Specialty Knives

Kikuichi calls the HC15 a hankotsu, a Japanese boning knife for separating meat from bone on larger cuts, and describes it as sharp, light and tough. Shoppers find it by its model number, and some retailers sell it as a sakabone.The 5.9-inch (150mm) blade has a pointed tip for working along bones and into joints, and Kikuichi calls it the right combination for small and large butchering. Kikuichi warns against chopping through bone with it, so it is a knife for cutting around bones and through joints. It suits butchers trimming primal cuts and restaurant cooks breaking down lamb and pork shoulders, and hunters use it on venison. The carbon steel sharpens easily, which helps on a knife that works against bone surfaces all day. Dry it promptly after use and hone it before each session.
Hankotsu or Honesuki?For poultry, the lighter, triangular 5.9-inch (150mm) Honesuki is the specialist. Learn More