Off Topic Kitchen Knives everyone should have

[CallumRD1]

Oh definitely ... i especially use my boning knife for poultry ... for digging into and prying apart joints, and for deboning legs and breasts. A "boning knife" can mean different things - thin and flexible, or thicker spine, less flexible, and more robust edge. I favor the latter ... again to dig in and torque to separate joints, and an edge of something like 25 degrees per side so it does not get damaged by contact with bones.

I agree. I quite like a Japanese style honesuki boning knife for breaking down poultry. I don't use it often but it always feels like the right tool for the job when I do. Mine is ground from 0.118" AEB-L and left thicker behind the edge than any of my other knives.

 

[Cushing H.]

I agree. I quite like a Japanese style honesuki boning knife for breaking down poultry. I don't use it often but it always feels like the right tool for the job when I do. Mine is ground from 0.118" AEB-L and left thicker behind the edge than any of my other knives.

Cool knife. I have never heard of them ... maybe need to make one?

I have never, and still do not, understood why a highly flexible western knives are called "boning" knives. Fillet knives yes, but boning?? I could never imagine using a thin flexible knife to dig in to joints, pry after and slice tendons, and then torque the joint apart, or cutting through the back to spatchcock a bird, nor could i envision a large chef knife having the maneuverability to do that ... and certainly could not envision a nakiri doing that...

So back to the op's question ... yeah, i would say that if you cook with poultry, than a stiff boning knife would be needed.

 

[SCTorrero]

Chefs knife, around 8” in blade length and a paring knife. Can do everything in the kitchen with those 2 (mostly). Bread knife is great, but it would not be my third choice. I would rather have a boning knife. Fourth choice would be bread and I’m particular about my serrations (I don’t like rounded scallop style, I want the serrations to come to a point).

If the chefs knife is properly sharp, I can’t think of many cuts where you would need the bread knife (large loafs being an exception).

 

[Hubert S.]

Cool knife. I have never heard of them ... maybe need to make one?

I have never, and still do not, understood why a highly flexible western knives are called "boning" knives. Fillet knives yes, but boning?? I could never imagine using a thin flexible knife to dig in to joints, pry after and slice tendons, and then torque the joint apart, or cutting through the back to spatchcock a bird, nor could i envision a large chef knife having the maneuverability to do that ... and certainly could not envision a nakiri doing that...

So back to the op's question ... yeah, i would say that if you cook with poultry, than a stiff boning knife would be needed.

You should definitely make one, they are great and definitely a knife everybody should have. The one below is my version in AEB-L, a little over 0.1" thick.

 

[Cushing H.]

You should definitely make one, they are great and definitely a knife everybody should have. The one below is my version in AEB-L, a little over 0.1" thick.

Hmmm. I happen to have some thicker 26c3 lying around that is just about perfect for dimensions (and i happen to be in the process of profiling a number of blades...).

Any chance you can get a proposed profile to me? Also, what hardness? I shouldthink for this purpose not so hard would be better (less brittle). Maybe 58-60 rockwell?

 

[Hubert S.]

Hmmm. I happen to have some thicker 26c3 lying around that is just about perfect for dimensions (and i happen to be in the process of profiling a number of blades...).

Any chance you can get a proposed profile to me? Also, what hardness? I shouldthink for this purpose not so hard would be better (less brittle). Maybe 58-60 rockwell?

I have made one in 80CRV2 and one in AEB-L. I believe I tempered the AEB-L one at 350°F, the 80CRV2 at 400°F. I had some chipping on the 80CRV2 version initially, but after resharpening with a slightly steeper angle I've had no further issues. The 80CRV2 knife has probably gone through a couple thousand chicken wings. The AEB-L one had no chipping issue at all.

I have attached the profile. This profile has more curvature than is traditional, I believe. I quite like it, works well to cut other stuff. If you decide to make one, leave extra at the tip and grind the angle in last.

 

[Cushing H.]

Got it - thank you ! agreed - with my existing knife (which is softer ) I still keep the edge at something like 25 degrees..... Thanks again!

 

[Taz]

That looks like a great Honesuki! Some have a slight curve to the edge, and others are dead straight. I like some curve to them myself! Traditional ones often have a pretty steep edge on them to avoid chipping issues.

This is the knife I got from the recent KITH. It has been my dedicated meat/poultry trimming knife since receiving it and it does an excellent job! It's a cross between a Honesuki and smallish chefs knife and is a great all arounder in the kitchen. Removing silverskin from meat, getting the tendon out of the chicken breast tenders, slicing up a steak and even cutting up veggies, it does really well! A little thicker behind the edge than a chefs knife, double beveled, but I haven't had any chipping problems! AEB-L at 60-61 rockwell IIRC? Justin W was the maker:

 

[Hubert S.]

That looks like a great multitasker. You bring up a good point regarding the tendons. I left the spines square on the honesukis I have made for that purpose.

 

[Justin W]

That looks like a great Honesuki! Some have a slight curve to the edge, and others are dead straight. I like some curve to them myself! Traditional ones often have a pretty steep edge on them to avoid chipping issues.

This is the knife I got from the recent KITH. It has been my dedicated meat/poultry trimming knife since receiving it and it does an excellent job! It's a cross between a Honesuki and smallish chefs knife and is a great all arounder in the kitchen. Removing silverskin from meat, getting the tendon out of the chicken breast tenders, slicing up a steak and even cutting up veggies, it does really well! A little thicker behind the edge than a chefs knife, double beveled, but I haven't had any chipping problems! AEB-L at 60-61 rockwell IIRC? Justin W was the maker:

Cool. That one is 0.11 in, 3mm thickness if I recall. Bit of a hybrid profile. Glad it is getting good use!

 

[DanF]

You should definitely make one, they are great and definitely a knife everybody should have. The one below is my version in AEB-L, a little over 0.1" thick.

Just when I thought my kitchen collection was complete. Beautiful.

 

[Alex Topfer]

The vegetarians already wisely suggested the nakiri, so I feel obliged to recommend a good long carving knife too!

I was using mine last night for making vegan biscotti!

 

[Cushing H.]

Just when I thought my kitchen collection was complete. Beautiful.

Dan - have you not yet discovered that it is a never ending quest????

 

[DanF]

“Just when I think I’m out…, .”