Are those knives you can get from McMurrays, etc. JUNK?

[jmc]

just wondering. might want to ease the burden of the kitchen by getting knives just for processing, and was thinking about the ones like McMurray and others offer--lung remover, too
btw i do ducks, not chooks
tx

 

[JohnL11935]

Looks like those knives are made of stainless steel. The thing about that is they are a bit more difficult to sharpen because they are so hard. You will want a blade with a little carbon so that is soft enough to sharpen. I prefer the "Dexter-Russel" line of knives. They are available in multiple sizes and shapes and they easily sharpen well. Many good hardware stores sell them or you can buy them online.

The lung remover is a little pricey for my taste. I just my hand and a little water pressure to remove lungs and that works well enough for me. If you really want one go to your local kitchen store and look for a serrated melon scoop. Does the same thing for only a few bucks. http://www.kitchenfantasy.com/images/098872166009.jpg

Hope this helps.

 

[sfessler]

Go to walmart and buy a fish fillet knife. Super cheap, thin blade made of SS. Comes with a little sharpener too.

 

[Maxbeard]

+1 for fillet knives. I have a Rapala fillet knife that my wife has laid claim to for kitchen chores, had to get another one for fish. Most any knife can be sharpened to a razor's edge, the difference between good and bad knife steel is how long they hold an edge. Learning to sharpen them is an art into itself that takes lots of practice. So, cheat and get the diamond stones and jig from Lansky if you don't have the patience. Strop on an old leather belt. When the knife is sharp it should "scare" the hair off your arm. Your chickens (ducks) deserve at least that. Plus if you slip up and cut yourself, it doesn't hurt nearly so bad. Sorry for the long rant, I do a lot of wood working, and I am always sharpening something, from chisels to planer blades, having sharp tools and knives is kind of an OCD thing for me. On a side note Cold Steel has some good knives for a reasonable price. The ONLY brand of knives I haven't had to sharpen out of the box.

 

[jmc]

thank you, good folks.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Same here , cheapest and best knife I've ever used . I used a boning knife by Chicago Cutlery which was heavier when I worked in a packing house and it was a really quality stainless , but I've lost the knack of putting a razor edge on a thicker blade so that filet knife is great .

 

[Dexterknifeguy]

Thank you for the shout out, John. Based on this discussion, I would like to point out that Dexter has a new line of ergonomic knives everyone should check out at DexterDuoGlide.com. Good luck with them chickens!