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.

[MtnMuley]

Forschner/Victorinox here. Also a Havalon fillet knife for silver skin. Touch em all up with a higher end steel in a few seconds every so often and then put a razor edge on them with a Edge Pro style sharpener before they get put away. I see no need to ever change anything about that combo.

[jackelope]

This one showed up today. Looking forward to trying it out soon.
6” semi stiff blade.

[spin05]

i been using Mundial for over 30 years. i have a skinner and a deboning.    https://www.mundialusa.com/en/04-gourmet/food-service/knives/boning/5500-series/5513-6-6-nsf-boning-p-206.html                                                                https://www.mundialusa.com/en/04-gourmet/food-service/knives/skinning/5500-series/5519-6-6-nsf-skinning-p-216.html         TRY and get the ones marked NSF             

[Fletch]

Forschner/Victorinox and a Wusthof ceramic sharpener.  Keep them sharp and it makes the work easier.

[brokentrail]

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.

I also use Rapala fillet knives for all of my butchering.  They work great for me.  I'm also using a Chefs Choice Diamond Hone 115 for all of my knife sharpening, because honestly.... I suck with a stone.

[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.

I also use Rapala fillet knives for all of my butchering.  They work great for me.  I'm also using a Chefs Choice Diamond Hone 115 for all of my knife sharpening, because honestly.... I suck with a stone.

I also use that same sharpener. Maybe were brothers from another mother. 

[CaNINE]

I just used the outdoor edge razor max 5.0 on two elk. Super sharp. Comes with two blade types and very safe and easy to change blades. I used one blade to butcher both elk.

[brokentrail]

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.

I also use Rapala fillet knives for all of my butchering.  They work great for me.  I'm also using a Chefs Choice Diamond Hone 115 for all of my knife sharpening, because honestly.... I suck with a stone.

I also use that same sharpener. Maybe were brothers from another mother. 

That could be... What caliber do you shoot for deer? 

[JakeLand]

@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.

his knives are great I’ve been a double handful from him and they’re awesome

[lokidog]

$8 Normark/Rapala filet knife and Worksharp sharpener, only things I need.

[elkboy]

Echo the comments on the Worksharp setup.  One of the best things I've ever bought. 

I have an Outdoor Edge butchering kit that works nicely, and I have used my kitchen set of Zwillinger knives to take apart lots of deer.  Like others, I have used a Rapala fillet knife for cutting steaks- works great if you are doing large steaks from the sirloin, eye round, etc.   Another good use for the fillet knife is sliding along the ribs to remove the "intercostal" or "between-rib" muscles to be ground up for sausage, etc. 

I hope you all get to practicing your butchery skills soon, if not already!

[bearhunter99]

We have a couple of the Victorinox and a couple of Dexter Russel knives and one old knife that doesn't have any markings (that is a great knife but all of the markings are worn off.  My stepfather was a meat cutter for years in Alaska and I still have a couple of his Dexter knives. They started out as a 6" blade but have been sharpened so many times they are only about 4" long with a needle tip.

I use the Ken Onion Worksharp at the end of each session to touch them up.  Use a steel if needed for a touchup in between when cutting a lot of fat or something but always resharpen with the Worksharp at the end to be ready for the next go-round.  It takes a little practice but once you get the angle the touchup is usually just a few passes with the 1000 grit (I think thats the finiest one we have but could be wrong).  I run a 20 degree angle on most of them.

[A. Cole]

@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.

his knives are great I’ve been a double handful from him and they’re awesome

Thanks man! I always enjoy the pictures you send.

[b0bbyg]

@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.

his knives are great I’ve been a double handful from him and they’re awesome

I have a chef knife that is awesome, worth every penny so far.

Let me know when your here for the holidays, could use a paring knife if you have one available.

[A. Cole]

@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.

his knives are great I’ve been a double handful from him and they’re awesome

I have a chef knife that is awesome, worth every penny so far.

Let me know when your here for the holidays, could use a paring knife if you have one available.

Thanks bobbyG, I'll send you a message.

[Come Get Some]

I slaughter and butcher both. I use the victorinox 7" boning knife. I also use the worksharp. It works great once you under stand it. I do an entire beef and very rarely have to touch my steel. I also run a charter and use the same knife for all of my filleting. I would dare to see anyone do a halibut faster than i can using that 7 in knife. They hold an edge very well and touch up fast. They are about $30.00. If you have any questions about learning the worksharp feel free to pm me. I have that brand in skinning and a 10in curved for taking the sirloin out of the hind quarter as well as long cuts for London Broil and other large cuts of boneless meat. Just like any knife limit your contact with bone and: and your edge will last

[Freedumb88]

You can't go wrong with victorinox fibrox there affordable hold a good edge have a good grip and last forever. That's all we used in the slaughter house and on the slaughter truck.as for a sharpener don't get the combo rod  if you really want to keep the edge get the diamond rod and a polished

[KFhunter]

I use commercial butcher knives like vitronox, f.dick or dexters
They run about 35 bux now post Covid inflation but they were about 20 bux

I also use a honing steel, I started out using a Ken onion work sharp but you need to really clean the blades before you sharpen or ruin your belt from fats on the blade - it was also too time consuming when you got 7 hogs swinging on hooks

So I really learned to use the honing steels, I’m still not “good” with them but I keep my knives functional and sharp by frequents honing as I’m working


In the field I really like outdoor edge zip knife, that half moon blade really does unzip an elk super fast! And it doesn’t get hair everywhere.  I’ve unzipped a lot of hides with knives, I just liked that outdoor edge.  The other side is a replaceable blade that doesn’t break like havalon but I think I want to go with a regular knife instead of replaceable blade

I can’t find that knife in retail stores anymore, I was going to gift them 
Outdoor edge pro folding knife online
https://www.sportsmans.com/camping-gear-supplies/knives-tools/knives/outdoor-edge-razorpro-saw-combo-35-inch-knife-combo-orange/p/1416373

[hoytxl2009]

Dexter Knives and worksharp sharpener.  Their's a reason every guide boat and ocean charter has those little white handle sticks on every vessel.