The boning knife is used to cleanly separate the bone from the meat, a process known as boning. It is also used for skinning meat and poultry and cutting through tendons. The boning knife’s primary use is it to separate meat from the bone.
The boning knife is used to cleanly separate the bone from the meat, a process known as boning. It is also used for skinning meat and poultry and cutting through tendons. The boning knife’s primary use is it to separate meat from the bone. Hardly any other knife is subjected to such stress and strain as a boning knife. It must prove itself as a reliable and safe helper in all work processes. In the meat industry, in slaughtering and cutting, as well as in butchers' shops, the boning knife must continually demonstrate its quality.
The knife must be particularly easy to grip, as it requires frequent handling. The boning knife is held like a dagger and guided along the bone so that the meat is removed cleanly and evenly. When it is used for shearing, i.e. cutting meat, the knife is held in the normal gripping position, as it is when removing tendons or skin. Our boning knives are specially designed for this professional use in terms of blade shape, handle design and the materials used.
The art of boning was already in demand in all ancient cultures. In those days, it was performed with sharpened horn or by a specially shaped stone. A cutting edge was created by hitting the edges of the hard stone. Both of these ancient tools already bore a certain resemblance to today's boning knives. The shape of the blade has changed slightly over the years. The knife was initially only used to remove the bones. Skinning, removing the tendons and expertly cutting the individual pieces only came later.
The boning knife is available with a blade length of 10 to 18 cm in two different blade shapes (straight and curved) and in different flexibilities (flexible, semi-flexible and stiff). You can choose between the handles from our ErgoGrip, MasterGrip or ExpertGrip butcher's knife series. A boning knife has a narrow blade with a pointed tip. Nowadays, the curved version is more in demand because it is easier to slide along the bone. The curved shape creates a longer cutting edge. This allows you to make a pulling cut, and the more comfortable hand position is easier on the wrist.
The length of blade used depends on the size of the animal or the piece of meat to be cut as well as the kind of cuts. Blade flexibility depends on the intended use, but also on personal preferences. The best thing to do is to assemble your personal selection according to your intended purpose.
Boning knives are subjected to extreme stress in terms of resistance and pressure in slaughterhouses, cutting plants and butchers' shops. Many other blades would break in such an environment. Boning knife blades, on the other hand, must neither bend nor break under the strain. They must also return to their original starting position after use. When manufacturing our boning knives, we achieve this level of quality by using a special steel alloy and a hardening process known as ice-hardening.
Boning knives must be very sharp, durable and resilient as well as having all the necessary safety features, such as an ergonomically shaped handle with finger guard. It must also comply with the hygienic food law requirements. When used in slaughterhouses and cutting plants, functional handles are an absolute must for ergonomic, safe and fatigue-free work. The boning knife must sit comfortably and securely in the hand without slipping, as professional knives are in continuous use for hours on end.
The boning knife is your most important tool in everyday work, so with our professional quality we guarantee you lasting cutting power – for a clean cut through the meat fibres and precise guidance of the knife along the bone. This allows for effortless, fatigue-free work. Your wrists are not subjected to unnecessary strain. After all, working with a dull boning knife requires more strength, places greater strain on the joints, increases the risk of accidents and can lead to tension and pain.
The boning knife is also used by hunters, anglers and cooks. They appreciate the professional design of the blades and the handle.
For our boning knives, we exclusively use high-quality knife alloys (X55CrMo14) and material compositions for the blade and handle. The blade's balanced hardness of 56° HRC significantly reduces material consumption and ensures that the cutting edge has a long life time. For you, this means considerably less sharpening. In our special hardening process, each blade is individually case-hardened and monitored – with optimum results in terms of hardness and structure.
With the polished blade, we guarantee the highest level of hygiene. This means that less residue can adhere to the blade, making them corrosion-resistant and easier to clean. There is no gap at the blade exit from the handle, and the handle absorbs neither grease nor dirt. Furthermore, it is easy to clean and resistant to heat, shocks and abrasion.
The boning knife of the ErgoGrip series includes various handle colours for different areas or purposes of use. The colour coding can improve and facilitate hygiene even further. You can differentiate between the individual layers and the layer insert by colour (beef/calf, pork, sheep/lamb, poultry). This is just one of the reasons why the knives have been awarded the American NSF seal for hygiene and quality.
You can find more information and useful tips on how to care for, store and sharpen your knife here.