Boning Knives: Free haunch, shoulder and saddle cleanly from the bone
If you butcher your own game, the right blade saves you time and effort. Here you will find boning knives plus trimming and sticking knives for the larder.
Boning Knives: Precise cuts close to the bone
Once the carcass has cooled and hung, it is time to butcher it. Taking off the haunches, removing the shoulders, freeing the backstraps: in every step the blade decides how much meat stays on the bone. A good boning knife is narrow, sits securely in your hand and can be guided tightly along the bone. Add a trimming knife for larger cuts and a sticking knife for deep cuts.
Straight or curved, stiff or semi flexible
With a curved blade you follow the contours of the thigh bone and shoulder blade with ease. A straight blade suits long, even cuts along the saddle and trimming. Stiff blades give you plenty of control when you need to apply force, for example on wild boar. Semi flexible blades give a little and hug sinew and silverskin. With a length of 13 or 15 cm you choose between nimble handling and extra reach. The 20 cm trimming knife divides haunches into roasts, steaks and diced meat, while the 16 cm sticking knife is the one for deep, controlled cuts.
Work cleanly and safely
Hygiene is everything when butchering game. Keep your work surface, hands and knives clean and the meat as cool as possible. Always cut away from your body and put the knife down safely after each step. When you have finished, rinse the blades in hot water and dry them thoroughly. A sharp knife is safer than a blunt one because you need less pressure. So give the edge a few strokes on a sharpening steel now and then.
Frequently asked questions
Is one boning knife enough to butcher a whole roe deer?
For taking the meat off the bones, a good boning knife really is enough. For portioning larger cuts, a longer trimming knife is more comfortable. For ribs or cutting through bone you will also need a saw.
Which blade length makes sense for roe deer?
For roe deer 13 cm works very well, because the shorter blade is easy to manoeuvre. For red deer and wild boar many hunters prefer 15 cm to get more reach on big haunches.
How often do I need to resharpen while butchering?
That depends on the carcass and the steel. Contact with bone and sinew dulls the edge faster. As soon as the knife no longer glides easily through the silverskin, give it a few quick strokes on the steel.
Boning knives for butchering game
If you butcher your own game, a good boning knife is the most important tool on the table. With the curved blade you free haunch and shoulder close to the bone, while the straight one trims the saddle and cuts and removes sinew. Stiff blades give control when you apply a lot of pressure, semi flexible ones follow silverskin and bone more closely. The 13 cm length is nimble and ideal for roe deer, while 15 cm gives you more reach on red deer and wild boar. The 20 cm trimming knife divides large pieces into roasts, steaks and diced meat, and the 16 cm sticking knife helps with deep cuts. Always work on a clean surface, keep the meat cool and cut away from your body. After use, rinse the blades in hot water and dry them well, and they will stay ready for many seasons.