Top 15 Best Butcher Knives
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You don’t need to be a chef to get a trusted butcher knife set. Good knives are necessary for the more beautiful look of the dish but also enhance their taste. For me, a good knife means less time standing helplessly in the kitchen, struggling with cutting dense meat.
However, as I noticed, most people haven’t paid enough attention to choosing a good set of knives for their kitchen. Mostly, they can pick randomly any set they see in stores, looking good or from famous brands like Ontario, Wusthof, etc.
But choosing knives needs more detailed information than that. After trying several knives, I can note down some essential points, which can help you in selecting the right one easier and faster.
Below is my review of the top 15 butcher knives as long as buying guide for those in need. Check it now!
What Is a Butcher Knife?
Most people are more familiar with the chef’s knife, utility knife. These knives have high applicability in the family kitchen as you can use it to cut meat, dice vegetables, and slice herbs and nuts.
However, you might be struggling when using these knives for dense or thick meat. Their blades are too small or not sharp enough. In other words, I can say that they are simply not the butchered knife.
The butcher knife is designed and made for butchering, which is large, thick with a curved front. When using to slice whole loins into steak slice, the length of its blade ensures me with even and level cuts. The curved front of it also works while getting into joints and breaking connective tissue.
When to Use a Butcher Knife?
Butcher knives are used for cutting large meat into smaller parts. Sometimes, they can be used for skinning animals.
The already cuts of meat in supermarkets, of course, are based on popular size. But sometimes, when I want to customize the size to fit my eating style, I might have to try hard to eat them out or just wasting by throwing away. That’s when I need a trusted butcher knife set with whole pork tenderloins or other big parts.
Moreover, for hunters on camping, butcher knives are necessary as they can’t use small chefs or utility ones for butchering deer, moose, or other animals.
What Are The Best Butcher Knives?
There is indeed no perfect butcher knife for all. However, to meet each specific requirement, I can pick the best butcher knife as below.
- Best Overall: Victorinox Swiss Army Granton Edge Butcher Knife
“Big size blade with Granton edge and flat spine, do good on cutting large meat and slicing.” - Best Budget: Hoffritz Commercial German Butcher Knife
“Razor-sharp edge and comfortable grip for professional quality, but the price is acceptable.” - Best Quality: Dexter-Russell Butcher Knife
“Hand-sharpened blade and long-lasting handle are of the best quality you can expect.” - Best Professional: Update International High-Carbon Steel Butcher Knife
“Forged blade with a strong and pointed tip is what even the professional dream of.” - Best Carbon Steel Butcher Knife: Ontario Knife 7111 Old Hickory Butcher Knife
“Awesome blade with an excellent sharp cutting edge for both cooking and camping.” - Best Stainless Steel Butcher Knife: Wusthof Pro 10” Cimeter Butcher Knife
“Say no to rust over time but still own extreme sharpness that can cut through anything.” - Best 10 Inches Butcher Knife: Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe Series Butcher Knife
“10 inches razor-sharp blade and balanced allows cutting super large meat easier than ever.” - Best Wood Handle: TOU Fiery Series Meat Cleaver Butcher Knife
“Full-tang handle is made from imported Pakkawood, beautiful and naturally antibacterial.” - Best Plastic Handle: Cold Steel Commercial Series Butcher Knife
“Perfect from the core to the exterior, this handle is soft and comfortable even for long-hour usage.” - Best Stainless Steel Handle: Global 100% Stainless Steel Butcher Knife
“Being made one-piece with the blade, the handle is so well-balanced, ensuring cutting force.” - Best With Sheath: Dalstrong Gladiator Series Butcher Knife
“With well covering BPA PerfectFit Sheath, this knife is exactly dream of samurai’s fan.” - Best for Butcher: Sato Forged Heavy-Duty Meat Cleaver Butcher Knife
“Forged knife with full tang handle, great for heavy-duty butchering tasks.” - Best Butcher Skinning Knife: Victorinox Animal Skinning Butcher Knife
“Compact and lightweight for perfect flexibility, super sharp blade with good edge holding.” - Best Knife for Bones: UltraSource 10” Cimeter Blade Butcher Knife
“Industrial grade sharp blade, providing optimum strength and edge retention for boning.” - Best Set for Deer: Rada Cutlery Stainless Steel Blade Butcher Knife
“Surgical grade T420 stainless steel blade makes it possible to cut through deer with ease.”
Comparison Chart Among the Best Butcher Knives
To make it simpler, I will show you a comparison chart with some basic features of 15 best butcher knives. From this table, you can first find some products you might be interested in.
Top 15 Best Butcher Knives Reviews
Now, I will give you more details about each product. Let’s see my top picks on 15 best butcher knife!
1. Victorinox Swiss Army Granton Edge Butcher Knife
(Best Overall)
There would be no need for quality assurance when it comes to Victorinox knife. This Swiss cutlery brand is so famous that even its product is a bit pricey, it is often listed in the top like best butcher knives 2018 or similar.
Many people, including me, are genuinely impressed with its Fibrox Pro handle. Not only the material meets a high standard of sanitary to reach the international highest standards, but the design is impressive on comfortable and secures regardless of the hand size, reducing hand and wrist fatigue.
Another advantage of this trusted butcher knife set comes from the Granton edge and flat spine blade. Made of high quality European stainless steel, it is exceptionally sharp, suitable for cutting large portions of meat.
While the spine ensures the cutting force, Granton edge with tiny air pocket minimizes tearing and shredding of meat. As a result, it can maximize the productivity of butchering. For all those features, it is undoubtedly that this knife is the best overall.
Key Features
- Swiss made butcher knife
- 10 inches high quality European stainless steel blade
- Granton edge blade with a flat spine
- Fibrox Pro handle
Pros
- Sharp blade suitable for cutting thin and even meat portions
- Well designed and ergonomic functioned handle
- Easy to sharpen
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- High price
- Need more effort into cleaning the Granton edge
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 17 x 3.75 x 1.5 inches |
| Weight | 6.4 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | Switzerland |
| Brand | Victorinox |
2. Hoffritz Commercial German Butcher Knife
(Best Budget)
Among trusted butcher knives Amazon offers, this one is an extremely great value. Its quality is nearly the same with more famous cutlery brands like Victorinox but way cheaper.
It is designed to cut with ease; even it is mincing, slicing, dicing or chopping, working well with large cuts of meat and poultry. Its German steel blade is expertly hand-crafted, semi-polished for long-lasting edge retention, and razor sharpness.
Along with its well-produced blade, the handle is also made from good materials, including nylon and silicone, which are both durable and comfortable, making it worths the price.
Key Features
- Hand-crafted and semi-polished 10 inches German steel blade
- Non-slip nylon and silicone handles
- Able to perform multiple kinds of cutting tasks
Pros
- Good value
- Long-lasting edge retention
- Comfortable and durable handles
- Easy to clean and preservation
Cons
- Not super sharp
- Thin and flat blade making it hard to slice meat
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 12 x 2.5 x 1 inches |
| Weight | 8 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | Not mentioned |
| Brand | Hoffritz |
3. Dexter-Russell Butcher Knife
(Best Quality)
Dexter is a well-known USA cutlery brand. As claimed themselves, this butcher knife is hand-sharpened. Honestly, this American made butcher knife is very sharp right from unboxing to even four years later without much sharpening efforts.
This butcher knife can work well in grilling parties, cutting meat into even thin portions, butchering entire animals from 100lb tuna to cows. The broad and 10-inches length blade enables me to apply enough power for heavy-duty cutting.
Moreover, it is super durable and can remain sharp and easy to clean just by putting on the dishwasher. The quality of this knife is truly the best.
Key Features
- American made butcher knife
- Stainless steel blade
- 10-inch tip pointed blade
- Grip-Tex plastic handle for slip-free usage
Pros
- Easy to clean and preserve
- Lightweight
- Broad and long blade, easy to apply power on cutting large meats.
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Not super sharp for tough meats like deers
- The white handle might not look good after long time usage
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 15.7 x 2.3 x 1.1 inches |
| Weight | 0.64 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | USA |
| Brand | Dexter-Russell |
4. Update International High-Carbon Steel Butcher Knife
(Best Professional)
This forged butcher knife from Update International brand is another good value option for 9 inches size.
The blade is good at holding edge and resistance of corrosion. Also, it owns a strong and pointed tip for excellent performance on carving through steak, cutting up a large roast, or chopping thick meats.
The durable and contoured shaped handle is another plus for this butcher knife, making the best professional, among others.
Key Features
- Forged butcher knife
- 9 inches high carbon stainless steel blade
- POM handle
- Dishwasher safe
Pros
- Super sharp for many different butchering tasks
- Easy-to-hold handle
- Don’t require much effort on cleaning
Cons
- Not full tang
- Not ideal for heavy-duty butchering tasks
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 15.4 x 3.6 x 0.5 inches |
| Weight | 9.6 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | Not mentioned |
| Brand | Update International |
5. Ontario Knife 7111 Old Hickory Butcher Knife
(Best Carbon Steel Butcher Knife)
Though Ontario is a famous knife brand, this 7111 Old Hickory still gets its name better, always be on tops such as the best butcher knife 2019, 2018, and years before.
What makes this knife so popular? In my opinion, it is a good performance for both indoor kitchen or outdoor camping. The knife’s length is 10 inches, and the material is the best quality material for every butcher knife – 1095 high carbon steel.
The high carbon steel blade is super sharp and durable. Though this material has it owns drawbacks like getting rusted easily, the sharpness of it is undefeated. Thus, this knife can handle tasks like chopping, skinning, and cutting big meats.
Key Features
- American made butcher knife
- 1095 high carbon steel blade
- 10-inch flat grind blade
- Wooden handle with rivets
Pros
- Perform well with multitasks, suitable for both home cooking and outside camping
- Well- balanced between blade & handle
- Super sharp & durable
Cons
- Easily get rusted and blunt
- The wooden handle doesn’t meet sanitary standards for commercial cooking
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 5 x 2 x 4 inches |
| Weight | 8.8 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | USA |
| Brand | Old Hickory |
Let’s see this video to see how good this knife is on outdoor camping:
6. Wusthof Pro 10” Cimeter Butcher Knife
(Best Stainless Steel Butcher Knife)
Wusthof is a German brand with fame spreading out all over the world. Thus, when it comes to trusted butcher knife reviews, it should be included with at least one product from this brand.
The most notable point of this butcher knife is the extreme sharpness that can cut through level 5 cut resistant glove, meeting high standards for commercial kitchen. Its curved cimeter blade cut easily on large chunks of meat, and the sharp point is perfect for skinning.
Its sharpness is fantastic, regarding the fact that the blade is made from stainless steel materials. Moreover, this knife also has other benefits like finger protective guards, ergonomic, comfortable handle. That’s why I picked it as the best stainless steel butcher knife.
Key Features
- Commercial-grade cimeter butcher knife
- 10 inches rust-resistant steel blade
- Ergonomic poly handle
Pros
- Razor-sharp, ideal for large meat cutting
- Safe and comfortable to use
- Sanitary assured
Cons
- Amateur users must be careful on the first-time usage
- It is quite costly on an average price
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 19 x 3.5 x 1 inches |
| Weight | 13 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | Germany |
| Brand | Wusthof |
See how easy it is to do butchering with Wusthof Pro 10” cimeter butcher knife:
7. Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe Series Butcher Knife
(Best 10 Inches Butcher Knife)
This is another among American made butcher knives from Dexter-Russell rooted from 1818. Sani-Safe, which means sanitarily assured, is the most popular series from this brand.
A significant feature of the series is the handle made from plastic. It meets high standards in sanitary requirements. Also, the handles are good looking, matching well with the blade and do good in preventing slippery.
This 10 inches blade is made from stain-free high-carbon steel or, in short, a kind of high-quality stainless steel. It is sharp enough for multiple jobs in butchering, from dicing, cubing, cutting steaks, trimming raw meat to skinning, filleting and deboning big fish.
Along with a high standard of sanitary, its sharpness makes this knife outstanding among other 10 inches butcher knives.
Key Features
- American made butcher knife
- Sani-safe plastic handle
- 10 inches stain-free high-carbon steel blade
- Cimeter butcher knife
Pros
- Sanitary assured
- Comfortable to hold
- Easy to sharpen
- Suitable for multiple butchering tasks, especially with big fishes
Cons
- Requires hand wash and dry
- Small hand size people might not feel comfortable holding
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 16.5 x 2.5 x 1 inches |
| Weight | 7.2 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | USA |
| Brand | Dexter-Russell |
Find out why this knife deserves the place of the best 10 inches butcher knife in this video:
8. TOU Fiery Series Meat Cleaver Butcher Knife
(Best Wood Handle)
This butcher knife is highly recommended if you’re looking for a sharp and beautiful kitchen knife. Thanks to its luxurious packaging box to Pakkawood handles, even the most criticizers cannot refuse its good look.
This meat cleaver is made forged from imported 4116 high-carbon German steel with the hand-polished edge at 18 degrees per side, bringing super sharpness and outstanding edge holding. The full-tang handle with reasonable weight ensures cutting force for multiple tasks.
The Pakkawood handle with no rivet is not only good looking but can also provide natural bacteria defense, contributing to its outstanding sales volume in the category. If you love wood handle butcher knife, this TOU is the best choice you can get.
Key Features
- Chinese made meat cleaver butcher knife
- 4116 high carbon German steel blade
- Full tang handle with no rivet
- Imported Pakkawood handle
- Good looking with luxury package
- Money-back guarantee
Pros
- Beautiful appearance
- Razor sharpness and exceptional edge holding
- Natural bacteria defense
- Comfort and durability
Cons
- Not too well balanced between the handle and the front.
- Dust might be stored in the stamped logo at the end of the handle
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 12 x 2.25 x 0.09 inches |
| Weight | 10.4 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | China |
| Brand | TOU |
9. Cold Steel Commercial Series Butcher Knife
(Best Plastic Handle)
As shown in the name, this butcher knife is for commercial purposes. It can fit well from amateur to professional users and even for hunters and anglers, as claimed by the manufacturer.
The blade material is made of fine-grained stainless steel used in the pharmaceutical industry and high-end kitchen cutlery. Though it needs a slight touch up after unboxing, this butcher knife is extremely sharp and easy to sharpen.
Apart from its high-end material for the blade, this handle is so impressive to me. It is good from the core to the exterior, making it easy to hold, use, and clean, all features to be regarded as the best plastic handle butcher knife.
Key Features
- Commercial Series
- 8 inches 4116 stainless steel blade
- Zy-Ex core and Kray-Ex exterior handle
Pros
- Useful for multiple purposes in a wide variety of levels of butchering skills
- High-quality material
- Durable, don’t require much effort on maintaining its sharpness
- Hand safety assured on using
Cons
- Need some sharpening before the first usage
- Quite boring design
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 10.8 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches |
| Weight | 16 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | Taiwan |
| Brand | Cold Steel |
Discover the sharpness of this Cold Steel butcher knife with cutting test on paper here:
10. Global 100% Stainless Steel Butcher Knife
(Best Stainless Steel Handle)
This butcher knife is for a cook who loves fashionable design and Japanese high tech. As Global is from Japan, its butcher knife handle is pretty smaller than European style knives, making it more suitable for small hand size users.
The 8 inches blade is made from high tech material with an acute angle, straight edge. It enables the knife to retain sharpness exceptionally well. Thus, it can afford many butchering tasks like cutting, chopping, slicing, and other prep work.
This butcher knife handle is made from stainless steel, completely one piece with the blade, making it sanitary ensured. Despite its lightweight, it is amazingly balanced with the edge. So, for me, this one is the best butcher knife with a stainless steel handle.
Mainly, this Japanese knife has a lifetime warranty against defects and breakage. So you can be assured about its durability.
Key Features
- Japanese made butcher knife
- 8 inches high tech molybdenum stainless steel blade
- Stainless steel handle
- Lightweight
Pros
- Great design
- Durability assured with a lifetime warranty
- Fit with small hand size
- Finger notch included
Cons
- Prone to water spots
- The handle might be slippery
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 14.72 x 3.46 x 0.94 inches |
| Weight | 7.8 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | Japan |
| Brand | Global |
How is it in a real cutting test? Find out now in this video:
11. Dalstrong Gladiator Series Butcher Knife
(Best With Sheath)
On first seeing, you might found it like trusted butcher knives as seen on TV due to its samurai sword-like appearance. It owns so many factors to be ranked among the sharpest ever.
The curved blade is ideal for leverage and competes for cuts in a single motion. This forged butcher knife is so expertly crafted that it is super easy for large meat cutting, trimming fat or breaking through cartilage, working well on various meat types like beef, pork, poultry, fish.
The forged blade with the full tang, triple-riveted maximizes cutting force while Granton edge preventing meat from sticking on the blade, reducing friction for the better cutting experience. German steel material allows durability and dust-resistance.
The beautiful black Pakkawood handle imported from Spain contributes to fulfilling this butcher knife’s luxury appearance.
Finally, I have to say that; there are not many butcher knives are provided with shealth. But this knife’s sheath is far more than just a cover; it is the sheath that every samurai fan dreams of!
Key Features
- Chinese made knife
- Forged cimeter butcher knife
- 10 inches German high carbon steel blade
- Granton edge
- Ergonomic Pakka wood handle
- Full tang with triple rivets
- Safeguard and cleaning cloth included.
- Lifetime warranty
Pros
- Maximum edge retention
- Razor-sharp blade
- Durable and rust-resistant
- Suitable for multiple butchering tasks: preparing, filleting, trimming, skinning and even slicing
Cons
- Require high maintenance as instructed
- It is possible to be too costly for some people
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 18 x 4 x 3 inches |
| Weight | 15.8 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | China |
| Brand | Dalstrong |
Take a look at this video to see how amazing this knife is:
12. Sato Forged Heavy-Duty Meat Cleaver Butcher Knife
(Best for Butcher)
I would recommend this Japanese butcher knife for those who can hold a weight of about 1.6 pounds. Heavyweight extremely matters with a meat cleaver butcher knife as it helps ensure cutting force.
Thus, this Sato forged knife performs excellently on butchering any kind of meat and poultry, which might be enclosed with bones and joints. It is so strong that someone can joke that you’d better-taking care of your cutting board.
The full tang wooden handle supports the blade well in terms of balancing and giving comfort on holding. Thus, it is the best one for butchers.
Key Features
- Japanese made butcher knife
- Meat cleaver
- 8 inches blade with a stainless steel blade
- Full tang wooden handle
Pros
- Be able to heavy-duty butchering, easy on cutting through joints and bones
- Ensure the cutting force
- Comfortable handle to hold
Cons
- Not sanitary safe
- Might be too heavy for people with weak hands
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 8 x 1 x 4 inches |
| Weight | 25.6 ounces |
| NSF certification | No |
| Origin | Japan |
| Brand | Sato |
13. Victorinox Animal Skinning Butcher Knife
(Best Butcher Skinning Knife)
Another trusted butcher knife set I would recommend from Victorinox is this one, which works exceptionally well with skinning tasks.
The stainless steel blade owns a good shape for butchery with a well-holding edge feature. It is compact but sturdy enough, suitable for skinning, cutting joints for big animals like pigs, deers. It also helps in time-saving for meat processing and deboning works.
On the whole, this butcher knife is light with a weight of 0.8 ounces. Thus, it enables flexibility, which is vital in skinning and trimming fat. However, as a product from Victorinox, you could be assured of the excellent balance between the handle and the front.
Key Features
- Swiss made butcher knife
- 6-¼ inches stainless steel blade
- Black Fibrox handles
Pros
- Razor-sharp, good edge holding
- Suitable for skinning, cutting joints
- Lightweight, flexible.
- Anti-bacteria, comfortable and non-slip handle
Cons
- Require hand washing
- Quite common design
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 5 x 2 x 2 inches |
| Weight | 0.8 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | Switzerland |
| Brand | Victorinox |
Check out the review of this knife in this video:
14. UltraSource 10” Cimeter Blade Butcher Knife
(Best Boning Knife)
Among this list of trusted butcher knife sets, I highly recommend this UltraSource for the best boning knife because of its proper function and high safety.
This knife is forged from cryogenically-treated molybdenum steel for optimum strength and edge retention. The 10 inches blade incredibly sharp for a precise cut and wonderful deboning. It truly meets the industrial grade that even professionals will love it.
This butcher knife handle is ergonomic designed, well balanced with the front and protective finger guards included in both ends. Thus, you do not only find it easy to hold, reducing in hand fatigue, extraordinarily safe but also well supported for both deboning and cutting.
Key Features
- Forged Cimeter butcher knife
- 10 inches German steel blade
- Non-slip, hand protected handles
Pros
- Sanitary and safety ensured
- Preferred by professional users by its industrial-grade production
- Suitable for heavy-duty butchering like cutting, slicing, deboning, etc.
- Easy to hold, clean and sharpen
Cons
- Hand washing is a must
- Easy to get dull
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 16 inches length |
| Weight | 14.4 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | Not mentioned |
| Brand | UltraSource |
15. Rada Cutlery Stainless Steel Blade Butcher Knife
(Best Set for Deer)
Rada Cutlery is another pride for American made butcher knives as it is legendary. Despite “old fashioned” appearance, it is super sharp to cut through anything, from tough animal meat like deer, elk to fruit like pineapple, tomato, and so on.
The blade of this favorite butcher knife is made from surgical grade with T420 stainless steel. It can maintain sharpness for years without much resharpening. It has both ground blade for maximum usage of cutting edge and skinning tip for multiple butchering tasks.
In summary, you can bring this one on camping if you want to hunt and butcher deers. This knife is the best one for deer’s meat.
Key Features
- American made butcher knife
- 7-¾ inches T420 stainless steel blade
- Surgical grade blade
- Ground blade with tip point
- Silver brushed aluminum handle
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness for tough meat cutting
- Can be used for a wide variety of butchering tasks
- Long-lasting
- Can be cleaned conveniently with dishwasher
Cons
- The handle might cause slips
- Not a modern design knife
Product Specification
| Dimensions | 16 x 2.75 x 0.5 inches |
| Weight | 0.81 ounces |
| NSF certification | Yes |
| Origin | USA |
| Brand | Rada Cutlery |
Factors You Should Consider Buying Butcher Knife
After going through my review of the top 15 best butcher knives above, you might get some suggestions. Now, I will give you more details on how I list down those names. To my experiences, there are eight key points you should think of before buying a butcher knife.
1. Blade Type: Straight, Curved and More
There are two common types of butcher knife’s blade type: straight or curved. While the straight blade is much easier to use, and I can utilize the whole blade’s length, curved one is more useful when it comes to deboning.
However, there are far more than two butcher knife types in the blade. Some of them you need to take into consideration are plain, and Granton edged.
Plain edge blade has continuous sharp along cutting part, useful with multiple purposes from home cooking to outside camping and even professional usages. It is strong, steady in pressure, precise, and clean in cutting, easy to clean, and sharpen.
Granton edged butcher knife has a row of dimple or scallops of the same size on both sides of the blade, creating small air pockets between the meat and blade. Thus, food can easily get off the edge without tearing and shredding.
Though Granton edged knife is beneficial for moist food like meats, it often requires a thicker blade and a more sophisticated production technique, leading to a higher price. For me, this type also needs proper care to prevent dust from stay inside dimples.
2. Blade Material: Stainless Steel vs. Carbon Steel
Between these two, carbon steel butcher knives are mostly preferred. The reason is that high carbon steel is so hard that it can resist abrasion and retaining shape well. The blade made of high carbon steel is also razor-sharp and can’t get blunt easily.
This material needs good care not to get rusted and likely to crack than bend. These drawbacks, somehow, are advantages of stainless steel: durable and easy to care. On the other hand, the stainless steel blade is claimed to be less sharp.
However, as steel is a big family of metal with the same ingredients but different ratios, thus, it is not merely stainless and high carbon but way more. If I have to buy a butcher knife, I’d better check the ratio and some trusted butcher knife reviews.
3. Handles: Materials & Comfort
Choosing the right handle for butcher knife determines the forces applying for cutting, which, as a result, controls the preciseness and speed of the cut. Also, the grip is the part that you make the most contact, so you have to make sure it’s comfortable enough in your hands.
Some features for good handles should be free of bacteria, anti-slippery, fit your hand, and balance with the blade. These features can be judged through the material and shape of the handle.
There are three popular materials for butcher knife handles, including wood, plastic and synthetic.
Wooden handles are traditionally, but they can harbor bacteria in tiny cracks in the handles. That’s why there’s no knife with a wooden handle that can be certified by NSF, even get banned in commercial foodservice in some areas. It can’t be used with a dishwasher and not allowed to soak.
However, wooden handles are heavy enough to balance with big knives like a cleaver or long blade butcher knife. Some with famous imported Pakka wood is very luxurious on appearance.
With advantages on sanitary, plastic and synthetic handles are now getting more popular. These materials are durable, dishwasher safe, and vary in styles. On the other hand, the lightweight sometimes is not well balanced with the long heavy blade.
4. Size
Butcher knives are often measured in inches, commonly range between 8 to 12 inches. The longer the blade is, the longer single-stroke cuts on slicing you can make. Also, it can help to produce greater leverage and generate greater cutting force at the blade’s heel.
As most butcher knives are curved, people tend to think that the longer the blade, the better performance. For me, you should pick the right size regarding your hand size to get the best comfort and control while using it.
If your hands are of normal size, you can choose the most popular sizes of butcher knives, from 8 to 10 inches.
5. Weight
The weight is very important for a butcher knife. As it has to work with large meat pieces and even bones, it should be heavy enough to ensure cutting force. But a heavy knife is also tired to hold.
Typically, carbon steel butcher knives weigh more than stainless steel. Forged knives are heavier than stamped blades. Wooden handles require more effort to hold than plastic ones.
Due to weight, some people assume that men prefer high carbon steel butcher knives, and women will look for stainless steel. To me, the most important thing about weight lies in the balance between the blade and handle. This balance can ensure precise and effective cutting regardless of the whole weight of the knife.
Also, you can get some advice on how to choose a good knife from experts in this video:
How to Use a Butcher Knife?
Until now, some people might still wonder how to use a butcher knife to ensure both good performances on cutting and durability. Thus, I will show you some of my tips for the proper usage of this product.
First, you should keep in mind that this knife is made for butchering. Thus, it might not perform well in other cutting tasks like cutting vegetables, bread, and so on. Also, there are many butchers knife types for different purposes like chopping, deboning, skinning. You should use the right one to get the best performance.
Secondly, during the cutting process, you should avoid hard cutting boards like marble or other similar kinds as it may cause blade cracking or bending. The suggested surface for cutting is wooden or hard plastic with reasonable thickness. It can help provide protection to edges and ensure cutting effectiveness.
Thirdly, it is not recommended to cut through the bone even if some butcher knives claimed to be capable of. Instead, you should cut between to save the blades. Also, although some manufacturers ensure that their butcher knives are dishwasher safe, you’d better use hand washing and clean it gently with warm soapy water.
How to Sharpen Butcher Knives?
To maintain the knife in good condition, you should know well how to sharpen butcher knife by stone. You can follow this instruction step by step.
- Step 1: Select suitable coarseness for sharpening stone according to your knife current state of sharpness. The duller the edge is, the coarser the stone should be.
- Step 2: Choose the right angle. Most experts recommend an approximately 20-degree angle.
- Step 3: Apply water or oil onto the stone for floating the swarf to make your works better.
- Step 4: Do the knife sharpening by moving the knife across the stone from the heel to the point while carefully maintain the angle of the blade on the stone, especially for a long curved butcher knife. After that, repeat with the other side.
After this process, you can check by running your hand from the spine to the edge of the knife. Or else, you can check it safely by testing on real material like meats or some papers.
Also, you can see this video for detailed visualized instruction:
FAQs
There’s are some frequently asked questions on butcher knives. From my knowledge and experiences, I will help you with some short answers below.
My Top Pick
For me, I would pick Victorinox Swiss Army Granton Edge Butcher Knife.
As I usually hold strict requirements for cleaning, I pay much attention to sanitary features of a knife, always wonder if it is NSF certified or not. Also, I do much in cutting whole roast or large cuts of meat and slicing, a big size like 10 inches with Granton edge must be preferred.
Though it is pricey, I strongly believe that it worths.
Above is my review on 15 best butcher knives. In case you are still questioning, please leave comments below so I can help you more. If this review is helpful to you, don’t hesitate to share it with others!
