Wusthof Culinar 5-Inch Boning Knife

There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Culinar line is an all stainless steel look, rather than a black handle. Although the picture and some descriptions want you to think this is a single piece knife, be advised that the hand is a separate piece of stainless steel molded onto the tang. I personally prefer the handle of the Grand Prix and Classic, because the grip is surer for me, but this is, to some extent, a matter of personal preference. This series "looks" more professional to some (like a Viking stove).

This particular model, the 5 inch boning knife is a good knife. In my review of the 6 inch cleaver in the Classic and Grand Prix lines, I noted that most people really don't use a cleaver anymore, as they buy either pre-cut/pre-packaged meats, or they have the butcher cut the meat into loins or steaks for them. However, I think this knife is slightly more useful for the everyday cook than the cleaver. I find this knife useful for both boning and fat trimming. Although this knife is probably not essential for a starter collection, I would add this knife before a cleaver.

What's a boning knife? A boning knife is used to separate bones from meat. But why does that require a special kind of knife? One might think that, for this now infrequent task, one could simply use another knife, with some care and extra time.

That does not work as well as one might think. A larger knife, like a chef's knife or a cleaver, is too clumsy to follow the irregular surface between bone and meat; I've ended up with wasted meat on the bone, and chips of bone on the meat. A smaller knife, such as a utility knife, is just not up to the force required for cutting through tough tendon or gristle.

Enter the boning knife, specially designed for this task. The slim, slightly flexible blade is maneuverable enough to follow the curve of the bone; the oversize handle facilitates a good, strong grip, making it easier to part gristle and connective tissue.

The special features of Wusthof's Culinar line are especially useful in a boning knife. Wusthof's blade alloy the best in the business holds a razor edge well, greatly reducing the required cutting effort. The curve of the stainless steel handle fills out the palm of the hand, making it easy to apply whatever force is needed, while the taper of the handle makes it comfortable no matter what your hand size. Since cutting raw meat can be a messy job, the easy cleanup of this all stainless knife is also a nice feature. Contrary to one of the other reviews, these advantages add up to far more than looks.

My first use of this knife felt magical the knife became part of my hand, and the meat seemed to fall off the bone by itself. If you ever need a boning knife, you won't regret having this one.

Buy Wusthof Culinar 5-Inch Boning Knife Now

I wanted to replace my cheap knife block set with a great one that can last a generation and found Wushtof Culinar Series to my liking. Initially, I thought the metallic handle could be slippery. So, I went to a local store and tested it and found it to be be very very grippy and solid to hold. I liked how these knives curve on the handle. That helps handle get a perfect grip in the hand.

I always hated cutting meat because of hard it was to cut out some fat that was streching forever with my old knife. This knife is not only very sharp but it is not slippery even though the handle is steel.

This probably will be your favorite knife if you cut meat a lot.

Read Best Reviews of Wusthof Culinar 5-Inch Boning Knife Here