The hankotsu is an unusual but highly effective knife format - built primarily for boning and processing meat with a stout, short blade that tapers to a very pointed tip. The most distinctive feature is the heel, where the blade transitions directly into the handle or bolster with zero knuckle clearance if used on a cutting board. That design is intentional: the hankotsu is meant for processing hanging meats, boning chops, or Frenching rib racks rather than board work. The blade has no flex at all, unlike a western boning knife, and for safety the edge is not sharpened all the way to the handle.
This is a single-bevel knife made for a specific hand orientation - this version is ground for right-handed use. Kanehide builds it from semi-stainless mono steel, the same alloy family used in their respected TK line, and the fit and finish on both the blade and rosewood handle are notably good given the price point.
What Customers Are Saying: Brian Chang field tested this on wild boar and axis deer, reporting sharp performance out of the box and quick work on field deboning - the blade held its edge and the sharp tip saved a lot of meat. Paul wanted a knife for butchering chicken but preferred a hankotsu to a honesuki, and found the steel user friendly, honing sharp and quick. Robert Rowe has used it for boning, trimming, and portioning meat for some time - the edge held up well through extended use, even with occasional bone contact. He notes the handle is basic but functional, and after 30-plus years of using Western butcher knives and general kitchen knives for meat work, this outperforms all of them.
Care Instructions: This knife has half the chromium of a fully stainless knife, so it will be reactive and form a patina. Wash and towel dry after each use. Bar Keepers Friend can be used if desired.
This is a single-bevel knife made for a specific hand orientation - this version is ground for right-handed use. Kanehide builds it from semi-stainless mono steel, the same alloy family used in their respected TK line, and the fit and finish on both the blade and rosewood handle are notably good given the price point.
What Customers Are Saying: Brian Chang field tested this on wild boar and axis deer, reporting sharp performance out of the box and quick work on field deboning - the blade held its edge and the sharp tip saved a lot of meat. Paul wanted a knife for butchering chicken but preferred a hankotsu to a honesuki, and found the steel user friendly, honing sharp and quick. Robert Rowe has used it for boning, trimming, and portioning meat for some time - the edge held up well through extended use, even with occasional bone contact. He notes the handle is basic but functional, and after 30-plus years of using Western butcher knives and general kitchen knives for meat work, this outperforms all of them.
Care Instructions: This knife has half the chromium of a fully stainless knife, so it will be reactive and form a patina. Wash and towel dry after each use. Bar Keepers Friend can be used if desired.
- Maker: Kanehide
- Location: Miki, Japan
- Grind: Single Bevel, Right-Handed
- Handle: Rosewood
- Weight: 4.2 oz (120 g)
- Blade Length: 145mm
- Total Length: 260mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2mm
- Blade Height: 29mm
Reviews
7 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Shego🤙🏼 So good! Well designed blade for boning and meat cuttingPosted By: Robert Rowe - verified customer
I have been using this knife to bone, clean up, trim and portion cuts of meat before cooking.
The knife came quite sharp out of the box, all I did was strop it a little and went to work.
The edge has held up very well through a lot of use now, even with occasional contact with bones.
The handle is VERY basic but quite functional, fit and finish are certainly good enough for the VERY good price. You're buying this knife for what the blade can do, not a pretty handle with absolute perfect fit & finish to impress your friends...
I wish I had got this type of knife years ago, it works far better than the several generalist kitchen knives and even a couple of purpose made Western style butcher knives I have used the past 30+ years for meat cutting. I particularly have found this knife useful while processing deer and cuts of venison, trimming beef briskets, full racks of ribs and "bone in" pork shoulders for sous vide pre cooking & smoking/BBQ. If you've got big pieces of meat needing to be precisely cut, get you one of these.
I have been using this knife to bone, clean up, trim and portion cuts of meat before cooking.
The knife came quite sharp out of the box, all I did was strop it a little and went to work.
The edge has held up very well through a lot of use now, even with occasional contact with bones.
The handle is VERY basic but quite functional, fit and finish are certainly good enough for the VERY good price. You're buying this knife for what the blade can do, not a pretty handle with absolute perfect fit & finish to impress your friends...
I wish I had got this type of knife years ago, it works far better than the several generalist kitchen knives and even a couple of purpose made Western style butcher knives I have used the past 30+ years for meat cutting. I particularly have found this knife useful while processing deer and cuts of venison, trimming beef briskets, full racks of ribs and "bone in" pork shoulders for sous vide pre cooking & smoking/BBQ. If you've got big pieces of meat needing to be precisely cut, get you one of these.
Not bad Kanehide Bessaku Hankotsu-Left Handed First lefty
