The saturday bake

For us it was more out of necessity than anything else, that we started baking our own bread. Now every weekend, typically on saturdays, that is one of the most satisfying aspect of mornings: rise and bake. It helps to have this particular batch of active dry yeast which has been consistent in doing its job of actively doubling the dough. Next the dough gets a good doze of pounding until the air is all punched out, it is rolled into a loaf  and pinched at the seam before getting dumped in a lined tin. Some time is given for the loaf to double up again and just when it starts looking all pompous and puffed up,  it is shoved inside the oven that has been kept hot and crackling ready. The oven door of course then has to be banged shut if the whole bread-making process is to be experienced at its therapeutic best. By late morning the aroma of freshly baked bread fills the the entire house, can't believe it is me who is saying this because  I used to find such statement hugely 'naika'. But I can be pardoned because then I used to be naive and yet to be breadly-wise. The acquired wisdom though is yet to include a good technique to slice it thin without losing half the bread in form of crumbs. Is it a special knife or is it the timing after the bake or is it just practice? Any ideas? Otherwise of course we live on hope that is internet :).