# Best knife... for deer processing



## FlyGirl (Jul 7, 2008)

My dad is a chef, he always says a dull knife is a dangerous knife.. I know to keep em' sharp... but is there a brand or type of knife that works best for processing a deer if you did it on your own?

I'm not talking about only for gutting... I want somethimg where I could actually process the whole deer into steaks, etc. 

I tried searching the archives on the site to see what people might have brought up before... couldn't find anything... if there is a thread addressing this, please let me know. 

Thanks
FG


----------



## fishnpbr (Dec 2, 2007)

I have a half dozen or so fillet knives I use for cleaning fish and use them for most of my deer processing with the exception of skinning. They seem to work just fine for boning and trimming.


----------



## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

The old rapala wooden handle knives were great, new ones not so much.. The Forchner/Victornox family of knives are top notch for the money..


----------



## perchy87 (Mar 10, 2010)

sharp with a nice flex and you really cant go wrong..and your dad is right, ive worked in the resturant industry for 7 years(pre&line)..ive seen more people cut themselves with a dull knife than a sharp one, reason is with a dull knife you have to use alot more force to get it to do what you want, thus creating an issue


----------



## Bigchev (Dec 25, 2009)

I use a regular old fillet knife as well. Keep them sharp and you cant beat them for the price.


----------



## Hookineyezz (Sep 11, 2008)

6" boning knife, good steel does it all


----------



## ART (Jul 7, 2004)

I use two knives to cut deer. One is a stiff bladed three incher that does most of the boning and trimming. The second is an eight inch filet knife I use to filet the meat off the broad areas of tendon.
And I sharpen them several times as needed during the job to a razor edge.


----------



## Tru-N-Sea (Jul 1, 2005)

I've been a meat cutter for 12+ years and I believe that a good knife is definitely worth the investment. Personally I have two brands that I use, both professionally and at home, Forschner-Victorinox and Dexter Russell.

For processing your deer at home I would recommend 3 knives:

1. A 5 or 6 inch boning knife with a semi-stiff blade. This would be for the initial "breaking" and more for the hard work. I use a Dexter 6" with soft grip handle. I would avoid Rosewood handles because they can become slippery and this can be more dangerous than a knife with a dull blade. Plus since it's wood, is is porous and can hold bacteria.

Here's an example:









2. A 6" flexible blade boning knife. This would be for the smaller, finer boning and processing. This knife is really easy to work with and can get into smaller areas and flex enough to work around the bones. It looks just like the one above.

3. Finally, an 8" cimeter knife. This can be used for the initial breaking just like the 6" boning knife if you like, but I use it for slicing the venison into steaks. It's blade is curved and wide enough to make perfect steaks as thick or as thin as you would like.

Example:









The Dexter-Russell knife line is an excellent investment because they use high carbon steel which holds an edge very well and they last. The Forschner line uses the same high carbon steel, but they are more expensive. That's why I use mine on select jobs.

Also, if you are so inclined, a sharpening steel would be a wise choice. I don't put much hype in the 'diamond' or ceramic steels. One drop and the ceramic steel might be in pieces. Diamond steels are alright for maybe a final touch up, but to get your money's worth I suggest a rugged one.










Personally, with that combination, I don't think anyone can go wrong, all bases are covered. 

Also, if anyone is interested, I can sharpen your knives for you. Everything I do is done by hand. I use a Norton Tri-Stone system along with various other stones as needed. When I'm done, you can shave with them...although I wouldn't suggest it. 

Hope that helps! Any other questions, feel free to ask me!

Captn---


----------



## J&D (Jan 7, 2010)

i found a set at menards that came with a 8 inch fillet knife and a butcherknife i use both of these when processing deer and they work awesome. use the fillet knife for boneing and seperating meat in to roast and steak portions then use butcher knife to trim and slice steaks to thickness i prefer also i do sharpen as needed cause lets face it a dull knife sucks


----------

