Victorinox Hardwood 5-inch Curved Semi-Stiff Boning Knife

The shape of this knife comes from the steak knives of Chicago’s old rib and chop houses, and it still does both jobs. At the cutting board, the curved, semi-stiff blade follows the bone as you take apart a chicken or trim a cut of red meat. At the table, it doubles as a sturdy steak knife.

The handle is what sets the Hardwood line apart. Victorinox sold this line for many years as the Rosewood collection, and it is now called Victorinox Hardwood. Because rosewood is now endangered, the handles are modified maple, stained to keep the rosewood color. The wood gives a more substantial grip than a synthetic handle and looks at home on a dining table.

Hardwood or Fibrox Pro?

The Victorinox Fibrox Pro 5-inch Curved Semi-Stiff Boning Knife pairs the same size and flex with a textured synthetic handle that is NSF certified and dishwasher safe, which makes it the better fit for commercial kitchens and processing work. For more give around small bones, the Victorinox Hardwood 5-inch Curved Flexible Boning Knife uses the same wooden handle with a flexible blade.

Our Kitchen Knife Shapes guide explains boning knife shapes.