What is a Honesuki Knife? The Japanese Boning Knife
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The Japanese Honesuki Knife | hone-ess-key
If you've ever come across a Honesuki (pronounced hone-ess-key) knife and wondered what makes it different from other small prep knives, you're not alone. A traditional Japanese boning knife is a staple in Japanese butchery and has slowly gained popularity in Western kitchens for its precision, durability, and evolving versatility. However, today, many Honesuki knives are simply called prep knives, as their blade geometry and bevel design have changed, while keeping the overall size and blade profile the same.
In this blog, you'll learn about the traditional features of a honesuki knife, modern adaptations, and how to select a honesuki knife best for your kitchen prep needs.
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Table of Contents
The Japanese Honesuki Knife | hone-ess-key The Traditional Honesuki: Design and Purpose From Butchery Tool to Prep Knife: The Modern Evolution Honesuki Knife Types: A Visual Breakdown 1. Traditional Single or Asymmertrical Bevel Honesuki Knife 2. Heavy-Duty Symmertrical Double-Bevel Honesuki Knife 3. The Modern Prep-Friendly Honesuki Knife Honesuki Knife Honorable Mentions
The Traditional Honesuki: Design and Purpose
Originally designed for breaking down poultry, the Honesuki knife is typically a 4.5 to 6-inch blade with a thick spine and an angled tip for precision cuts.
The heel of a honesuki knife is often taller than a petty knife, but not as tall as a gyuto or chef's knife, providing knuckle clearance and better grip, so a slippery hand from boning a chicken has support from the choil or heel of the knife.
The blade often features a single-bevel or asymmetrical grind, meaning one side of the blade does the majority of the cutting, giving the knife incredible precision when navigating joints and connective tissue in poultry and small animal butchery.
The thicker spine adds durability, making it possible to use the side of the blade for leverage when popping off joint knuckles or cartilage. Like many Japanese designs, a honesuki knife traditionally had octagonal wooden handles (Wa).
If you're familiar with the Deba knife, a honesuki knife would share many features, but with a smaller blade profile, and shifting from fish to poultry.
From Butchery Tool to Prep Knife: The Modern Evolution
Over the last few decades, the Honesuki knife has evolved beyond its original poultry purpose. While many traditional single-bevel versions still exist (especially among traditional Japanese blacksmiths), today's market includes Honesuki knives with symmetrical geometry.
Some of these modern versions maintain the traditional thicker spine with a symmetrical double bevel. Others have a double-bevel, thin spine, and narrow blade geometry, allowing them to be used as a prep or smaller chef's knife.
The modern reinterpretation of the Honesuki has led to a blurring of categories. So, let's break down what to look for when searching for the perfect boning, or prep knife, because a side profile shot of the blade won't tell you what you need to know!
Honesuki Knife Types: A Visual Breakdown
Let's break the Honesuki category into three main types based on edge geometry and intended use:
1. Traditional Single or Asymmertrical Bevel Honesuki Knife
These knives have a thick spine and a pronounced, single-bevel or asymmetrical bevel that is usually close to a 90/10 grind.
Their construction is optimized for boning poultry and working through joints. These aren't ideal for rock chopping or general prep work, but excel at trimming, slicing, and navigating through bone and cartilage.
It's not that you can't use one of these honesuki knives for prep, but the flow of the blade into carrots, sweet potatoes, large onions, and other produce is going to be very abrupt, draggy, and have more of a wedging effect than slicing.
Whenever you're looking at a honesuki knife on our shop page, be sure to pay attention to those that have choil shots (looking at the base of the blade from the perspective of the belly of the handle). If it looks anything like the ones below, you'll know you're looking at a traditional honesuki knife.
2. Heavy-Duty Symmertrical Double-Bevel Honesuki Knife
Some Honesuki knives maintain a thick, durable spine but have a 50/50 double bevel, making them easier to sharpen and use.
However, the geometry is very abrupt, meaning they retain most of the robustness of traditional Honesuki knives until just behind the sharpened edge, halfway down the blade height. These are versatile for tasks such as meat trimming, poultry breakdown, and off-the-board prep. Think of them as a bridge between boning and utility knives.
If it's all you have when you need to roughly chop up some onions or celery for mirepoix, it'll do the trick, but don't use it for your mise en place prep or plan to cook for a dinner party with this as your primary blade.
3. The Modern Prep-Friendly Honesuki Knife
These newer Honesuki knives feature thinner spines, better grinds, and balanced 50/50 double bevels. While they retain the iconic Honesuki shape, they perform more like ko-bunkas or utility knives with a solid heel height.
They're great for everyday prep work, including slicing vegetables, trimming meats, and even tap and push chopping, thanks to the heel height. Popular examples include the Shun and the Dao Vua Honesuki.
Many professional chefs have replaced their larger chefs, santoku, nakiri, or bunka knives with these all-purpose pre-workhorses while they are prepping mid-shift on the line. They are small, don't take up a lot of space, and get most jobs done when on the go and hustling in a busy kitchen.
Honesuki Knife Honorable Mentions
There are a few knives that aren't technically labeled as Honesuki for marketing purposes since most people a) don't know what a honesuki is or b) have no idea how to pronounce it, os they are ko-bunkas that resemble a honesuki. Still, these knives follow a similar design language and function. Examples include:
- Hatsukokoro Kurogane 4.7" Ko-Bunka
- Hatsukokoro Kurogane 3.1" Ko-Bunka
- Wusthof Asian Prep Knife
- Zwilling Tanrei Utility Knife (seen above)
These blades provide the same utility and general-purpose capabilities as a prep-style honesuki knife, with slightly different profiles or branding.
Choosing the Right Honesuki Knife:
When deciding whether a Honesuki is right for you, first consider how you plan to use it:
- If you're looking for a dedicated boning knife and feel confident with single-bevel or asymmetrical grinds, a traditional Honesuki is a strong choice.
- If you want a more forgiving blade that can handle meat trimming, poultry, and the occasional general prep, opt for a thick-spined double-bevel version.
- If you're looking for an all-purpose prep knife that can still trim meats and break down a chicken, but with a slimmer blade, a modern double-bevel Honesuki prep style knife is the way to go.
Regardless of your pick, it's essential to understand that the name "Honesuki" has evolved. Today, it refers more to the silhouette and overall feel of the blade than to a strict set of specifications.
The Honesuki knife is a perfect example of tradition meeting evolution. Once a specialist poultry knife, it now serves many purposes in kitchens around the world. Whether you stick to its roots or explore modern interpretations, the Honesuki knife offers a unique balance of precision and functionality.
Just remember: when you see a knife labeled "Honesuki," don't stop at the name. Look closely at the edge geometry, spine thickness, and bevel style. That's where the true story lies.
