Deba, Honesuki, or Garasuki for processing chicken?

[Dan S.]

Trying to see what knife might be best for processing chicken. The knife would likely also be used for other proteins, but primarily chicken. So, some versatility would also be helpful.

The first knives that come to mind are deba, honesuki, and garasuki, but I’m not wedded to those.

Thanks.

Dan

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Honesuki. Literally the reason it was designed.

 

[zizirex]

Honesuki. I break Down Chicken almost everyday at work. It Works properly Without hassle

 

[Dan S.]

Thanks.

And the versatility of the honesuki for other proteins?

 

[Jovidah]

Honesuki for chicken... though honestly any knife will work if you know where to cut. To put it bluntly; if you know where to cut you can do it with just about any knife. If you don't know where to cut a honesuki isn't going to fix that for you. But they're fun to use, and quite efficient if you do a lot of chicken.
Beyond chicken it'll probably work for other boning work but I never found it particularly useful for anything else. There's better knives for trimming meat IMO.

 

[Ochazuke]

If you’re looking for versatility just get a stout petty, a ryoba sabaki, or a ryoba deba.

You don’t need a garasuki and if you’re asking, you probably don’t need a kataba deba either.

 

[Ochazuke]

@Jovidah has it right. Literally any small, stout knife will break down a bird. Honesuki is good if you’re doing some serious bulk work, but it’s kind of overkill for the home chef.

 

[Dan S.]

Yeah, I’m kind of looking to have fun with my knives. I’ve got plenty of knives, but I’m looking to step up my game in the kitchen. Just bought a single bevel kiritsuke, which is a hoot, so I’m thinking of what other knife might be fun to use for chickens but also other protein. The reason I’m focused on chicken is because it’s what I eat the most.

 

[daveb]

Honesuki is a great, purpose built knife for yard birds. Not so much for other tasks.

For versatility, a robust 180 petty or yo-deba will work fine and fill other rolls as well. A western boning knife will also work.

As mentioned, key is to know where to cut. Always joints or cartlidge.

 

[Heckel7302]

…but it’s kind of overkill for the home chef.

So is having a half dozen gyutos, but that doesn’t stop us!

 

[Ochazuke]

Yeah, I’m kind of looking to have fun with my knives. I’ve got plenty of knives, but I’m looking to step up my game in the kitchen. Just bought a single bevel kiritsuke, which is a hoot, so I’m thinking of what other knife might be fun to use for chickens but also other protein. The reason I’m focused on chicken is because it’s what I eat the most.

In that case my two favorite honesuki are the single bevel from Nakaya Heiji and the Watanabe!

 

[BillHanna]

I had a 120 k tip petty made for this reason. Buuuuuuuuut I recently used a CCK 1102 to do the task as well.

 

[Qapla']

What do you think of this?

Misono Sweden Steel Series Boning (145mm and 165mm, 2 sizes)

The Misono Swedish Steel Boning Knife is very carefully hand-forged and features excellent edge sharpness, very good edge retention and is easy to re-sharpen.

japanesechefsknife.com

 

[GorillaGrunt]

Honesuki definitely. I also use a Tosa forged “butakiri”; knives sold as “sabaki” or “ hiraki” also are good for this. ive seen some expensive, nice honesuki out there but I’ve never used one like that, my criteria are:

150-200mm
thicker spine
prefer something more rustic type (other than honesuki) since I’ll be banging it into bones
steel like white 2, white 3, blue 2, AeB-L that aren’t expensive material and are really easy to sharpen, few passes in the middle of a case or between tasks

 

[Cliff]

I use a honesuki at home for chicken, but also for trimming other proteins. I like the stiff blade more than a flexible petty.

 

[kman94]

I used to break a case or two a week and I was big fan of a 150mm petty, particularly something taller than the standard. I landed on a Hatsukokoro Kumokage petty and it's definitely versatile for other stuff.

 

[Cliff]

I agree that a stout petty would be more versatile. I just don't have one that fits the bill.

 

[Dan-]

I found the honesuki faster and better for chicken and especially duck. Mine is just the cheap 90/10 kanehide. There’s something magical about the bevel keeping you from slicing into the thigh.

 

[Pie]

Honesuki!!!!

Double bevel generic one changed my life, single bevel Hatsukokoro made it even better.

 

[blokey]

Adding more to the fire, Zakuri Sabaki

Zakuri 150mm Blue #1 Kurouchi Sabaki Bocho

Product Description Detailed Specs Measurements This Zakuri 150mm Blue #1 Kurouchi Sabaki Bocho is a double-beveled knife. The handle is made of ho wood and is octagon shaped with a buffalo horn ferrule. Sabaki bocho is a knife designed for boning... for anything from chicken to fish, lamb to...

www.japaneseknifeimports.com

 

[MowgFace]

Just recently got into the Honesuki game, but prior to opening mine I broke down many a bird with the Munetoshi Butcher

 

[Dan S.]

“There’s something magical about the bevel keeping you from slicing into the thigh.”

So does the bevel go bone side or meat side when cutting?

 

[Greasylake]

“There’s something magical about the bevel keeping you from slicing into the thigh.”

So does the bevel go bone side or meat side when cutting?

With single bevels the bevel should be on the same side as the bone. The reason is that when cutting the bevel will naturally want to steer you away from the bone, and it will just ride on top of it separating the meat without cutting into the bone. It's the same principle that applies when filleting fish. It's really satisfying to do

 

[Dan-]

True but the cut I was writing about was the one through the skin prior to popping the leg joints from the back where the bevel is against the meat.

Also seems easier to get the oyster but that may just be practice.

 

[gentiscid]

Honesuki

 

[Jovidah]

Yeah just to prove my own hipocrisy; while honesuki's are far from mandatory.... I do own and quite enjoy having one myself. It's very practical, not just in usage, but also stupid easy to sharpen.
I have a cheap one and I don't think I'd want it any other way. I like having sharp corners on my spine; means I can scrape with them. I like having a cheap western pakkawood handle; means I don't feel bad about dirtying it up with bird gunk and washing it with liberal amounts of hot water and soap without worrying about what it'll do to the wood. But to each their own....

When it comes to super versatile protein knives, honestly my most versatile knife is a cheap Mora Companion filleting knife. It kinda does everything... it takes apart fish really well, fillets fish well, trims meat really well, and can still do stuff like birds quite well. I think a narrow blade blade western boning knife could be similarly versatile.

 

[Cliff]

I have plenty of fancy knives, but for a Honesuki, I love my Masahiro VC. It takes a beating, gets gunked up and then washed off. Perhaps a niche use, but it is the season -- it's great for peeling squash. Nimble, tough, and easy to sharpen. I did have a hard time getting used to sharpening at such a big angle. I've found sharpening around 500-1K and the deburring on BBW gives me best results.

 

[Dan S.]

Ok, so here’s the crazy question (and not the reason I posted this):

Honesuki, garasuki, or deba for processing a deer or stick with my trusty hunting knife?

 

[Qapla']

Ok, so here’s the crazy question (and not the reason I posted this):

Honesuki, garasuki, or deba for processing a deer or stick with my trusty hunting knife?

You forgot to include "hankotsu". But if your hunting knife is suited to the job, no reason to not use it.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Ok, so here’s the crazy question (and not the reason I posted this):

Honesuki, garasuki, or deba for processing a deer or stick with my trusty hunting knife?

Stick toa dedicated knife for the task. If you want, you can always check out some of Watanabe's offerings:

fixed blade, Japanese traditional knife : watanabeblade.com

You've found your knife!

www.kitchen-knife.jp