Butchering knives advice

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Potasz

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Hey all

Looking for a new set of knives for butchering larger game.
What are your favorites that worked good and kept sharp over the years
And if you know where to get them
Looking to spend around 500 bucks max.
Thanks for your time.
K
 
Potasz said:
Hey all

Looking for a new set of knives for butchering larger game.
What are your favorites that worked good and kept sharp over the years
And if you know where to get them
Looking to spend around 500 bucks max.
Thanks for your time.
K
Click to expand...

In Toronto check out The Knife Store. You can purchase top quality knives, and $500 will certainly give you that, but you're stuffing money up a pig's butt if you don't learn the skills of keeping those knives sharp. When shopping for a knife avoid any that claim to be made out of surgical stainless steel. This is a marketing claim and there is no steel called surgical steel. A good quality knife has the blade marked with the type of steel it is made from. The more you research about quality knife blade steel, the better armed you are when speaking to a sales person. Handle several knives to find out which feels best in your hand, which resists rolling, and which appeals to you. A good knife is much like a good gun in this respect. If you intend to purchase a set of knives, be more concerned with each knife individually, you might find that you prefer a large knife from one manufacturer and a small blade form another, rather than a matching set from one.

Learning what occurs when a knife becomes dull tells you whether the knife needs to be honed, that is the edge is realigned, which is easily accomplished in the field with a ceramic rod, or if it needs to be sharpened, which is what occurs when the edge metal fatigues and must be removed. Understand what abuses the blade and what enhances it. Hardwood butcher blocks are excellent, and prevent the transmission of bacteria, plastic is okay, but glass or ceramic cutting boards will take the edge off your knife quickly.

When you bring your new knives home, perform a sharpness test by slicing through a sheet of telephone book paper held from one corner between your thumb and forefinger. Having done that, package you knives up and send them to a custom knife sharpener like Peter Knowlan who owns New Edge Sharpening in Halifax. Prepare to be amazed. He will probably not change the grind of the blade, but he will make the grind more uniform, and you will be able to see mirror image in the finished bevel. You will simply not believe that a blade can be this sharp. He has posted numerous knife sharpening videos on youtube. Now when you purchase the tools to sharpen your knives, you will have an example to follow.
 
Henckels yellow handle commercial butcher knives at Cabelas are often on sale. Buy a good steel to go with them. A few licks on the steel and you are in business.
Major sharpening is only necessary when the edge really deteriorates.
 
I own a set of 7 Swiss Victorinox knives. Boning, butchering, filleting etc.. For the price they're very good knives. Prices are sometimes discounted in butcher supply stores or on online. I also bought a nylon carrying case for it. Really handy.
 
saskbooknut said:
Henckels yellow handle commercial butcher knives at Cabelas are often on sale. Buy a good steel to go with them. A few licks on the steel and you are in business.
Major sharpening is only necessary when the edge really deteriorates.
Click to expand...

Here, here...look for them on sale and a good steel (oval flat ones ) with diamond encrusted blade will keep an edge on your blades.
A good saw might also be invaluable too.
Sharp Knives dont cut you, dull ones do.
Rob
 
Don’t overthink it ..... guys in the industry that butcher 40 hours a week don’t use $500 knife sets. A butcher knife and a boning knife and then you can do any boneless cuts. Add a steel and grinding stones and you’re set.

Also, Something for gutting and something for skinning in the field. Done.

Good stones are more important than the knives themselves.
 
4th push for Victorinox. I have a least 10 and that is all our group of 6 use to butcher. Sharpen on a wet fine grinding wheel and then steel all during the processing of a moose. Go check out the local butcher. Sometimes he will give you the best price to buy knives and steel. I have found good quality Victorinox knives at thrift stores and the Salvation Army. For $2 to $5 a knife.
 
I use a blue handled Nella that an old butcher gave me. It’s a cheap straightforward boning knife and is the best one I have for butchering. I’d spend my money on a high quality “steel”. My 2 cents.
 
saskbooknut said:
Henckels yellow handle commercial butcher knives at Cabelas are often on sale. Buy a good steel to go with them. A few licks on the steel and you are in business.
Major sharpening is only necessary when the edge really deteriorates.
Click to expand...
Cabelas have a good set, 5 useful blades and a steel: Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Master Woodsman Knife Set for only $140.00! I have been using mine for about 5 years now. perfect performance. My Dad was a butcher. He liked Henckels and so do I.
 
these 3 knives have done about 25 deer.
That's all they get used for.

they work great.
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