Best Steel for Butchering Knife

[svivian]

Super steel that holds an edge while still having the flex needed for meat processing is a tall order. I wish I had an answer for you but you already own one of my favorite processing knifes

 

[sndmn11]

Knives of Alaska has a D2 boner https://www.knivesofalaska.com/Stor...e/professional-boning-knife---flexible-orange

I don't think it solves anything that a honing steel doesn't.

 

[Lawnboi]

Personal favorites are elmax for something hard to touch up and aebl for something easy to touch up.

Don’t let anyone talk you out of a nice hand made knife. I’m not a collector but enjoy using hand made quality knives.

Iv had a maker make me a couple fillet/boning knives over the years but I’m not sure what he is charging now or how much he is doing.

I’m not a huge bark river fan as they usually require some edge work on arrival but the mini kalahari sportsman is a great knife. I had red rock tool make me a copy with preferred changes in A2 when I had a hard on for A2.

As always good heat treat and a great edge from the get go is what you need as well.

 

[schwaf]

You guys are totally shocking me - talking me out of buying something for once!

Humor me. What super steel would hold and edge the longest in this application?

I'm not concerned with difficulty in sharpening - the work sharp can handle it.

I spent a long time looking for butchering knives in super steel. There aren't a lot of options. I have a Bark River Kalahari Mini Sportsman in CPM154. IMO the blade is too thick and has no flex, and the forward sweeping belly hangs up on bone. I use it now as more of a petty knife than a boning knife.

The Benchmade Meatcrafter comes in cpm154 and s45vn. I do like the knife, but would not spend $300 on the s45vn version. CPM154 is good steel and has a good balance of toughness and edge retention for a stainless steel, but does not have crazy edge holding. I'd call it pretty good.

I'm interested in Bark Rivers upcoming "Fin & Bone" in Magnacut. If it has little/no flex like I predict it will, I'll probably send it in to get a top swedge ground in and modify the tip and handle a bit for better flex, penetration and pinch grip.

 

[sndmn11]

I'd bet $1 that a havalon baracuta with their filet blade would be a solution and great way to fine tune your steeling skills.

Replaceable blade skinning knives and hunting knives by Havalon Knives. Baracuta-Edge

The Baracuta-Edge is a top choice for hunters and anglers looking for a bigger knife that packs an extra punch. The Edge features our high-quality surgically sharp #127XT fillet blade, ideal for filleting and deboning fish and other wild game. It also fits our #115XT hunter’s blade and #115SW...

havalon.com

 

[treillw]

I'd bet $1 that a havalon baracuta with their filet blade would be a solution and great way to fine tune your steeling skills.

Replaceable blade skinning knives and hunting knives by Havalon Knives. Baracuta-Edge

The Baracuta-Edge is a top choice for hunters and anglers looking for a bigger knife that packs an extra punch. The Edge features our high-quality surgically sharp #127XT fillet blade, ideal for filleting and deboning fish and other wild game. It also fits our #115XT hunter’s blade and #115SW...

havalon.com

I tried that about 5 years ago (minus the steel) - I have one. I found myself going through those blades pretty darn quickly.

 

[sndmn11]

I tried that about 5 years ago (minus the steel) - I have one. I found myself going through those blades pretty darn quickly.

Interesting. I am still on my first one using a steel.

 

[nephewjephew]

Northern Arm makes two fillet knives a 6" in Maganacut and 9" in S35V. White River Knives makes a S35V step up fillet knife.

 

[schwaf]

Northern Arm makes two fillet knives a 6" in Maganacut and 9" in S35V. White River Knives makes a S35V step up fillet knife.

Never heard of northern arm. Their knives look pretty slick and reasonably priced. I think I’ll try one out sooner or later!

 

[dutch_henry]

Good advice in this thread. My 2 cents would be to instead spend a few bucks on your libation of choice, sit down with youtube, and perfect your technique with a steel and/or a strop.

While I own a small handful of knives with "exotic" steels, I'm personally not a fan of how perform for butchering, for reasons already stated--mainly lack of spring and flex. They're also a b*tch to bring back once the primary edge dulls out. Instead, my butcher kit is a motley assortment of knives of alaska, victorinox, havalon, a cutco filet knife, and some old hickory carbon steel blades. Of this lot, about the toughest steel to work is the KOA D2. But since that one gets used for field dressing vs repetitive cuts, it works a trick.

 

[dutch_henry]

Never heard of northern arm. Their knives look pretty slick and reasonably priced. I think I’ll try one out sooner or later!

Then of course I click a link and start thinking, oooo, that could be nice

 

[nephewjephew]

Never heard of northern arm. Their knives look pretty slick and reasonably priced. I think I’ll try one out sooner or later!

Then of course I click a link and start thinking, oooo, that could be nice

I have the 6" and it is every bit as flexible as any fillet knife out there. I haven't used it much yet, but I suspect it will be top notch for silver skin. I also picked up a meatcrafter to use along with my vics.
I am tired of knives dulling out breaking down animals so I thought I'd try out some super steels. Fingers crossed I will be happy later this fall!

 

[doc holiday13]

regular carbon steel. Stainless works great if its sharp but it doesn't really clean up well with a steel hone

I have a couple of knives but my latest go to are Case knives that were made back in the 1940's. They belong to my wife's grandma. They were saved from the yard sale when grandma was moved into a nursing home. I cleaned up the edges over a 5 step sharpening process. they sharpen really easily and a honing brings them back if I'm 1/2 way through an animal.

I'm told victorinox makes a good butchering blade

 

[S-3 ranch]

regular carbon steel. Stainless works great if its sharp but it doesn't really clean up well with a steel hone

I have a couple of knives but my latest go to are Case knives that were made back in the 1940's. They belong to my wife's grandma. They were saved from the yard sale when grandma was moved into a nursing home. I cleaned up the edges over a 5 step sharpening process. they sharpen really easily and a honing brings them back if I'm 1/2 way through an animal.

I'm told victorinox makes a good butchering blade

Old hickory carbon steel, victornox pairing knives 3 Pak = &15 and a decent steel hone

or a dexter filet knife

 

[Fire_9]

I spent a long time looking for butchering knives in super steel. There aren't a lot of options. I have a Bark River Kalahari Mini Sportsman in CPM154. IMO the blade is too thick and has no flex, and the forward sweeping belly hangs up on bone. I use it now as more of a petty knife than a boning knife.

The Benchmade Meatcrafter comes in cpm154 and s45vn. I do like the knife, but would not spend $300 on the s45vn version. CPM154 is good steel and has a good balance of toughness and edge retention for a stainless steel, but does not have crazy edge holding. I'd call it pretty good.

I'm interested in Bark Rivers upcoming "Fin & Bone" in Magnacut. If it has little/no flex like I predict it will, I'll probably send it in to get a top swedge ground in and modify the tip and handle a bit for better flex, penetration and pinch grip.

View attachment 456782

Drumming up an old thread here. Did you ever end up getting the fin and bone?

 

[schwaf]

Drumming up an old thread here. Did you ever end up getting the fin and bone?

Nope. Seeing the final design I decided against it. Too thick, too stiff, and mainly, too straight. I use a lot of sweeping motions while cutting so having an organic curve in the blade shape is important for my technique. I'd have to use it to really put a gauge on it, but it looks clunky for actual butchering. The handle doesn't seem particularly well suited for the task either, even though I love the gunny handle.

 

[schwaf]

I keep 7 knives between two scabbards, but only use 4 on a daily basis. The white scabbard I wear on my person, and the other holds knives that I use for certain tasks. I have 3 6" boning knives that I use for the majority of the day. The meatcrafter (medium flex) I use for general trimming, shaping, and removing silver skin. It's my most used knife. The hankotsu, a stiff Japanese single bevel boning knife I use for deboning and severing tendons. The dexter russell (flexy) works best for getting in really tight spaces and removing meat off bones. The 10" Victory breaking knife (low/medium flex) does all my steaking and works really well for shaping large pieces of meat. The rest of the knives I occasionally use for specialized tasks. They all have varying amounts of sweep in the blade and stiffness, and that determines what I like using them for.

Most of the staff only use two knives, a 6" boning knife and a larger breaking knife. I like having blades best suited for my tasks.

 

[rileybassman]

Drumming up an old thread here. Did you ever end up getting the fin and bone?

FWIW I have a fin and bone and love it… also have a couple meatcrafters and I think I prefer the fin and bone.


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[schwaf]

FWIW I have a fin and bone and love it… also have a couple meatcrafters and I think I prefer the fin and bone.


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What's been your experience with it? I imagine the edge geometry is crazy good for slicing.

 

[rileybassman]

What's been your experience with it? I imagine the edge geometry is crazy good for slicing.

Initial impression is I like it. I had a bark river Kalahari and prefer the fin and bone by a decent margin.

That said BRK QC has been slipping last few years... Mine came with a crooked edge that I had to sharpen out... It took several tries last year to get a gunny that I liked. It's a shame because they are easily one of my favorite brands.

I will likely be getting another fin and bone tho as I do really like this one... Slight "old hickory" vibes. Very slight blade flexibility... But it's not very flexible at all.

Good for skinning and large quarter breakdown/boning I would say.

Very sharp and very good edge geometry - I suspect that's why they had grinding issues on my copy was that with a belt sander, it's hard to control such a thin edge.

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