Knives

[welderskelter]

Never butchered any of my own chickens before. Was wondering what kind of knives I should be looking for. aNYBODY HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? I have Rhode Island Reds roosters about ten of them to go.

 

[Molpet]

Sharp
I started with expensive https://www.victorinox.com/en-US/Pr...locks-Sets/Field-Dressing-Kit-/p/5.1003.73-X1
Which works as well as a cheap butcher set I got for $10 at big box feed store sale.
But my favorite is a replaceable blade. I kept nicking the blade on bones.
3.5" RAZOR EDC OBSIDIAN | REPLACEABLE BLADE CARRY KNIFE https://share.google/cXProAmBwmh2DzF4W

 

[DemeterAD9]

Not a professional butcher but I've cut up loads of animals ranging in size from cow to squirrel. Bigger animals need a bigger knife, smaller animals are easier with something like a pocket knife. Getting a sharp knife is easy, finding one that stays sharp for longer is the hard part. You don't have to have a fancy knife set to butcher anything. So long as the knife is sharp and you are comfortable using it, any old knife will do. I have been thinking of getting a proper processing kit though as we butcher everything ourselves.

I'm cheap so I make it work with my usual, a Rapala fillet knife you can typically find in the fishing/hunting section in Walmart or sports shop. The wooden handle is more durable than the plastic one, had one break on me within a year of use whereas we have the same wooden handled one from several years ago. It works to slit throats and cut through joints. It is most commonly used in my house for filleting fish and deboning deer.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1574379987...LOZgKg+LF6C5F99Vfo7zXz0Wks|tkp:Bk9SR-aXj8_KZg

 

[Ridgerunner]

My favorite knife is also one with a replaceable blade. You want it to be sharp and don't want to stop and sharpen a knife once you start butchering.

I use poultry shears for certain cuts like the neck and legs. You can really dull a knife on bones or cartilage. I part mine as I butcher so there are several other places I use the shears.

 

[iwltfum]

This for kill cuts.

And a combination of simple and sterilizable skinning and boning knives from Dexter depending on the cut
ie:
-Eviseration cuts use the skinning knife
-Cutting off feet and necks uses boning knives.

Never use more than 200-400 grit on the skinning knives for sharpening. Sharpen the boning knives on fine grit and then a leather strop every 20-25 chickens. Shouldn't need to sharpen the skinning knives if you're doing it right