F. Dick Specialty Tools

After a hog is scalded, the hair and the outer layer of skin have to come off quickly, and a bell scraper is the hand tool for that job. This F. Dick scraper is used by butchers, small farms and home processors who dehair pigs by hand.The bell shape lets the user press down with the palm and draw the scraper across the hide, clearing a wide strip with each stroke. Its rounded edge follows the curves of the shoulders and hams without cutting into the skin, which keeps the skin and fat intact for products that need them.Work while the hide is still hot from the scald, since the hair releases most easily then. After dehairing, the carcass moves on to opening and evisceration with tools such as the F. Dick ErgoGrip special gutting knife and the ErgoGrip skinning knife. The F. Dick hand hook helps move and hold pieces as they are cut. Learn More

Scaling a whole fish is quicker and tidier with a dedicated tool, and the F. Dick fish scaler has a wide toothed head that lifts scales without cutting the skin. It suits anglers, fishmongers and cooks who buy whole snapper or bass.Work from tail to head, against the lie of the scales, with short, firm strokes. The wide head covers more of the fish with each pass, and the blue hard plastic handle gives a secure grip on a wet, slippery fish. Scaling under running water or inside a large plastic bag keeps the scales from scattering across the kitchen.Rinse the fish afterward to wash away any loose scales, and pat it dry before filleting. Rinse the scaler right away too, before the scales dry onto the teeth.Once the fish is scaled, a fillet knife such as the ProDynamic 8.5-inch fillet knife takes it apart. The F. Dick fish bone tweezers then pull the pin bones from the fillets. Learn More

Larger pin bones in salmon, steelhead and cod can be stubborn, and these F. Dick fishbone pliers give more leverage than tweezers to pull them. The squeeze of a pliers grip also tires the hand less over a full side of fish.Broad jaws meet across their full width, so they take a firm hold on a bone and draw it out whole. Pull each bone in the direction it points, toward the head, and the fillet keeps its shape for portioning or curing. The length lets the hand stay clear of the fish while the jaws work close to the surface.Rinse the jaws between bones to keep them gripping cleanly, and keep the pliers beside the cutting board while portioning.For lighter work and plating, the F. Dick 5-inch fish bone tweezers are more nimble. Prepare the fish with the F. Dick fish scaler and a fillet knife such as the ProDynamic 8.5-inch fillet knife. Learn More

This white buffing compound is the replacement for the F. Dick SM-100 polishing wheel. It is formulated for final finishing and burr removal, the step that turns a freshly ground edge into a smooth, refined one.Applied to the spinning felt wheel, the compound works as a very fine abrasive that clears the burr and polishes the bevel. A wheel without enough compound glazes and stops polishing, so reload it lightly at intervals during a session. A smooth, polished edge cuts cleanly and stays sharp longer.Hold the compound bar lightly against the spinning wheel for a moment to load it, then polish the edge with light contact, keeping the edge trailing the direction of rotation. Store the bar in a closed container so it stays clean and does not dry out.Use it with the SM-100 polishing wheel on the F. Dick SM-100. Grinding comes first, on the 120 grit SM-100 belts. Learn More

After grinding, a fine burr remains along the edge, and this F. Dick felt polishing wheel removes it on the SM-100 sharpening machine. Used with buffing compound, it hones and polishes the edge to a smooth finish.A burr left on the edge rolls over in use and dulls the knife quickly, so polishing is what makes the freshly ground edge last. The wheel holds compound evenly across its face for consistent results through a long sharpening session. Replace it when the face is worn or glazed and no longer takes compound well.Fit the wheel with the machine unplugged, and run it briefly before loading compound so it settles. Light, even contact with the wheel gives the best finish on the edge.This wheel fits the F. Dick SM-100. Load it with the white polishing compound, and keep a supply of SM-100 grinding belts for the grinding stage. Learn More

Carving stations and kitchens that color-code their tools can use this blue Premier Plus kitchen fork to hold roasts steady and lift meat. The 7-inch forged fork does not flex when it is pushed into a large cut.A rigid fork keeps the roast from shifting under the knife, so slices stay even. It also turns meat in the pan, lifts a chicken from the roasting tray and moves carved slices to a platter. The blue handle matches other blue Premier Plus tools for a single food group or station.The fork also tests roasts and braises for tenderness, since the tines slide in easily when the meat is done. It is a handy tool beside the stove as well as at the carving board. Hand wash it and dry it before returning it to the station.Pair it with the Premier Plus 8-inch carving knife or the 10-inch carving knife. For a fork with the classic ringed handle, see the 1905 8-inch carving fork. Learn More

Precise placement of microgreens, herbs and garnishes is what plating tongs are for, and at 12 inches these F. Dick tongs also keep the hand well away from heat. They turn scallops in a hot pan and pull items from the oven as well.Fine tips pick up a single leaf or a slice of radish, and the long arms give reach across a large plate or into a deep pan. The spring opens the tongs on its own, so the hand only has to close them. On a buffet line, they serve garnishes and small items neatly.They also turn delicate shrimp and pull bay leaves from a simmering stock.For shorter work, the F. Dick 5-inch fish bone tweezers double as a fine plating tool. A small offset spatula such as the ProDynamic 5-inch offset spatula lifts portions onto the plate. The table below compares F. Dick forks and tongs. Learn More

This Superior 5-inch offset spatula is our best-selling offset spatula. It is very strong and can lift a heavy bone-in steak, but its real advantage is its small size.A short blade reaches easily into a pan to move individual sea scallops, and it is well suited to plating pâté and canapés. It has good flexibility for sliding under delicate food and fits easily into a knife bag. The classic three-rivet Superior handle gives it the feel of a good kitchen knife.Cooks keep one in the knife roll for plating, where a large turner would crowd the plate. It also lifts cookies from a baking sheet and smooths icing on a small cake. For a home cook, it is a handy size for turning fish fillets and fried eggs.A slotted version that drains as it lifts is the Superior 5-inch slotted spatula. With a sealed plastic handle, the ProDynamic 5-inch offset spatula is the alternative, and the Superior 8 x 3-inch hamburger turner handles larger items. Learn More

Slots in the blade let oil and liquid fall away as food is lifted, so this Superior 5-inch spatula moves fried and poached food to the plate without a trail of grease. It is a small fish spatula for scallops, fillets and eggs.The offset gives clearance and leverage to slide under delicate food in a crowded pan, and the blade widens toward the tip to support a fillet or a poached egg. Its compact size makes it a plating tool as well as a turner. The classic Superior handle gives the balanced feel of a riveted kitchen knife.It also lifts fried food from hot oil and serves poached fish from the pan without breaking it.A solid blade version is the Superior 5-inch offset spatula, our best-selling offset spatula. For a larger perforated blade, see the ProDynamic perforated turner. Pin bones come out with the F. Dick fish bone tweezers. Learn More