# What is your favorite knife for dressing out rabbits?



## bjgarlich (Nov 20, 2012)

We will be processing our first rabbits in a few weeks, and wondered what is the best knife to use (obviously a sharp one :rock. Also, do you use poultry shears at all, and how are those different from kitchen shears? 

We plan to use the broomstick method for the kill, so the knife would be just for dressing out the rabbit. Thanks!


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## deeremom (Mar 13, 2013)

I use a very old hunting type knife for taking paws and heads off. For skinning and gutting I use a Mora, its a swedish knife. Easy to keep Sharp and holds an edge well. 
I can't stand to do any kind of butchering without properly Sharp knives. It's much safer. 
I don't really care for anything stainless steel, I cant keep an edge on them long enough to get through a butchering. 
Would love to have a damascus steel knife.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I use an anvil pruner to snip off the front and back paws. I use a knife and go around the neck. 

Right now we use fillet knives and paring knives. I'd loveto try a ceramic knife. I agree - difficult to keep an edge on steel, if there's anything that will dull knives fast it's fur.


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## SherryB (Oct 10, 2012)

Here's the newbie response with a sum total of 5 butchers under her belt! It was suggested to me to use what's called a muskrat pocket knife (basically has 2 pointed blades of approx the same length). A you tube video I used to learn how to butcher rabbits uses a filet knife and heavy duty kitchen sheers to do the initial butchering and another you-tube video to cut up the rabbit uses a chef's knife. 

So, I tried it all. I found the muskrat knife either too dull or not a long enough blade for me to do the initial butchering. I may get it sharpened and try again the next time. Not wanting to spend alot of money on a filet or chef knife, and after having excellent performance from those Rada knives (cheap and very easy to keep sharp), I had also bought one each of those to try. Those both worked VERY well. I bought a good set of kitchen sheers for removing the paws. I believe kitchen sheers and poultry sheers are essentially the same thing--they are sheers with a semi circle cut out of the blades part of the way back where you can put the leg (rabbit) or wing (poultry) and cut through bone. 

If you decide to get the RADA knifes, they can be ordered on-line. Should cost you about $10 each. Buy the RADA knife sharpener at the same time. I have several of these of other styles and they last forever and a quick pass through their RADA knife sharpener every once in awhile keeps them VERY sharp. You may also find them for sale at your local flea market. I did.


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

I use garden pruning shears to cut the feet off, and a filet knife for the rest. Really you only need a few cuts to dress out a rabbit, they are so soft you can do most of it with just your hands.

And yes, the sharpness of your tool is probably more important than which knife you choose. A very sharp knife will make the difference between a fast, easy, clean job, and a big mess that takes forever.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I always used to use my Buck 110... Always sharp, stayed sharp, and heavy enough you could hack off the legs with a good swing.


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## FloridaHillbill (Dec 5, 2012)

I use a fillet knife sometimes, a Mora other times..and then I switch out to a Muskrat or some other folder. Pretty much any knife I have works, as long as its sharp.

I also use these shears I got from Harbor Freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-inch-multipurpose-stainless-steel-scissors-97042.html

I hang my rabbits from their hind feet, cut off the head with my knife, use the shears to lop off the front feet, then circle the legs, split down to the vent, cut off the tail then pull the hide down and off ending up inside out, like pulling off a shirt. I do this to save the hides, I trade out two raw hides for one tanned one with a friend of mine.

Once the hide is off and I've removed all entrails, I quarter the rabbit while it hangs, then cut off the hind feet to put the hindquarters in the bowl.


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## Bluefirephoenix (Feb 19, 2013)

I found the best one was a $3 find at Sobeys. It's a heavy chopper and cuts through bone well as fur.


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## Fetherhd (Aug 16, 2012)

I use a filet knife, kitchen shears to cut off the feet and a little tool called a gut hook. This little razor blade device makes skinning and gutting a breeze. I highly suggest it. I have had mine for 5 years now. It has helped skin and gutted countless rabbits, deer, antelope elk and even a steer. priceless little piece of equipment.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

i use a small folding case sodbuster knife. very easy to sharpen and holds and edge. i also use a mora knife. also easy to sharpen, and retains an edge. 
more and more i use my poultry shears. i love them things. makes processing a carcass so easy and quick too.


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## Dead Rabbit (Oct 30, 2010)

stainless steel is a bear to sharpen and ive never been able to keep an edge on them. i only go with high carbon steel knives now. touch them up between carcasses.


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## KimTN (Jan 16, 2007)

I use a box blade. The razor can be changed out regularly and is short and sharp. I can completely skin and dress out a rabbit in just under 3 minutes. I do about 30 to 40 at a time. I use a pair of rose pruning shears to cut thru the neck and leg bones. Using a short blade makes things really precise and quick and you won't mess around and cut too deep. It will mess up a finger if you don't watch what you are doing.


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

My favorite knife for dressing out rabbits is a pair of kitchen scissors. At first I used a folding Buck knife, no complaints with that. But at some point I started using poultry shears for the joints, then found that I could cut fur, membranes, rib cages, and along the backbone. The curve of the poultry shears was kinda of odd so I started using kitchen scissors.

Having said that, if a person takes the time to learn the knife cuts, they will find fewer bone chips in the finished product than one gets using the pruning shears or scissors. Especially with the foot joints.

Have a good day!


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I use this and keep it razer sharp. It is old but works well. Hang by rear feet, cut slit on rear legs, pull the hide down, cut off head and front feet (I don't save many pelts). Cut belly and pull entrails. Save heart and liver. Wash off with hose and cut off rear feet. Lay in pan. On to the next one, just about that fast. Done....James

http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Cutle...ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2BBUA7LL95L5R


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## ShadowfaxFarm (Jul 23, 2011)

we just use the RADA granny paring knives...those things are the perfect length and shape. the little curved point is perfect for cutting open the abdomen without having to worry about nicking the intestines. Also I use it at the pelvis to avoid nicking the bladder. we don't bother with shears for the legs, hubby snaps them by hand at the joint then cuts the connective tissue with the knife.


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## rcbaughn (Mar 24, 2013)

First rabbit I ever skinned I used my "Wayne Clay Improved Squirrel" hunting knife. I've used that knife for deer and everything else I've shot or skinned. It's versatile and the blade's metal holds an edge like no other knife I've ever owned. They are pricey for sure, but I got this one as a graduation present (best present I got, even better than the cash) 7 years ago and I've loved it ever since. 3 1/2" blade is perfect for skinning and eviscerating if ya ask me. I used kitchen shears to cut off the feet and tail and a butchers cleaver for the head. 

That said, the rabbit I skinned I did the whole peel thing instead of trying to skin it with the knife the whole time and I got this white film that dried out super fast all over the rabbit. I went back and picked it off when I went to rinse it but I was wondering if I didn't go deep enough with the cut before I pulled off the skin down to where the head use to be. Is that stuff suppose to come off with the skin or does it normally stay there? And if so, do you leave it on and just cook the meat with it on there? Took a good bit of time for me when I got it in the house to butcher it up to work that stuff off the meat sections. 

Thanks so much, 
Cory


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## denglish (Feb 20, 2013)

I've only butchered a couple of litters so far. I have a nice set of Cutco knives, expensive but very good, made-in-America quality. I use the cleaver to remove the head immediately after cervical dislocation. I use the kitchen shears to remove feet and the birds beak paring knife to gut and clean. The shears are great at cutting through just about anything.


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## bassmaster17327 (Apr 6, 2011)

I use a very small fixed blade knife. It has a 1 5/8 inch blade with and overal is 4.5 inches, the blade is made from a file with wood handle and is full tang. I do not cut through any bone so no need for cutters, I just seperate the feet at the joints so there is no bone fragments and no sharp edges to poke holes when I vac seal.


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## a7736100 (Jun 4, 2009)

denglish said:


> I've only butchered a couple of litters so far. I have a nice set of Cutco knives, expensive but very good, made-in-America quality. I use the cleaver to remove the head immediately after cervical dislocation. I use the kitchen shears to remove feet and the birds beak paring knife to gut and clean. The shears are great at cutting through just about anything.


Since you are using the cleaver anyway why not just wack the feet off too?


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## bjgarlich (Nov 20, 2012)

Thanks for all the great ideas and tips!! I was thinking of a much bigger knife, so glad to know that a smaller knife works better. I have some really sharp 3 inch paring knives that we might try.


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