Do you have a difficulty cutting down slabs of meat with your old knife? You might be using the wrong knife all this time. If you want to cut large chunks of meat perfectly, you need to get yourself a good butcher knife.
A quality butcher knife that fits the task at hand can improve your productivity in the kitchen. However, it may be hard to find the best butcher knives with so many of them available in the market today. That is why I have come up with this ultimate guide to help you choose the best butcher knife for your needs.
Reviews of the 5 Best Butcher Knives in 2019
| PRODUCT NAME | BLADE | |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario Knife 7111 Old Hickory | 10-inch | Check Price |
| Brandobay 12-inch Straight | 12-inch | Check Price |
| Rada Cutlery R109 Old Fashioned | 12-1/8 Inches | Check Price |
| Victorinox Cutlery 12-inch Straight (Editor’s Choice) | 12-inch | No products found. |
| Dexter-Russell (S112-10PCP)- 10” | 10-inch | Check Price |
Here are the reviews of the most highly rated butcher knives in the market now. Learn more about their features, pros, and cons below.
Ontario Knife 7111 Old Hickory Butcher Knife
- Crafted from the highest quality materials
- Built for performance and durability
- Made in United States
The Old Hickory butcher knife has a 10-inch blade. It is made of quality material and craftsmanship. It is constructed to endure the toughest conditions. It has a wood handle and a hollow ground edge. It blade is made of 1095 high carbon steel which is tempered and created to keep it sharp for long. It weighs around 8 ounces.
This knife has a genuine hickory wood handle that is flame burnt and polished for a distinct vintage finish. Its quality is highly trusted as most professional butchers and chefs use this butcher knife.
- Edge is very sharp
- Great hefty blade
- Sturdy for daily use
- The length of blade is ideal for cutting off slabs or thin slices of meat
- Great antique design
- The blade tends to rust if not properly oiled and cleaned
- Wood handle is prone to accumulate bacteria
- The blade may be initially dull, but sharpening it will do the trick
Brandobay 12-inch Straight Butcher Knife
- Brandobay presents the butcher knife 8-inch for cutting meats, vegetables and fruit. The handle slip resistant, and ergonomically designed for balance and comfort.
- Butcher knife has an extremely sharp blade and a contoured solid handle which measures approximately 12-inch long with handle. It makes thin uniform slices of different foods.
- Stainless steel butcher knife with the best edge sharp blade never needs sharpening. It easily and cleanly cuts different foods. Try it now and take advantage of our launching price.
- This knife is carefully manufactured of stainless steel blade with in black handle sealed around it to make knife easy to keep clean.
- This knife delivers the sharpest edge and maximum cutting performance. It will become your favorite knife for all foods. Do not waste this occasion to get your bread knife - order this knife now.
The 12-inch Straight butcher knife is designed for cutting meat, vegetables, and fruits. It is perfect in making thin slices of various foods. With its best edge sharp blade, you’ll never have to sharpen it frequently.
This knife is meticulously produced with a stainless steel blade and a black handle to make cleaning easy. It has a plastic handle which doesn’t slip your fingers across the blade. Its blade is made of hollow ground edge, making it suitable for fine cutting tasks.
- Handle is slip resistant and created with an ergonomic design for comfort
- Easy to clean; can be dishwasher or hand washed
- Stainless blade is sharp
- Flexible blade
- Looks stylish and modern
- Suitable for cutting meat, vegetables, and fruits
- Not suitable for cutting hard meat because it tends to bend
- Handle is not balanced, making it hard to get a good grip
- Lightweight handle and thin blade make it not ideal to apply brute force
Rada Cutlery R109 Old Fashioned Butcher Knife with Aluminum Handle
- LARGE BUTCHER KNIFE - This old fashioned butcher knife proves that some things never go out of style. The name says it all. It will help you butcher or segment large cuts of meat. It enables you to split, chop and cut with effortless power.
- STAINLESS STEEL BLADE - The heavy, 7-3/4 inch blade on the butcher knife is made from surgical grade, T420 high carbon stainless steel that is hand sharpened. It also includes a skinning tip.
- BRUSHED ALUMINUM HANDLE - The handle on the butcher knife is made from silver brushed aluminum. It is designed for comfort and performance. Handwashing is recommended.
- AMERICAN MADE KNIFE - Rada Mfg. Co. is located in Waverly, Iowa and has been manufacturing cutlery in the USA since 1948. Our mission is all about "providing our customers the best value of kitchen knives for their dollar."
- HASSLE-FREE LIFETIME GUARANTEE - We stand by our craftsmanship. Rada Mfg. Co. will replace any product manufactured by our company returned to us due to defects in material or workmanship.
The R109 has a surgical quality T420 high carbon steel blades. Its blade is hand sharpened to bring a razor sharp edge. Its hollow ground blade offers an accurate concave surface for high edge retention quality.
Its handle is made of permanently cast solid aluminum which is satin finished for an elegant look. With this construction, it may not be safe to put this knife in your dishwasher. A finger guard is designed to protect your hand when cutting.
- Versatile: Perfect for splitting, stripping, or dicing meat; can also be used for large fruits and vegetables
- Elegant and durable design
- Blade is very sharp
- A good knife for its price
- The blade is a bit thin for a butcher knife
- Can only cut light meat, but not thicker meat, like goat, lamb, and deer
- Blade is a little flimsy
- Handle may get slippery when wet
Victorinox Cutlery 12-inch Straight Butcher Knife (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
No products found.
The Victorinox Cutlery is a stamped knife that handles huge butchering tasks easily. It is perfect for cutting whole roasts and large chunks of meat. It is made of a high-carbon stainless-steel blade which offers optimum sharpness and great edge retention. The blade is ice tempered to make it sharp for a long time.
Its handle is made from a patented Fibrox which is guaranteed to be slip resistant. The handle’s ergonomic design makes this knife well balanced and comfortable. Hand washing is advised for cleaning purposes.
- Its straight blade design cuts meat efficiently without tears or shreds
- Great edge retention
- Versatile: can fillet a salmon and quarter a deer
- Creates precise cuts
- Good heavy blade
- Not ideal for those seeking a smaller blade
- May be too large for kitchen use
Dexter-Russell (S112-10PCP)- 10” Butcher Knife
- Ship Weight: .58 lbs.
- Blade Length: 10"
- Blade Tip: Pointed
- Edge Type: Straight Edge
- Handle Material: Plastic
This butcher knife has a 10-inch stainless blade length and weighs around 58 pounds. It is made of a straight edge blade that can cut meat without shreds. It has a pointed tip that can slice large roasts into thin pieces.
It features a Grip-Tex handle that is made of plastic making it comfortable and lightweight to use. This feature also makes the handle slip resistant.
- Easy to keep sharp
- Holds an edge quite well
- Very sharp blade
- Sturdy
- Great for cutting large meat
- The print on the blade washes off easily
- Resists your cutting motion, hence creates a little headache
Best Butcher Knife – Buyer’s Guide
What is a Butcher Knife?
When you think of butcher knives, you might directly imagine them as tools for slaughtering animal carcasses. Back in the 1830s-1840s, butcher knives were major tools for mountain men because they were utilized for almost everything, like mincing food, skinning beavers, and weapons.
Today, butcher knives are utilized mostly in the meat processing industry, but they can also be used for your ordinary kitchen.
A butcher knife usually has a hefty, wide, and a somewhat curved blade. The heavier the blade, the more efficient it becomes for stripping, cutting, and sectioning meat. It is generally used to cut, section, and trim huge pieces of meat. It can also be used to cut vegetables and fruits like pineapple, onion, and melon.
Butcher Knife vs Other Types of Knives
Find out the difference between each type of knife by checking on the comparison table below.
| Types | Uses | Blade features |
|---|---|---|
| Butcher Knife | Cuts, trims, and sections large pieces of raw meat | Heavy, wide, and curved |
| Chef’s Knife | Chops, slices, and mince | Broad |
| Cleaver | Forces its way through the bones similar to an ax | Thick and heavy |
| Boning Knife | Separates meat and connective from bones | Thin and pointed; around 12 cm long; may be stiff or flexible |
| Carving Knife | Slices meat into thin cuts | Thin and has a pointed tip |
How to Choose the Best Butcher Knives
Before buying the right butcher knife for your needs, consider these following pointers first.
- Forged vs Stamped
Each piece of a knife is made using either of these two processes, stamping or forging.
Forged knives have a thicker and heftier blade than stamped knives. They are generally better balanced and sturdier, but they could be more pricey, too.
Learn more about forged and stamped knives in this video:
You can identify a forged knife from a stamped knife by finding a bolster between the handle and heel. A bolster, which is only designed for forged knives, helps balance the knife and keeps the user’s hand from sliding across the blade.
- High Carbon Stainless Steels: VG-10, 440C, and 420HC
If you want a butcher knife with high-quality standards, choose a VG-10 steel. This type of steel features an excellent edge-retention. It is known to be durable, sharp, and stain-proof. It is preferred by most chefs in the world.
On the other hand, 440C and 420HC steels are known to be stain-proof and rust-proof. Either of them is generally used for the creation of German steel. However, 440C is sturdier than 420HC.
- Knife Handles
In finding for the best butcher knives, you can choose from the different types of knife handles, such as wood, stainless steel, and plastic. Though wood handled butcher knives are comfortable and pretty, they may not be as sturdy as other types of knife handles. They may not also be recommended by health inspectors because wood can trap bacteria.
Meanwhile, a stainless steel handle is sturdy, better balanced, and easy to clean. However, it doesn’t offer a very nice grip and can slip in your hands when wet.
Today, plastic handles are the most famous type of handle. They are easy to clean, lightweight, and comfortable. However, they may break when they go through extreme temperatures or used after a few months.
What to Look for in a Good Butcher Knife
Here are several attributes which you should look for in buying for the best butcher knife for your kitchen.
- Comfortable
The first attribute that you should look for in a good butcher knife is the comfort. You must find a butcher knife that gives a comfortable grip for easy control. The blade and handle should be balanced so that you won’t be putting much force on the handle. A feature that ensures better balance is the design of a bolster.
- Slip and rust resistant
Look for a butcher knife that has a good handle that doesn’t allow your fingers to slip across the blade. Plastic handles, like Fibrox and Proflex, are designed to be slip-resistant. If you want your blade to resist rust and corrosion, it might be better to look for high carbon steel blades.
- High edge retention
Edge retention signifies how long the blade can remain sharp despite being subjected to long term-use. Blades that are made of high-carbon steel may often retain a high edge retention for a long time. Sometimes, the blade may be ensured for better edge retention if it has high wear resistance and flexibility.
- Hard and versatile
A good butcher knife should be hard but a slight flexibility will do no harm to trim the meat more efficiently from the bone. A slight flexibility can prevent the blade from breaking or chipping easily, but an easily bent blade may cause injuries. If you’re a novice, it may be hard to control a flexible blade, so getting a hard blade is your best bet.
It will be great if a butcher knife can also cut not only meat but vegetables and fruits as well. This multifunction capacity enhances the versatility of a butcher knife.
Things to be Aware When Using a Butcher Knife
A butcher knife shouldn’t be used for very large or thick bones. Instead, use a bone saw. As much as possible, never cut through the bones. Always cut between the bones to extend the durability of the blade.
After every use, wash the butcher knife with warm soapy water. Never use abrasives to clean the blade. To prevent marks and stains, dry the knife with a soft cloth.
In oiling the blade, never use a mineral oil that constitutes salt. Keep away from using vegetable oil because it may cause a foul odor. You may use a camellia oil and wipe it gently with a clean cloth before you store the knife for its next use.
How To Sharpen A Butchers Knife
Not many people know, how to properly sharpen butcher knives and you may be one of them. Whether you be a professional or an amateur kitchen lover, sharpening knives is core to a smooth cutting process. Well, you could even be a butcher who is new to duty and still need skills.
In this article I will show you, how I do it and what is the best way – in my opinion – to sharpen a knife.
There is many other ways, different than my approach and that’s also fine. I will just show you what works best for me.
Anyway, knowledge, how to properly sharpen butcher knives is very important.
Sharpening knives is an extremely simple process. A butcher knife should be one that lasts with you for a long time.
Knife sharpening appropriately ensures that you cut through with ease, without thinking that “you need to get a new knife every month”.
You shouldn’t worry about using a knife sharpener though. Below, I’ll teach you the proper manipulation techniques, which will help you with sharpening your knife, for a better cutting process.
FAQ
Verdict
Among all 5 best butcher knives reviewed above, I consider the Victorinox Cutlery 12-inch Straight Butcher Knife as my best bet.
This is because it has met most of the features of a good butcher knife. Such features include a great anti-slip handle, high edge retention, and versatility. Rada Cutlery could have been my choice if not for its aluminum handle and flimsy blade.
The Victorinox Cutlery butcher knife may be the most expensive among the group, but its price is offset by its high quality. In comparison to Ontario Knife, the Victronix has a better handle.
While Ontario Knife uses a wood handle that may accumulate bacteria, Victronix uses a Fibrox handle which is known for its anti-slip feature.
The Victronix has a better balance and a stronger blade than Brandobay. Meanwhile, the Dexter-Russell may not be as versatile as the Victronix.
No matter what your choice of butcher knife may be, make sure that you take good care of it to extend its use for a very long time.
Contents
- 1 Reviews of the 5 Best Butcher Knives in 2019
- 2 Ontario Knife 7111 Old Hickory Butcher Knife
- 3 Brandobay 12-inch Straight Butcher Knife
- 4 Rada Cutlery R109 Old Fashioned Butcher Knife with Aluminum Handle
- 5 Victorinox Cutlery 12-inch Straight Butcher Knife (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
- 6 Dexter-Russell (S112-10PCP)- 10” Butcher Knife
- 7 Best Butcher Knife – Buyer’s Guide
- 8 How To Sharpen A Butchers Knife
- 9 Verdict
I like my Ontario Knife 7111: good quality, sharp advantage, however as others have mentioned, you have to take extra safety measures in dealing with this knife. DONT LEAVE WET or put in place dishwasher, don’t soak. Proper care is 50 percent the battle with these knives, and they need some attention to last a lifetime.
My wife positioned mine in dishwasher, and of course, it was rusted more than the tin man himself. Fortunate for me I had a little position grinder with a bristle mind and could save your day with some work. Look after these knives and casually oil the blades
Brandobay 12-inch Straight is a superb knife. But to those whining about any of it rusting ….its carbon material not stainless. You must dried up and oil it before storing it. Exactly like ensemble iron. Know very well what your buying before you smear an excellent product.
I took your advise on the Victorinox 6″ knife more than a year ago and have never regretted it. $22 US and I expect to leave it to my grandchildren. Thanks
+Joseph Get a victorinox pastry knife as well 😉 You won’t regret it.
I am a fan of any low cost, thin, razor-sharp, lightweight budget-conscious blade, made from a high-carbon, molybdenum stainless steel alloy, that will allow them to retain their edge. Especially if they are hardened to 55-56 on the Rockwell C Hardness scale. That allows them to be sharp without being brittle. This is exactly similar to what high-end makers such as Wusthof provides, but at a much lower price point. Higher-end Japanese knives, such as those from Shun, are harder, sharper, and more expensive, but also have their 2nd’s and discount lines.
Victorinox has long produced other kitchen cutlery under their own name and the Forschner brand name. In 2011 Victorinox stopped using the Forschner name and produces the same knives with the Victorinox name. I’ve been using Victorinox knives for over 40 years, and with very few exceptions, they have never failed me ( I snapped a 6″ boning knife on some camel meat in December 1990). Although I was infantry, I always took a boning knife with me into the field ( heck. . . ever tried to clean and fillet fish with a bayonet?). My original Swiss Army knife from 1988 is still working fine, and I’ve never needed to sharpened it. The closest modern model of it would be the “Victorinox Swiss Army SwissChamp Pocket Knife”.
Though, I may often purchase less expensive kitchen cutlery, I am a special fan of Victorinox, because Victorinox has claimed never to have had to lay off an employee, and their knives are really good. To avoid layoffs they set aside profits during boom periods to supplement recessionary periods, as well as temporarily contracting employees to other companies as outsourced labour during recessions.
Who could ask for a more supportive employer?
(Sorry for the rant. Just saw something I have an opinion on 🙂 )