Best butchering knives and sharpener?

[raydog]

After spending this weekend butchering my elk, I'd like to upgrade my butchering knives and sharpener. Currently I use cheap fillet knifes and a Worksharp sharpener (manual). Maybe I only need a new sharpener and the dexter fillet knives are okay. I don't feel the sharpener does well for any knives i tried with it.

Any Recommendations? What works well for you guys?

[pianoman9701]

@A. Cole is a sponsor here and makes fantastic knives. I have a slicer which is flexible enough to filet but stiff enough to use as a chef's knife. I would highly recommend his kitchen knives.

[fowl smacker]

Victorinox and Dexter are about all I use with a worksharp Ken Onion, but I rarely need the sharpener while processing.  I just touch them all up when I'm done so they're ready to go the next time.  The Victorinox 6" curved really is my go to though.  Holds a razor sharp edge well.

[Sandberm]

@A. Cole is a sponsor here and makes fantastic knives. I have a slicer which is flexible enough to filet but stiff enough to use as a chef's knife. I would highly recommend his kitchen knives.

Thats cool of you to mention the young man Pianoman.  Did you ever get the opportunity to corrupt him a bit with cigars and fine whiskey? 

Not an endorsement, but worth checking out his wares https://aldgracole.wixsite.com/aldencoleknives

[pianoman9701]

@A. Cole is a sponsor here and makes fantastic knives. I have a slicer which is flexible enough to filet but stiff enough to use as a chef's knife. I would highly recommend his kitchen knives.

Thats cool of you to mention the young man Pianoman.  Did you ever get the opportunity to corrupt him a bit with cigars and fine whiskey? 

Not an endorsement, but worth checking out his wares https://aldgracole.wixsite.com/aldencoleknives

Lol, no. I'd go to jail for corrupting a minor. I think he was only 16 or 17 when I bought my knife.

[jackelope]

If you follow the Bearded Butchers’ lead, they use this one for almost everything.

https://beardedbutchers.com/products/products-victorinox-swiss-army-boning-knife

You can buy theirs or the normal Victorinox ones off of Amazon for a few bucks less and no logo.

[LDennis24]

Like most have said, Victorinox is a knife that was made for processing and holds a good edge. I also love Swedish made Mora knives. I have an old Swedish knife that holds an edge for years it seems. It's amazing. The newer Mora knives don't hold an edge as well but are very easy to sharpen.

[elkaholic123]

I use Victorinox, I have 2 different lengths, 8" and 12" and all I ever do is hit them on my steel before and during use, they keep a great edge, I have not sharpened them since purchase other than the steel!

[A. Cole]

Dexter knives have been around a long time (1818); I haven't ever used one, but I wouldn't think that the knife would be the problem if it comes to sharpness (take that for what it's worth). My first guess is that the sharpening system you are using is not working well for you. Is it a pull through sharpener or a stone? Pull throughs generally suck  . Stones take practice. As has been said, (thanks Pianoman and Sandberm!), I do make these kind of knives (Rainshadow does too) which will work well, I will sharpen them for free if you bring them to me and I am home (I'm in AR right now), and I'd be happy to talk more about them! I've got a few long hunters and a slicer (as well as a lot of Chef knives that are larger) that are itching to be enjoyed.

I would guess Dexter knives are on the softer side, so it might be worthwhile to try hitting them on a steel if you haven't already.

[Farmer72]

I have used Victorinox knives for years for processing game animals. I use 2 6" curved boning (one is the Flexible blade) and one 8" or 10" curved breaking (I can't remember if it is 8" or 10" without looking at it). I also use the Chef's Choice Trizor 15XV for sharpening my kitchen knives except my Japanese blades.

[CP]

I have a Dexter 6" boning knife and it's Okay.  Yes, it's a bit soft.  I believe they use X30CR13 steel.  Takes a nice edge but dulls quickly if you hit anything but meat with it.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Outdoor edge makes a decent set for the dough, at least several years back it was. Victorinox is also good bet and cheap. Pampered chef made a nice boning blade that took and held an edge better than both, but cost a bit more, was good value and a little stiffer from a thicker spine so pulled duty as a good do all blade. The meatcrafter is a great blade, but not overly tough at least in CPM 154 and not worth the dough IMO unless you just like knives. I have not used MKC filet or seen a true butcher knife, but have 2 of their hunting geared blades and they are legit. Bought a stonewall in the first or second run when they first started out before they got popular. Its my go to for cattle and pigs slaughter and can run through them skinning and gutting and hanging prep with only a steel touch up here and there. Its a tough hardworking no nonsense knife.  I will am looking forward to a set of their culinary blades as well.

   I tend to like a quality knife in the field and kitchen as they work through the job longer with less touch up and blade care is easier.  Vs meatcutting/butchering when I KNOW i have to touch up the knife from contact with bones, cutting boards etc..... i want the knife to hold an edge reasonably well, but am more concerned about it taking an edge easily as I will be sharpening throughout the process for sure.

[GASoline71]

I've tried the Work Sharp sharpeners and they suck. Plain ol' stones, hones and steels work best for me.

As mentioned above the Victorinox boning knives are really good.  I also have the game processing kit made by Outdoor Edge and it has been good to me too.  Good bang for the buck.

Gary

[NOCK NOCK]

Funny, I use old Victorinox knives (from my grocery days) to de-bark logs and slabs now.
I've gutted/deboned/butchered more than the average # of critters in my life, using all sorts of knives. They all work good if sharp and kept sharp. my only MUST have is a good ole Rapala fillet knife for doing most of the butchering/silver skinning/steak cutting work.

[Stein]

Vicky 6" for me with a $10 Accu Sharp sharpener and steel.  I used to have all sorts of complexity and then I figured out that butchers probably have figured out what's best in the last couple hundred years of practice.