Meat carving knives

[QC]

We had Tri-Tip last night and ended up with a bunch of leftovers. I've always liked carving meat, but have never settled in on which knife I like best. Since I was just watching the football game, and I had plenty of meat to experiment with, I tried a little test. I used all four of these knives quite a few times. I was slicing the meat real thin and comparing them. I sharpened all of them with the steel on the right. From left to right they are: A kinda expensive Henckel's Chef's knife, a reasonably affordable Chicago Chef's knife, a Russel (?) serrated bread knife and a Chicago fillet or boning knife. I don't think any of them would be considered a proper carving knife, but that's what I had handy. I am curious what knives you guys/gals like/dislike and wonder which one you think was best in my test.

 

[DJ]

Re: Meat carving knives

You're just trying to make us hungry.


You succeeded.d

 

[Laddies]

Re: Meat carving knives

My favorite knives come from Goodell Co. Amtrim NH. 15 seconds on a iron and they are sharp as razors

 

[JB]

Re: Meat carving knives

My favorite meat carver is a Henckels from a set one of my daughters gave me about 20 years ago.

I also like the blade but not the handle on a carving knife from a stag handled set I think came from my great grandfather. The only label I can find is, "Solingen". Very hard steel. Hard to sharpen but keeps a shaving edge a long time.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Meat carving knives

The roast looks perfect. We use a couple Russell fillet knives here, 7 1/2 and 8". I'm gonna guess the Chicago Chef's worked best for you. Curious8)

PS Laddies, is an iron the same as a steel? I'll have to look at Goodell.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Meat carving knives

I use Forschner and I really like but I don't have a slicer. Here's a proper slicer - Wüsthof

 

[QC]

Re: Meat carving knives

Believe it or not it was a tie between the smaller Chicago and the flippin' bread knife . . . Neither Chef's knife was very good for the task. I am curious about the Goodell too, and JB is the Hinckels an actual carving knife? Long blade?

 

[QC]

Re: Meat carving knives

Yeah, BB, when you think about it that type of Carver is a lot like a bread knife . . .

 

[ndemge]

Re: Meat carving knives

I have an $8 walmart filet knife from the sporting good section that I have been using for about 5 years. I use it for raw meat and it does GREAT.

 

[JB]

Re: Meat carving knives

Don't know if it was intended for carving, QC. It has a thin 6" blade shaped a lot like a filet knife. The old Solingen carver has a thin 12" blade.

I have a couple of Rapala filets. Medium and large. Never thought about using them for carving. Might give them a try.

 

[DJ]

Re: Meat carving knives

Never thought about using them for carving. Might give them a try.

I use filet knives all the time, I was just embarrassed to admit it. I let someone else jump in first.d

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Meat carving knives

7-in. Santoku Knife with Hollow Edge

WOW sharp as a razor and it's my wife's favorite.

 

[i386]

Re: Meat carving knives

There are several different product lines of henkels. Stay away from the serrated set. I bought my mother a nice set (+ the shears) and she loves 'em. We don't have a nice set of knives yet, but it'll probably be henkels (since Blackie Collins doesn't make kitchen knives that I know of ). BTW, Consumer Reports says chicago cutlery are the best value for the money (or something to that effect).

 

[QC]

Re: Meat carving knives

Yeah, I remember in the late 70's, Chicago was considered the good stuff. That little knife was really good last night and now that I am poking around there are some 6 inch "carving" knives that look very similar. I have always thought serrated knives do reasonably well unless the meat is kinda dry. If it is dry, serrated knives seem to shred it. I am thinking about a longer and narrow Chicago carving blade as the next thing I'm gonna try. I may need a new steel too. Do they wear out?

This is their 8 inch "slicing" knife:

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: Meat carving knives

If you guys don't have one of these........Comes with a super thin 10 inch serrated blade and an 8 inch fillet blade.....It's awsome.

 

[Link]

Re: Meat carving knives

If you guys don't have one of these........Comes with a super thin 10 inch serrated blade and an 8 inch fillet blade.....It's awsome.

My Aunt has one of those and it is awesome.

I use a meat slicer when doing bulk. Paper thin slices with ham or roast.
Besides a fillet knife (Don't we all use them) 8)

We have used for years a very cheap (money wise) set of
Chicago Cutlery knives that have wood handles with a number stamped on each one.

Bought or ordered through "Ace Hardware"
That has to be a good thing. Next to the Duct Tape!

Yes you do have to sharpen them every other time on the steel, but they work great.

Glad this isn't in the fishing forum..
Fillet knife and Bass.. that could be a flame

 

[JB]

Re: Meat carving knives

This thread got me thinking so I canvassed my family.

Two Cutco, two Henckels and a Wustof. One Cutco has been in use for 50 years.

 

[MRS]

Re: Meat carving knives

Almost any knife with carbon steel is the best not the hards metal but sharpens up real nice with a stone and stays sharp with a steel. But nobody likes them in there draw because they are the ones that turn rusty or black but they are the best to me anyway.........

 

[mscher]

Had a 20 year memory lapse on blades

Had a 20 year memory lapse on blades

We use Chicago Steel and Gerber knives, that we have had for 16 years. Nice knives, but they had seemed to cut harder over the years.

I had always steeled them during use, but it did not seem to do much good lately. Even running them across one of those hand held carbide "v" cutters, only improve sharpness slightly.

Then something I had read many years ago came back to me.

A steel does not sharpen a blade, it simply puts the "edge" back on an already sharp knife, during use.

I then ran all of my non-serrated kitchen knives through a power knife sharpener.

WOW! I can now carve up that ham or turkey, with the near speed and precision of a Japanese Samurai.

The knives now cut better than new.

 

[Link]

Re: Meat carving knives

Well I got to thinking about this post tonight while doing dinner.
Was going to add what you did mscher.
We were given a set of three gerbers and a steel
20+ years ago and went through the same steps.
Same with the Chicago Cutlery knives

And have to agree with MRS also on those old carbon steel
black ones ! Just gave my MIL a electric sharpener for Christmas
as she has around 20 of them.