapsing along the line. Hold the lame at a 30° angle, slice fast, and stop at the first sign of resistance.
Speed: one confident movement, no second pass
One swift draw of the blade. Don't go back over the cut. A second pass tears the surface and ruins the ear. If the first cut wasn't deep enough — leave it, score parallel to it (with a confident second cut) or accept the result. The dough will tell you next time.
Why firm-cold dough scores cleanly
The single biggest scoring upgrade is cold dough from the fridge. After an 8–16 hour cold retard (see the cold retard guide for timing), the dough's surface is firm and taut. The lame doesn't drag, the cut holds its angle, and the score retains its line through the bake. Warm dough straight from the proving bowl is soft, slack, and almost impossible to score cleanly. Cold scoring is the difference between a clean ear and a smeared one. Elaine Boddy's "freeze the banneton for 30 minutes" trick is the lazy version of the same principle.
The single-ear classic score
Why one curve beats one straight line
A gentle curved cut produces a more dramatic ear than a straight slash because the bake-day expansion has more surface to push against on the curve's outer edge. The same energy concentrated on a curve creates a higher, prouder lip. Curve, don't straighten.
Where on the loaf to make the cut
Start about 2 cm from one edge, curve gently across the surface to 2 cm from the opposite edge. The cut runs almost the full length of the loaf but not the full width — you want the dough's sides to bake straight while the centre opens up.
Clara's preferred pattern
Clara still scores every loaf with the same single curve she learned at 23. "Don't overthink the pattern," she says. "A confident line beats a clever one every time."
Score Pattern Designer
Pick a pattern
The cross score (the simplest two-cut pattern)
Two cuts at right angles across the centre of the loaf. Each 5 mm deep, at 30°, in one confident movement. The cross opens up symmetrically and produces four small ears rather than one big one. The classic country loaf score. Best on round boules.
The wheat-stalk pattern (the elegant beginner upgrade)
One long straight cut down the centre, then five or six short diagonal cuts branching off either side at 45°. The wheat-stalk takes practice — get the centre cut right first, then add the side cuts. Each side cut should be 3–4 cm long, 3 mm deep (shallower than the main cut). The first decorative pattern most home bakers learn after the single ear.
Decorative patterns — five to try when you're ready
Leaf
An "S" curve down the centre with shorter "C" curves branching from it. Freeform — different every time.
Sunburst
A small central circle (or X) with 6–8 radiating lines fanning outward like sun rays. Best on round boules; needs a steady hand.
Chevron
Repeated "V" shapes down the loaf. Stack three or four chevrons; each one a single confident V.
Spiral
A continuous curve from outside edge to centre. Hardest of the decorative patterns — needs slow, controlled hand movement and a very firm cold-retarded dough.
Signature line
A single curved or angled line that's yours. Most bakers settle into one over time — Clara's is the single curve. Make it your bakery mark.
Common scoring mistakes — the five we all make
1. Scoring warm dough straight from the proving bowl
The lame drags and smears, the cut closes immediately, no ear. Cold-retard the dough 8–16 hours first. Or freeze the banneton 30 minutes before scoring.
2. Sawing instead of slicing
One confident motion, not back-and-forth. Sawing tears the surface and produces a ragged line instead of an open ear.
3. Going too deep (10 mm or more)
The dough collapses along the line and the loaf deflates in the oven. 5 mm is the answer.
4. Choosing a clever pattern before the dough is ready
A sunburst on an over-proofed loaf produces a smeared mess. Score what the dough can support — single ear for soft dough, more decorative cuts only when bulk and shape were tight.
5. Hesitating mid-cut
The slowest cut produces the ugliest score. Once the blade is moving, don't stop. Confidence beats cleverness every time.
Scoring an over-proofed loaf — when the dough is fragile
Why does my sourdough score close up in the oven?
A sourdough score closes up in the oven for three usual reasons: the cut was too shallow (under 3 mm), the dough was over-proofed and had no spring left to push the cut open, or the lame angle was too steep so the cut went straight down instead of underneath the surface. Bake from cold-retarded dough, score 5 mm deep at 30°, and the ear will open reliably.
For an over-proofed loaf where the dough has gone slack and lost its spring: score very shallow (2–3 mm) and use a single straight cut. Don't attempt decorative patterns — they need a strong dough that can hold its shape. The shallow cut gives the small oven spring something to follow without further weakening the dough. You'll get a rustic loaf, not a beauty. Bake it anyway.
What's the best way to score sourdough for a beginner?
The best way for a beginner is a single curved cut, 5 mm deep, at a 30° angle, across the top of the loaf. Use a cheap razor-blade lame (under £10 in the UK) on cold-retarded dough straight from the fridge. One confident sweep, no second pass. Skip decorative patterns until you've scored ten loaves cleanly — confidence beats cleverness every time.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should you score sourdough?
Score sourdough about 5 mm deep (a quarter of an inch). That depth is enough to direct the oven spring into a clean ear without weakening the loaf's structure. Shallower than 3 mm and the cut closes up in the oven; deeper than 8 mm and the dough risks collapsing along the line. Hold the lame at a 30° angle, slice fast, and stop at the first sign of resistance.
What angle do you hold a lame at?
Hold the lame at a 30° angle to the dough's surface for the classic "ear" — a raised lip of crust along one side of the score. A shallower 10–20° angle gives a more decorative shallow cut for patterns. A steeper 45° angle splits the dough open faster but with less ear. Whichever angle you choose, keep it consistent through the whole cut — wobbling mid-slice is the most common scoring mistake.
Why does my sourdough score close up in the oven?
A sourdough score closes up in the oven for three usual reasons: the cut was too shallow (under 3 mm), the dough was over-proofed and had no spring left to push the cut open, or the lame angle was too steep so the cut went straight down instead of underneath the surface. Bake from cold-retarded dough, score 5 mm deep at 30°, and the ear will open reliably.
What's the best way to score sourdough for a beginner?
The best way for a beginner is a single curved cut, 5 mm deep, at a 30° angle, across the top of the loaf. Use a cheap razor-blade lame (under £10 in the UK) on cold-retarded dough straight from the fridge. One confident sweep, no second pass. Skip decorative patterns until you've scored ten loaves cleanly — confidence beats cleverness every time.
Can I score with a kitchen knife?
A very sharp paring knife or a fresh utility blade can produce a clean score on stiff cold-retarded dough. A serrated bread knife cannot — it tears. If your only knife is a bread knife, buy a £6 lame from Amazon UK; it'll arrive tomorrow.
Should I score immediately before the oven or earlier?
Immediately before — score as the last thing you do before the dough goes into the hot Dutch oven. If you score then walk away for 10 minutes, the cut starts to relax and close. Lame in hand, oven open, dough in within 30 seconds.
Do I need to score every sourdough loaf?
Yes — every loaf benefits from at least one cut. Even a single short slash gives the oven spring somewhere to go. Without a score, the loaf will burst somewhere unpredictable (usually the side or base), producing a misshapen result with a flat top.
One more time: your first five scores will be ugly. Take photos anyway — you'll laugh at them on loaf twenty. Keep going.
What's next
The pillar tying this together: the UK beginner's guide. For why cold dough matters and how long to retard, the cold retard. For the final-proof diagnostic before you score, the poke test. And when a loaf came out wrong, the universal troubleshooter walks the diagnosis.
