TIL a good boning knife really does make that much difference

I used to think it was all hype, you know? I spent 3 years using the same $15 knife from the restaurant supply store, just sharpening it myself. Figured a pricier blade wouldn't change much for breaking down chickens and trimming fat. Then my buddy at the shop in Portland let me borrow his Victorinox Fibrox for a week. After the first cut through a whole pork shoulder I honestly felt a bit stupid. The control was better, I wasn't fighting the meat the whole time. I ended up buying one myself last Tuesday and it's night and day. Has anyone else been converted from a cheap knife to something a little nicer?

3 comments

3 Comments

robert6591mo ago

Got a buddy who was a total skeptic about nice knives. He was using this beat up old Chicago cutlery thing for years, said it worked fine. Then he helped his neighbor break down a deer and used his Wusthof boning knife. He told me later it was like the knife was doing the work for him, just gliding around the joints without him having to force anything. Said he cut his hand cleaning the blade because he forgot how sharp it was, actually bled on the meat. He bought his own Wusthof the next day.

the_paul1mo ago

@robert659 your buddy learned the hard way, but yeah, a good knife really does change everything.

moore.beth1mo ago

Alright, is it really THAT serious though? I mean, a knife is a knife, it cuts things. Unless your buddy is a professional chef or breaking down deer every weekend, I bet that old Chicago cutlery could have gotten the job done, just maybe with a little more elbow grease. Bled on the meat, that's a bit much for a glorified kitchen tool if you ask me.