It's easy to forget the crucial step of scoring your bread dough before it goes into the oven, which can result in a smaller or more uneven loaf, but still edible. Scoring bread helps the dough expand in a controlled way when it's in the oven and gives it a clear place for the steam to release. If you forget to score your dough, it is forced to break through the bread's thick gluten net, causing it to burst open in random spots. However, if you're planning to give away a fresh-baked loaf, you should take extra care to score it so it looks beautiful. The use of a "lame" scoring tool is recommended, but only if it detects within its first five minutes in oven.