# Honesuki or Western Boning Knife?



## manofgirolles (Sep 29, 2015)

Hi all,

So, the Japanese knife fever has hit me hard since my purchase of a Masakage Yuki Gyuto and Petty. I recently purchased a Moritaka AS Deba and want to add one last knife to the list. 

So, in my mind, I have the gyuto for general tasks and food prep, the petty for small precise tasks, the deba for fish I also have a serrated knife as well as kitchen shears. Now, all I need is a good boning knife that I can use for beef, pork poultry, etc. 

This brings up two questions. Will a Honesuki do everything that a traditional western boning knife does? And could my Deba substitute for the honesuki when it comes to poultry and small game animals such as rabbit?

Lastly, any Honesuki recommendations? 

Thank you in advance to those who read/responded for your time!


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## foody518 (Aug 6, 2015)

Honesuki is specialized for poultry more than for anything else
Are you mainly looking to go through bone or to go around bones?


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

What do you mean by beef, pork, poultry etc.. subprimals? Bigger? Just trimming stuff or what

I do a LOT of meat over bbq season. My complete butchery set from whole animal down:

breaking knife or a cimeter depending how big you need

bonesaw (better yet a meat bandsaw)

heavy cleaver

boning knife

For the boning knife part... a honesuki is shorter than the western boning knife. There are some tasks you may find it lacking. Even on a chicken you can't cut out the spine or split the breast with it. (use a cleaver)

My boning knife is this one and it is the only knife I always have in my kit. I even have a backup at home if that tells you how important it is.:

http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/munetoshi-kurouchi-170mm-wa-butcher/

You may also find a western deba useful


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## manofgirolles (Sep 29, 2015)

I'm looking to go around bone, not through.


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## manofgirolles (Sep 29, 2015)

MillionsKnives said:


> What do you mean by beef, pork, poultry etc.. subprimals? Bigger? Just trimming stuff or what
> 
> I do a LOT of meat over bbq season. My complete butchery set from whole animal down:
> 
> ...


Yeah pretty much subprimal stuff. The Deba I have is a western 50/50 grind  Would it be able to split a chicken? I assume that would just end up being abuse haha!

I'll check out that link you sent! Thank you for your response!


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Back to your original question.. honesuki compared to a western boning knife is shorter, stiffer (less flex), with a pointier tip that is very useful sometimes like when you're parting chicken and going around the oyster of the thigh. Not as good for beef or pork. All round I recommend the wa butcher I linked.

On the cheap side also consider this style of butcher knife





  








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millionsknives


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Feb 22, 2017








Old hickory makes them today but I don't like the out of box bevel at all. Luckily carbon steel is easy to shape on coarse stones. Better yet there are vintage carbon steel of this shape by many makers.


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## manofgirolles (Sep 29, 2015)

Thanks so much! I'm kind of new to the forum and it wouldn't let me respond to you for some reason. Trying again.

I'm definitely going to be looking at the wa butcher!

Also, the deba I have is a western style with a 50/50 bevel. Would that be fine to butcher poultry and I would use the wa butcher for subprimals? 

Again, thank you so much for all your input!


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

IMO the western deba is great to do split chicken breast as in the video I posted.  If you are going to take the breast off boneless, you want something pointy and narrower.


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