Boning & Butcher Knife

Most Japanese knives are known for being made of very hard steel that is incredibly thin. This means a typical Japanese knife is not the right tool for the job of breaking down proteins such as poultry or fish or cutting in and around bones. For that, you need a specific style of knife designed for the job and these are typically much thicker and with a wider edge but retain the quality of steel to stay sharp but without the worry of chipping.

Frequently Asked Questions about Boning & Butcher Knife

How are Japanese butcher knives made?

Like many Japanese knives, the cleavers, honesuki, sabaki and other butchering knives are made from a variety of high carbon steel, high carbon stainless steel or a mix of both to provide good edge retention and durability in use.

Which butcher or boning knife do I need?

There is a huge variety in the shape and type of knife used to cut meat, break down fish and poultry or cleave through bone. For smaller more intricate butchering jobs like breaking down a chicken, a honesuki would be ideal. If you're breaking down a larger fish then the thick and deba is a traditional knife for the job and for those times where you need pure power to go through bone or large pieces of raw meat then a thicker cleaver is ideal.

What's the difference between a Chinese cleaver and a butchering cleaver?

Despite appearances, the Chinese cleaver or 'Chuka bocho' is a thin knife designed to be an all rounder and while you can cut meat with it, it's for careful slicing and not for cutting around or through bone like a thicker traditional cleaver. A heavier duty cleaver is often a full tang knife with significant weight and a comfortable grip for making more powerful cuts through and around harder bone without damaging the blade.

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