The Victorinox Cimeter brings back an older butcher knife design more familiar to hunters than to most chefs. This 14-inch knife has the blade length necessary for quickly dividing large carcasses and large cuts of meat, along with an upswept point well-designed for piercing.
The more familiar butcher knife pattern uses a straight blade with weight forward and performs as a chopping tool as well as a slicer. The breaking knife pattern the Cimeter follows enters a carcass with less damage, allowing more control and finer work. The blade remains strong enough to sever bone but works by leverage and shearing. Hunters or farmers will probably have more need for this large, special-purpose knife than would most home chefs, but the knife is useful when dividing or boning large cuts of meat like brisket or shank.
Construction is solid and of professional grade — good enough to be standard equipment in restaurants and butcher shops. Victorinox’s larger stamped knives are only slightly lighter than forged versions and compare well in terms of blade strength and edge-holding. The non-slip black Fibrox handle allows a safe handhold even when conditions get slippery. The shape of the handle as well as the friction of the Fibrox surface keeps fingers securely on the grip when applying power to the cut. The wide handle encloses a strong, full tang with a permanent fit that passes NSF sanitation standards. No gaps in the assembly mean fewer chances of cross-contamination.
Although not every home chef needs this knife, for those who do work with wild game or raise their own livestock, a good set of butcher’s tools often makes the difference between meat for the table and scraps to throw away.