Butchery
Butchery knives and tools are the boning, filleting, cleaving and trimming equipment used by commercial kitchens, butchery counters and hotel prep sections to break down meat and fish safely and efficiently. The key buying consideration is blade steel: high-carbon stainless steel blades hold an edge through heavy daily use while resisting rust from constant contact with raw protein and moisture. Buyers should also check blade flexibility (flexible for filleting, rigid for boning), full-tang construction for durability, and NSF or CE-marked handles that are dishwasher-safe and hygienic for food-service environments.
Key specifications
Butchery knives and tools are chosen by blade steel, flexibility and construction against the task. High-carbon stainless steel (such as X50CrMoV15) is the commercial standard, holding an edge through heavy daily use while resisting rust from constant contact with raw protein. Flexibility matches the job: flexible blades for filleting fish and boning poultry, rigid blades for red-meat boning, and heavy forged cleavers (around 800g-1.2kg) for chopping through bone. Full-tang construction and NSF or CE-marked, non-slip handles are the norm for durability and hygiene in food service, and most blades are hand-wash only to protect the edge. Blade lengths run from around 13cm boning knives up to 20cm-plus filleting blades and cleavers. The main buying approach is to match blade type, flexibility and weight to whether you are filleting, boning or breaking down primal cuts. Used across butchery counters, gastropubs, hotels and commercial prep kitchens.
Butchery — FAQs
What’s the difference between a boning knife and a filleting knife?
Boning knives have a stiffer, narrower blade for separating meat from bone, while filleting knives are thinner and more flexible for working close to fish skin and bones.
Do butchery knives need to be dishwasher safe?
Most commercial butchery knives are hand-wash only to protect the edge, though handles are typically NSF-rated and wipe-clean for hygiene between uses.
What steel holds an edge longest for heavy meat prep?
High-carbon stainless steel (such as X50CrMoV15) is the commercial standard, balancing edge retention with rust resistance under frequent sharpening.