Is halving a chicken knife abuse?

T

TLoFP

Joined
Oct 22, 2011
Messages
110
Hi,

I always thought that cutting bone with a knive would be a sure way to chip the edge and it would be considered abuse. But I saw a member here half a chicken with one of his knifes and it made me think. I then came across this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVNwHvS6EBM

So apparently a knife is an accepted tool for halving a chicken. Would you consider this abuse? Do I have to worry about chipping the edge? What knives are appropriate for this and which are not?

For example, I would have zero confidence doing it with my Opinel. And I would feel ridiculously overconfident with my BK9. But what about a Spyderco Military. Would you use a milli to cut through the bone? What about a fallkniven.

Thanks - T
 
You've somewhat hit on the answer already, it depends on the knife. There's no way I would use my gyuto to halve a chicken, or my CCK cleaver, but my meat cleaver? I'd do it without blinking. I doubt a Military would suffer any damage in halving a chicken, but I'd try to avoid using it as it doesn't have the necessary length or mass to do a good job of it.
 
Insipid Moniker said:
You've somewhat hit on the answer already, it depends on the knife. There's no way I would use my gyuto to halve a chicken, or my CCK cleaver, but my meat cleaver? I'd do it without blinking. I doubt a Military would suffer any damage in halving a chicken, but I'd try to avoid using it as it doesn't have the necessary length or mass to do a good job of it.
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I can see not wanting to do it with a gyuto. But in general what rules should we follow. What steels are inappropriate and what steels are appropriate, or is it more a question of edge geometry and thickness of the blade?
 
A "chopper" is an outdoor blade... Buy a nice one of those. Usually a fair amount for sale on the forum.

I like tools... I use the right one for the job. I wouldn't use my Native 5 to halve a chicken.
 
TLoFP said:
I then came across this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVNwHvS6EBM
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His boning knife looks like the BK15 and would work just as well and make an excellent camp knife companion to your BK9.

Indeed, ANY camp/hunter/skinner fixed blade would make quick work of a chicken.


The Spyderco Military would also work as well.

Any well-made 3"-class folder and up should also work - Spyderco Delica, Kershaw Skyline, RAT 2, Mini Recon 1, Buck 110, etc.


ATwistedStaple said:
I wouldn't use my Native 5 to halve a chicken.
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Doesn't mean that the Native couldn't do it. ;)

Go compare your Native 5's blade to the boning knife in your kitchen.
 
I'm a little confused by the question... Are you planning on halving a whole chicken while camping? What level of culinary skill do you have? I wouldn't recommend using a small knife. I'm sure you could do it, but could and should are totally different. I think using something with a 6-9 inch blade (the length of a chef knife) and something with some weight to it (similar to a cleaver) would work best. I would take a sharp hatchet over your spyderco for splitting chicken. (Not trying to put down spyderco knives).
 
If you are using it for the purpose of cleaning game or boning fowl why not use a hunting blade? it is what these knives are made for.

I use my BK15 in the kitchen all the time :D
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I'm puzzled by the term "knife abuse",
I've halved chickens at least a few dozen times with a (read one) 3" folding blade.
Not sure about abuse, but I've used knife(s) in ways that cutting chicken bone would be considered babying it.
Is it really that uncommon? If so, I guess the people I've run with are in a micro-minority.
 
TLoFP said:
...I would have zero confidence doing it with my Opinel.
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You could cut a chicken in half with an Opinel. You slice down through the rib cage and those bones are thin.

Maybe not with a No.5 but definitely doable with anything from 8 on up…

B
 
No I do not plan to half a chicken in the woods. The point is to use my growing collection of knives in the kitchen. And my culinary abilities are about zero. The point is to learn. I started this thread because I was under the impression that cutting bone with a knife was abuse of the knife. I consider it abuse if a knife is the improper tool. For example using a knife as a screw driver is abuse even if it is technically possible.

- T
 
No, not for a fixed blade, i would find it a bit heavy for my folders, being traditionals but i see no problem with using a fixed blade to halve a chicken. It just means i need to get good kitchen knives lol:D
 
I applaud your willingness to challenge yourself and your blades. I suppose it's just something that I have never considered. My kitchen knives cost as much, if not more, than my outdoor knives (I cook for a living). I think that your skill with the knife is more important than the knife itself. As for chicken (or other birds) their bones are pretty light and flexible. It would be a great thing to practice on. Once you move on to large game (or beef or pork) I wouldn't recommend taking a small knife to large bone. Bone is a pretty hard material and I wouldn't risk damaging a small knife.
 
Brian_T said:
You could cut a chicken in half with an Opinel. You slice down through the rib cage and those bones are thin.

Maybe not with a No.5 but definitely doable with anything from 8 on up…

B
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Yup. If cutting a chicken in half is abusing your knife you're probably doing it wrong.
 
RMD handles it no problem, almost too easy. Sharp as could after too.





This was definitely overkill.
 
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