Review: Benchmade Meatcrafter Knife

For years when processing wild game at home, I used two knives: a fillet knife for trimming silver skin and cutting steaks, and a folding pocket knife for deboning and slicing through thick tendons. The Meatcrafter from Benchmade is the marriage between the two, making for a do-it-all meat-cutting knife. The six-inch blade is flexible enough to trim silver skin, but stiff enough to make precise cuts and trace the facia between muscle groups. A composite rubber handle provides a firm grip, and the knife feels well-balanced in the hand. On top of that, it plain old looks good. I store it on a magnetic strip in the kitchen for easy access when trimming a steak, slicing a roast, or deboning a trout fillet. Alternatively, a carrying sheath with holes for a belt makes it easy to bring the knife into the field. While it’s not the most practical blade to carry in the woods, it could be useful on an evening fishing trip from camp, when planning to catch, kill, and fillet a few fish for dinner. Where it really shines, though, is in breaking down quarters off a big-game animal. When the meat-processing begins, the Meatcrafter reigns supreme. Available at benchmade.com; $200.