Victorinox 3.25-inch Narrow Clam Knife

The Victorinox narrow clam knife works for all clams but is particularly useful for opening smaller sizes such as littlenecks and Manila clams. The blue handle lets you quickly tell the clam knife apart from your oyster knives.

A clam knife has a sharpened edge that slips between the two shells instead of prying at the hinge. The narrow blade opens the clam cleanly without piercing the meat.

Hold the clam in a towel with the hinge against your palm, set the edge in the seam opposite the hinge and squeeze the blade in with your fingers. Run the blade along the top shell to cut the muscles, then under the clam.

Chill clams well before opening; cold clams relax and open more easily. Rinse the knife in fresh water after use and dry it.

For large clams, see the Victorinox 3.5-inch Wide Clam Knife. The table in the Details compares the shucking knives, including the oyster knives.