Editor’s note: The author (Josh Wayner) spent the better part of five years working in a high-end specialty butcher shop in coastal west Michigan. That shop is no longer in business, though what he learned there has stayed with him and, as he noted, is very dear to his heart. We thought him to be the ideal writer to do a story on five of today’s factory boning knives. We think you will agree.
A former butcher’s mate gives boning knives the full test treatment to find the best boning knife.
By Josh Wayner
I hunt deer and other large game regularly and own all my own professional processing equipment. Among these items is the most basic and essential tool: the boning knife. As a butcher’s mate and now as a full-time outdoor writer, I have some opinions on these blades and how to best use them.
A boning knife is a rather specialized tool, and getting the right shape for removing meat from bone is the name of the game. In my span hunting I’ve either shot or helped process hundreds of deer. I hunt the most game-rich areas in Michigan, and it’s common for my party to land a dozen deer in a night. The best knife for working on a deer is a 5-to-7-inch saber-ground blade of a steel about 3/16 inch thick that features an ample, comfortable handle.
The knife you absolutely do not want is a boning knife for this type of work. In my experience, a boning knife is for kitchen work, though I favor it as a primary knife for game under 50 pounds live weight.
The reason I offer here is that I’ve never seen an injury with a proper large-format field knife. Where I have seen horrible injuries is with thin-bladed knives like those in this article. They have the sickening tendency to snap off when going through sternums and joints; the flexibility has a limit and I’ve personally witnessed a dozen snapped blades, with half of the snaps resulting in a serious hand injury. Extreme care must be taken with ultra-thin, razor-sharp blades. In the process of creating this article, my friend who helped me process the deer meat in the photos was cut to the bone himself with an errant flick of the blade.
KITCHEN FUNCTIONAL: The Ontario 72-6
Boning knives are a relatively distinctive category in that they span the range from essentially disposable to extremely high end, yet are intended for the same purpose. Looking at the four in this article, the least expensive is the Ontario 72-6, which is available in bulk quantities and can be had for as little as $8. It is a good cutter, and excellent for breaking down large sections of meat. The straight edge is less ideal for getting into ridges in the shoulder bone, but it is serviceable. In the case of this knife, the steel is very prone to corrosion and the handle is likewise unsealed or treated. To fight the corrosion, wash and dry the knife thoroughly after each use. Apply a light coat of oil on the blade on occasion as well.
The ‘Old Hickory’ lettering on the handle came off after I washed the knife, and the steel began to spot immediately. This knife has a somewhat textured blade and is not smooth and even. Fat and blood can easily build up on the blade flats. That said, the edge out of the package was sharp, if not a little obtuse in terms of geometry. Despite my best efforts to dull it in use, it stayed sharp and functional. It has no guard or projection and is similar to a puukko in terms of the care that must be taken to not allow the hand to slip up and onto the blade. My impression of this blade is that it is a functional but essentially disposable kitchen tool.
