For those of you that have seen my posts in the past know that I am obsessed with Joe Keeslar's integral flared finger guard. With my style of holding my index finger on top of the blade and gripping the flare with my thumb & 2nd finger knife, it seems to be safest blade I've ever used for cleaning & skinning my harvest.
However there is one place I Don't like it...when I'm cutting up meat for the freezer. I am very picky about cleaning all the fat & silver skin (fascia) off my processed cuts. I guess after working slaughter houses while going through veterinary school and 40+ years of surgery, I know what I want to eat and what I don't want :eek: I butcher different than most in that my cuts and grinder meat are all individual muscle groups...kinda like surgery. So I will do a lot of filleting to get just pure meat. That's were the flare seems to hang up with the blade laying flat to the cutting board.
Long story as I'm still trying to come up with my best butchering knife. Here are three that will be tried on some hogs & bear this spring. Forged from 1084 and 8-10 inches OAL with full handles. The blades are very thin with the edge geometry of a frog's hair. The middle blade has a deep top false edge to make the tip even thinner. I made the handles all the same so not to influence my decision on best of group...tippit
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/IMG_2550.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tippit/Knives/IMG_2557.jpg)
Cool knives and obviously well thought out. I look forward to what you think is the winner.
Jeremy
Cool Jeff, from the picture my choice would be
# 1,
might as well test them on slicing cheese also .
I likem' real thin for that chore also.
Jeff, very nice. Look forward to hearing the results of testing. Like Kevin, my first impression is that #1 would be my choice as well. But then I am pretty sure I could find uses for the other 2 also.
I like #1 for cutting up meat. I am like you I separate the major muscle groups before cutting them up. I like #3 for working on a carcass.
Jack
I'm just like Jack in what he says here. You are right on track with those knives, Jeff. Good work!
Allan
I'd be happy to take the "losers" off your hands. :D
I like em all.
I process my meat exactly the same way. I have learned how to debone the hind quarters of a deer in one piece while it is hanging and then separate the muscle groups like you. I have come to use only two knives from dressing out to the freezer- a skinner and a 5.5" boning knife. The boning knifee is used for 95% of my work. I have not yet successfully forged a boning knife that has the flexibility I like. Any suggestions are welcome.
gables
Can you post a picture of your boning knife. I'd like to see just to possibly duplicate the shape. These are all just trial blades to see if I come up with a preferred blade shape for processing...tippit
(http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/ww75/gables_photo/boning.jpg)
It's a Henckels 5.5" boning knife. Flexible but not as flexible as a filet knife. I also use this knife for cleaning waterfowl and fish. I prefer it to a filet knife.
Those all have appealing profiles. I prefer the top one. The slightly longer blade and upsweep towards the tip work for me.
Looks like any of em would work great for piecing a critter up but #3 for sure when I get it on the counter top. I've found I really appreciate some depth in a blade so I get finger clearance and can get the blade down and use all the way to the rear of the blade...